No Crysis of confidence

How about that Crysis 3, eh? The game released yesterday and firmly established itself as the mark by which future videogame graphics shall be measured -- at least for a while. There's no doubt this is one beautiful game when you get it running at full spec, but how is it as a game?

Well, I thought it was pretty good in my review!

What is everybody else thinking, though? Critics around the Web have been generally pretty favorable, with positive reviews across the board. This certainly isn't a "tens everywhere" masterpiece though, with most summaries pointing out the game's flaws and visuals-over-content approach. General consensus is that Crysis 3 is okay, but don't expect a revelation. 

We've gathered some notable reviews for your viewing delight. Have fun!

Polygon: "I enjoyed myself despite how much of a step backward the entire game feels from its predecessors. It's a beautiful game with jaw-dropping production values. But it took me a few hours to realize how empty Crysis 3 feels. The best thing I can manage to say about it is this: It didn't get in my way. But I would have had more fun if Crysis 3 had put up a fight." [7/10]

Edge: "Crysis 3 has neither direction nor freedom, though it does have human weapons, alien weapons, a cloaking device, an Armour mode, and a bow. And with this many options at your disposal, Crysis 3 insists, surely you must be having fun." [6/10]

PC Gamer: "The legacy left by Crysis, assuming this is the last we’ll see of the franchise in the near future, is much different than the craterous impact the original game made in 2007. It’s still a terrific, dazzling action experience with a core mechanic that empowers you, and ultimately, this feels more like Crysis 2: Episode 2 than a sequel that deserves your maximum enthusiasm." [81/100]

IGN: "It’s not quite a next generation experience come early, but it’s a superbly controlled, tightly paced and tactically flexible shooter with a satisfyingly focused story, and an excellent way to tie up the Crysis series... for now." [8.5/10]

Penny Arcade Report: "Crysis 3 is filled what what could have been interesting subplots and ideas, but Crytek seemed hesitant to commit fully to any of them. The result is a competent, fun, but ultimately forgettable experience." [N/A]

Eurogamer: "That true panoramic freedom is still missing in action, the campaign's rather undernourished as it rushes you into the final act and the fiction feels increasingly forgettable. There are charms here, though, if you boot up the tactical display and stick to the shadows. There's the silent kill in glorious surroundings; there's the swish of an arrow, the creak of a bow." [7/10]

GameSpot: "The campaign is several hours shorter than Crysis 2's, and doesn't reproduce the thrills that lit up the previous games. Yet on its own terms, this is a full-featured sci-fi shooter that makes it a lot of fun to torture extraterrestrial abominations with the burning rage of their own weapons." [7.5/10]

EGM: "With a single-player campaign that brings the trilogy to a fulfilling close and best-in-class multiplayer, Crysis 3 manages to best its predecessors and deliver a genuinely impressive FPS experience." [9/10]