Much like a soap opera, it's getting pretty confusing following the twisted saga of Crysis' fate on consoles. We just want to know whether it's coming or not. Some of us pour all our money into consoles, not massive computer updates including new graphics cards or operating systems. What do we know so far?

First, that’s not how you spell “Crisis.”

It is if you’re Crytek, creators of the rather beautiful, original PC version of Far Cry. It is, in fact, a rather clever spelling in light of that.

So is it a sequel?

Not as such. There’s no connection with the original Far Cry, beyond the same developers having similar ambitions, only a lot more evolved. Oh, and luscious tropical island surroundings. And perhaps a flavor of Far Cry Instincts’ super-enhanced human abilities. But no, honestly, it’s not a sequel.

So what it’s all about then?

In 2019, an asteroid strikes the Earth in the middle of a chain of tropical islands. The North Korean and US governments immediately begin bitching about to whom it belongs, when the asteroid splits open and reveals a 2 mile high spaceship. Oops. The main character, a - wait for it - super-soldier with super-leap and super-speed abilities, along with augmentable weapons, decides to take them on, in the most graphically rich engine our eyes have ever peered at.

Sounds pretty good so far.So what’s the story with the Xbox 360 and PS3 versions?

That’s a very good question. And the answer is… murky. At the early stages of its development it was believed that we’d be seeing the remarkably pretty shooter on 360, as well as its native PC. However, as things have progressed, and Crytek’s new CryENGINE 2 graphics system has evolved, it’s been denied, confirmed and denied again.

Uh?

Basically, “The Internet” made a bit of an error, after claiming last month that Crytek had told them the game was back on for 360 and PS3, despite announcements from the team earlier that next-gen technology couldn’t keep up with the game in its current state. In fact, even current generation PCs will be hard pushed to keep up; the game looks to require Windows Vista and DirectX 10 to have any chance of running. That’s a lot of juice. As a result, Crytek confirmed that it’s only in development for the PC.

How the confusion?

Well, the site responsible claimed to have been told that a completely different version of the game was in development for the Xbox 360 and PS3, not using any of the DirectX 10 tech that was preventing the port. That thread was picked up by a few print mags and other websites (including this one). But Crysis publishers EA have immediately leapt out to say it’s all nonsense, based on a miscommunication. They state that this was not in any way an official announcement, and that it would all be retracted immediately.

That sounds a bit odd.

Well yes - how can a miscommunication require retraction? And how does someone accidentally hear, “We’re making a completely different version of Crysis for the 360 and PS3?”

You still think it’s coming, don’t you?

Definitely. Confusion has appeared around the game before, when Crytek put up job ads on their site for 360 programmers with experience in porting. Those adverts, despite everything, are still up there, which is odd if they’ve no interest in such a move. Number two, it’s published by EA who will - believe us - get Crysis onto console one way or another, because a) all their games are multi-format, and b) PC sales alone are unlikely to make them the massive profit they require. It might be a cut-down, even a completely different version, but it will happen.

February 27, 2007