Crysis

Sometime in college I had heard of this intense, machine-melting game. It was hyped as a testament to experiences that could only be had on PC. Its name would be whispered by those who didn’t have the horsepower to keep up with its demands. Largely being a console gamer myself, Crysis’ very name struck me too with fear and awe.

After many ports, two full sequels, and a remaster, Crysis, the epic shooter that would once make the most powerful GPUs break a sweat, doesn’t necessarily occupy that same spot. Arguably Cyberpunk 2077 took that throne—but with 2077 being multiplatform from the start, it never quite took on that exclusive status. You can be sure that if I have a new computer, it means that I’ve upgraded, and that means I’m here to see how many damn frames of Crysis it can push.

Arguably, the 2021 remaster of this title has made the original version a little obsolete. It’s prettier overall and runs better. But revisiting the game this way also reveals another reason it’s a must-install: the original Crysis is a vision of a game that I wish more first-person shooters would take inspiration from. With incredible levels of destruction, open environments, and high levels of item interaction, it deserves to be celebrated for more than just its visual allure.