“Crysis 2,” at its core, is all about freedom. Taking place during an alien invasion in New York City and armed with an array of guns and special abilities the player is free to tackle their aggressors however they like. The player can temporarily go invisible if a situation calls for it, or increase their armor if going in guns blazing seems like a better tactical option.

Unfortunately the story of “Crysis 2” tries to be something epic, but comes off as a convoluted mess for much of the time. There isn’t a lack of story per se, there’s actually a fair amount of it. Everything is poorly explained or not explained at all.

While the events of the original Crysis are referenced, new players can jump right into “Crysis 2” and be just as confused as veterans of the franchise. By the end of the 10 to 15 hour campaign the player is going to still be fairly baffled as to what exactly is going on, but the conclusion is satisfying enough to not make it seem like a hollow victory.

Combat plays out from a first person perspective, and the battlefields feel like combat puzzles. The majority of the fights take place in open battlefields, which helps the player determine how to best approach situations. Bust out a sniper rifle and post up on top of a building? Or go cloaked and silently take everyone out up close and personal. Additionally, guns can be modified on the fly. Silencers, scopes, grenade launchers and many other attachments can be added at any time on the fly. Whatever tool the player needs to get the job done is at his or her fingertips.

By and large the enemies the player faces puts up a more than decent fight, even on the default difficulty setting. Both human and alien enemies are all over New York City. The aliens in particular can traverse the environment even better than the player can and take way more damage than the typical human opposition. Still, the player never feels overwhelmed despite the sometimes-ridiculous odds.

Multiplayer is your typical “Call of Duty” styled-affair, except with the different tactical abilities from the single-player game available for all to use. There are a variety of modes and turning invisible and tricking human opponents is even more satisfying than messing with the single players A.I.

In a shooter market where everyone wants to be “Call of Duty” or “Halo,” it’s refreshing when someone tries something different and succeeds. Despite “Crysis 2’s” weak story, the game succeeds at being an absolute blast to play. Its few shortcomings seem trivial when compared to the amount of fun the combat scenarios provide. “Crysis 2” is easily one of the best shooters of the year, and those who consider themselves fans of the genre shouldn’t hesitate to pick it up.

Jon Posch can be reached at 581-2812 or

[email protected].