Crysis Remastered Review – Nano Portable Gaming (Switch)

crysis remastered ps4 release date

If you would have told me back in 2007 that a game like Crysis would be running on a portable system by Nintendo, I’d have laughed and called you crazy. At the time, Crysis for the PC had set a bar for PC gamers, and for the matter, the industry on just how far visuals could go. Even looking back at it today, it still holds extremely well despite being 13 years old. So when it was announced that Crytek, the original minds behind the game, would once more be doing another re-release for the title, my interested got piqued hearing of a Nintendo Switch version. As the Switch is easily the most powerful handheld hybrid console that Nintendo has ever produced, the meme-old question can now finally be answered. Can it run Crysis? Here’s our Crysis Remastered review! Before moving on with this review, one thing I would like to get out of the way for those who are curious, no the Ascension mission has not been restored with this remaster.

Simple Answer, Yes

Crysis on the Nintendo Switch may not be the same graphical powerhouse we saw on PC, but it would be wrong to say that it isn’t just as impressive. In fact, for the realistic visual it aims to achieve, this is probably the best looking Switch game to date, and more so one of the best ports of a last-gen title. I can’t fathom the amount of work that had to go into getting Crysis to operate on the Switch, considering that even last-gen (PS3, Xbox 360) struggled to get the game to run. I had my doubts, but upon booting it was made clear that this was no cheap cash grab. Visually speaking, it looks great. While clearly a downgrade, the number of details that are still present in the Switch version is astonishing. Being able to look at trees, grass, buildings, and all other objects and make out small details is something I wasn’t expecting from a Switch game. There are downgrades, but the end result is impressive nonetheless and makes them well worth the sacrifice for portability. Other visual improvements include the removal of the blue filter that was present in both the PS3 and Xbox 360 versions of the game. As someone who owned the PS3 version, this is a well welcome removal as the differences are day and night. Coloring is far more vibrant and stays more true to the original PC version, thus makes the details pop better. It was something that bugged me in the first console release, and we’re glad that the team realized that no one liked it. As for the gameplay, for those who never played Crysis before, it’s a first-person shooter with the main character possessing a nanotechnology powered suit. You have super strength, super speed, massive armor, and cloaking. Basically everything to make you the ultimate killing machine. It’s fun, especially in the massive sandbox world that is offered. However, it’s clear that despite what’s delivered, the Switch still shows it’s limitations. For starters, the game features full destruction. While that is definitely a good feature, the frame-rate nearly gets killed off whenever a player decides to destroy structures and vehicles. When you’re just normally traversing the world and engaging a light amount of enemies, the frames-per-second is a near 30 locked (or 31 according to Digital Foundry). Dips can also be seen when driving in a vehicle along with heavy pop-ins, and certain weapon scopes also cause the nearly unplayable dips. We don’t really expect a patch to fix all these issues, but one is definitely needed. It’s still far better than last-gen, and with the Switch being weaker there’s hope that both the PS4 and Xbox One versions will run smooth.

All That Tech In Such A Small Device

Maybe I shouldn’t be impressed that a title from 2007 is running so dam good on the Switch, but I am. While the Switch port may not be the huge graphical monster that was delivered by the PC version, this is still one of the best visual outputs that the console has managed to run. For a title that essentially required a monster at the time, being able to run on a device like a Switch is no joke. It may not be saying much considering the other platforms, but for a console that has typically been associated with more simplicity in art direction, running Crysis is a bold statement to developers that anything can be achieved if you set your mind to it. It does suffer from frame-rate drops that can make moments unbearable, but the end product is still spectacular. Until the PS4 and Xbox One versions released, this is most definitely the definite console version of the game to play.Switch owners, this is one rematser that I highly recommend.

Score: 8.5/10

Pros:

  • Possibly the best looking Switch game in terms of realistic art direction
  • FPS controls transition well to the Switch, Gyro motion controls are also optional.
  • Removal of the blue filter
  • Destruction is intact, despite FPS issues
  • 30 FPS is really stable when on foot and in small firefights
  • Easily the best console port at the moment.

Cons:

  • Suffers massive frame-rate dips
  • Pop-ins can be distracting
  • The story was never a big thing in the original Crysis, don’t expect it to be any different. It’s engaging enough to keep you entertained, but nothing that memorable.

Crysis Remastered review code provided by the publisher. Reviewed on the Nintendo Switch. You can read SP1st and MP1st’s review and scoring policy right here.  Crysis Remasters is now available to purchase on the Switch with a PS4 and Xbox One version coming later.  

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