Multiplayer goodness
Multiplayer options in Crysis at first appear limited with just Deathmatch or Power Struggle but there are merits to both.Deathmatch is pretty much your standard stuff, with the added benefit of weapons exclusive to the multiplayer game. There’s a wide array of maps on here, with both modes having custom maps for the game type. Deathmatch maps are all pretty large affairs best suited to at least 16 players or more, it’d be nice to see some smaller, tighter maps rather than these large, sprawling jobbies. Perhaps in a later patch, eh?
Click for larger imagePower Struggle is where you’ll spend a fair whack of your online time though, as this mode takes the best bits from Unreal’s Assault, blends it with a bit of Battlefield 2142’s point holding and throws in plenty of variety for good measure. The idea is to take and hold strategic points, just as you do in BF 2142. But holding these points advances your team against the defenders, as in UT2k4’s Assault.
The kicker here is that holding certain points give you access to new weaponry, so it’s in your interest to work as a team to win the match overall. Sadly, as is the way with team based games of this ilk, you need to be on a team-orientated side. Luckily, there’s VOIP built in and it has to be said that the vast majority of games I’ve played in on the beta were nicely lag free, even on packed servers, so you’ll have no trouble there.
Click for larger imageIt’s worth mentioning that Crytek have had to split the servers for DX9 and DX10 players, but fear not, if you’re playing under DX10 and all your mates are on DX9, you can still join DX9 servers, you just won’t get all your DX10 lushness. But if you’re on a DX10 server, your DX9 buddies can’t join you… it only scales down, not up, see?
One thing lacking in the multiplayer maps, be it Deathmatch or Power Struggle, was any decent amount of indoor action. Sure, there’s a few rooms here and there but can you imagine the damage a few claymores can do in a confined space? And you can’t tell me that flash bangs are great outdoors, 'cos they ain’t. So, let’s have some smaller maps and more indoors stuff please.