Crytek’s first crack at the handheld market with Crysis 2 this March was met with great success, both commercially and critically. While the series has been known for its lengthy and involving campaign modes, the multiplayer was one of the big-ticket items with the second installment. However, it didn’t take long for many players to start heading back to other games, leaving the multiplayer feeling barren in comparison to its first week. Why in the world did that happen so quickly?
Lead Designer of Crytek, Steven Lewis, shared some of his team’s disappointment with the multiplayer mode found in Crysis 2. In particular Steven stated:
The inner-city maps suffered from not feeling very distinct
In combination, he added that the “clutter” of the maps, which was intentional due to the setting of the game, made navigation more difficult than the development team anticipated. That coupled with insufficient lightning are believed to be the reasons for Crysis 2 fading out quickly. Who would have known that level design could have such a strong influence on how successful a competitive shooter is? Take notes developers!
If you’ve played Crysis 2‘s multiplayer, what did you feel were the pros and cons of the experience? Share your reply below.
