Crysis Warhead (2008)

This game is a standalone expansion to the original Crysis, where now you play as Sergeant "Psycho" Sykes during the same timeline as the first game, and this seems like not a big deal, but I really like this character over the first one's MC, it is miles ahead more likable and charismatic. I got to admit that the MC alone carries this game, at least for me, and this is more due to the Prophet being a very plain character to begin with. My guess is that they focused heavily in the technical aspects of the game, such as the graphics, and while the story is not all that bad, the characters were lacking.

It delivers a more focused, fast-paced, and action-heavy experience, trimming down on the open-world elements for tighter, cinematic missions, this is one hell of a ride compared to the base game, way more action-packed, and I love it, while at the same time, I'm also a fan of a more stealth/tactical approach. The gameplay retains the iconic Nanosuit mechanics, offering multiple tactical approaches, while the graphics, even by modern standards, remain visually stunning. However, the campaign is relatively short and less ambitious in scope, overall, it's a polished and explosive companion piece that complements the original well.

Another thing that really stood out to me was how much better the pacing feels overall. Levels are structured in a way that constantly pushes you forward without feeling rushed, and there’s rarely any downtime that drags on for too long. The combat encounters are more deliberate and memorable, with set pieces that actually feel designed around the suits' abilities rather than just showing off scale. This makes each mission feel distinct, and it helps the game maintain its momentum from start to finish in a way the original sometimes struggled with.

On the technical side, this expansion also feels more refined and stable than the base game, at least in my experience. Performance is noticeably better, which makes the intense firefights and large explosions feel smoother and more enjoyable. The OST and sound design deserve a mention too, as they do a great job of amplifying the chaos and tension of each encounter. In the end, this title feels like Crytek took what worked, cut what didn’t, and delivered a tighter, more confident experience that still holds up remarkably well for a 2008 PC title.

first play

played on gt 730 i3 7100
Played this right after crysis, a average game, graphics are same as the original, not different at all.

Pros:

1. Missions are fun to play, especially, the beach and train ones.
2. That is it, can't think of any thing more.

Cons:

1. Too much I mean, too much background music. Not situational either.
2. The Cutscenes are really bad, they lack the clarity of context and they are way too long for a game, like around 4 minutes.
3. No Story at all, if you play the first one and skip this game it doesn't make any difference in the crisis series.
4. Weapons are really average, not at all rememberable.
5. sometimes can't see were to go, being open to explore takes a long time to find the actual path that leads to the next level.

Won't play this game again, giving 3 stars for the fun in missions, played at delta difficulty and still had fun.

edit 2024:

played on rtx 4060 amd 7700x
Just Played this game again after buying a high end pc: still this game sucks at around 200fps, i like the shooting mechanic of sniper and gauss rifle but the game mechanics when coming to rocket launcher is bad, i shoot tanks from 100 meters or so and also from the roof top can't hit the tank the rocket goes near the tank and falls to ground what the fuck with that? just skipped that level and played with enemies instead.

the bloom on spray weapons is also worst had to go through tap firing single bullet. any way ok game just for fun can't enjoy long term in the highest difficult there are some bugs and issues with weapons making fighting a drag.

Crysis Warhead, for PC

Rating: 9.0/10; Masterpiece

See my Crysis review for details, as this is an expansion for that game and uses the exact same engine, interface, gameplay etc. There are some new weapons and vehicles, which are cool. Enemies are pretty much the same, though there is slightly larger variety in nanosuit enemies (and of course you have to deal with the new weapons and vehicles). Overall, this campaign is far more action packed with more enemies and more intense combat. There is more emphasis on fighting human enemies, and there are no zero G or flying levels.

Definitely must have for any fan of the original Crysis.

Crysis Warhead is a standalone mini-campaign set during the events of the original game. Gameplay and presentation is the same as the original game, which is to say it's great. Gameplay is made great by mastering the different modes on your nanosuit that result in feeling of being better than everything that almost no other game matches.

Story

Crysis Warhead is set in the near future where you play as Psycho, one part of an elite tactical squad with overpowered combat armour. Your squad is tasked with the investigation of Korean forces that are garrisoned on a pacific island. The story is cheesy and with all the right ridiculousness, reminiscent of 80's action movies. In Crysis Warhead there is only 3 characters really, and they are all one-dimensional and there is no character development. The plot is definitely secondary to the gameplay and graphics but it serves as an interesting enough backdrop with some great and memorable moments. I would recommend playing the original game before playing Warhead if you can, as the plot is far more developed in that game.

Gameplay

The nanosuit has 4 different modes, which can be activated at any time depending on what the situation requires. Mastering the different modes (Speed, Strength, Armour & Cloak) is the key to enjoying the gameplay in Crysis, and synthesising them together creates unequalled moments of badassery. You will probably tend to take a primary play style: stealth, run and gun or tank and gun though you will have to use all the modes to be successful. I tended to do run and gun using a combination of Speed and Armour primarily with the occasional Strength one hit melee kill.

The gunplay is very good with each gun having a very different feeling from each other. Unfortunately I think the game could've done with a few more weapons but the ones available cover all bases, the shotgun being my personal favourite. You can customise your weapon at any time this includes changing sights, ammunition and attachments. This is important to use as changing the setup on your weapons to suit the situation is quite helpful and increases the versatility. There is also a lot of different equipment like mines, satchel charges or missile launchers. Using equipment as frequently as you can will make your life easier and I had a lot of fun using satchel charges in combination with Cloak.

Presentation

Crysis is famous for it's graphical fidelity and it honestly still holds up well. I was playing the game at 1440p on maximum settings and it still looked as good as modern games which is a real testament to the detail Crytek put into the environment and effects. The water and lighting bloom were the real standouts here and the density of the pacific jungles was impressive. The effects are incredible too with explosions, fire and bullet effects looking awesome and it definitely adds a lot to action packed story. Where the graphics of Crysis do not hold up is in facial animations, to elaborate I'm not actually certain there are any. There is one moment in particular where Psycho is supposed to look sad and instead looks shocked or something with mouth agape. Though luckily there is only a handful of moments where you even see faces so it doesn't detract too much.

The sound effects are incredible too, explosions and gunfire are loud and... explosive I guess. In Speed mode you hear things whizzing past you and combined with the peripheral blur you get a real sense of speed. The suit talks to you when you change modes and these lines are eternally memorable and to everyone's surprise don't get repetitive.

7.5/10

Jako slično originalu, ali unaprijeđeno u gotovo svim elementima, auto pick up metaka je savršen za brži pacing igre, koja je ipak možda malo prekratka (prijeđe se za nekakvih 3,5 - 4 sata). Također, dosta lakša od prethodnika, uglavnom zbog količine dostupnog oružja, glazbena podloga također rula. Ima nešto sitno bugova/glitcheva, ali ne smaraju toliko, u svakom slučaju +1 ocjena u svim segmentima naspram originala osim možda priče i dužine (iako je priča objašnjena u prvoj igri, a ovo je ipak expanzija pa se kratkoća ne može uzeti za toliko zlo).