The level then entered a vast portion of the ship where we got to see a new alien creature we had not seen before in previous Crysis demos. Think of a blue mermaid (or meralien as the case may be) flying at great speed inside the large alien chamber. The creatures look about human sized but they are not friendly; they will swoop around in the zero-g enviroment to try and take you out. Inside the alien chamber is a structure where we saw some glowing yellow containers that are apparently some kind of energy source. We were directed to shoot at the containers to shut down the energy so we could then proceed deeper inside the ship. Battling the alien mercreatures and shooting at the energy structures got to be pretty tricky because of our zero-g situation but we managed to complete our mission and destroy the structure.
We then explored more inside the alien ship, encountering various alien mercreatures along the way. The level had us exploring a vast tunnel system. Normally we would be worried about which direction to go in, especially in a zero-g environment. However the Crytek level designers have done an excellent job in given subtle but noticeable clues in the level design that allowed us to figure how which way to proceed inside the level. All the while we were pretty much going "Ohhhh" and "Ahhhhh" while exploring the alien ship tunnels. Crysis blows us away with its graphics and art design every time we see it and the alien ship is by far the most impressive single player level we have checked out so far. Again the terrific graphics were all DirectX9 based so that Crytek could show that people with just Windows XP and a DirectX9 based graphics card will get one of the best looking first person shooters ever made (which will likely make the DirectX10/Vista version even more impressive to check out).
The CORE level actually ends with you exiting the ship which is where the ICE level (the portion of Crysis that we wrote about last Thursday) begins. Both these levels are in the middle section of the game which means that there could be even more surprises awaiting us when the full version of the game arrives in mid-November. Meanwhile you may have heard that Crytek and EA have started beta testing for the multiplayer portion of Crysis. We hope to have some hands-on impressions of that portion of the game in the very near future.
X-Men Origins: Wolverine PC Review
Considering their success with Marvel: Ultimate Alliance, we had high hopes for Raven's latest release: X-Men Origins: Wolverine. Fortunately, they didn't disappoint -- this is definitely the most violent Wolverine depiction yet. But does maximum carnage lead to a better game? Find out in Tom's latest review.
Zeno Clash Review
Looking for something different? Are you a fan of melee combat? If so, you may want to check out ACE's Zeno Clash. With its unique gameplay environment and exciting combat, Tom came away impressed with this shooter. Read on for the full review!
Demigod Review
With its interesting gameplay Tom finds a lot to like in Gas Powered Games latest RTS, Demigod, but all isn't perfect with this title. Check out this review for all the details!
Combat Arms Review
Nexon's Combat Arms is an online first-person shooter that's free to play, but based on microtransactions with items like additional weapons and attachments costing about $4/month if you choose to purchase them. How does it fare against conventional shooters though? Find out in today's review!
Tom Clancy's H.A.W.X. Review
With DirectX 10.1 graphics, and over 50 real-world aircraft and terrain supplied by GeoEye, Tom Clancy's H.A.W.X. has the basic ingredients needed for a fun flight sim experience. But is it really a sim, or more of a flying shooter like you'd find in arcades? Tom attempts to sort it all out in this review!
Warhammer 40,000: Dawn of War II Review
With an emphasis on fast-paced action, Relic's latest RTS mixes RPG elements with the traditional strategy emphasis to deliver a pretty compelling package. Check out Tom's take in today's review!
Mirror's Edge PC Review
With its emphasis on parkour, Mirror's Edge plays differently than your traditional FPS. In fact to call it a shooter would be a misnomer as the game plays like no other FPS on the market. But is different necessarily better? Find out in our review of Mirror's Edge PC!
Call of Duty: World at War Review
Set in the Pacific and Russian theaters of WW2, Call of Duty: World at War is built on the CoD 4 engine. But is it as good as Modern Warfare and previous titles in the CoD series? Find out in our review!
Fallout 3 Review
It's been 10 years since we last experienced the post-apocalyptic world of Fallout, but now, under the direction of Bethesda Studios, fans of the series can finally return. But is Fallout 3 as compelling as the original series? Read on for the full review!