Crysis: Escalation announcement
We’ve been working on this project for a while, but finally, after last night’s exciting Crysis 3 launch event at the BFI Imax, we can officially reveal the details of CRYSIS: ESCALATION, a tie-in book that covers the events between Crysis 2 and the upcoming game. Written by Gavin Smith, this collection of linked short stories is also perfect for those new to the game, as it provides an introduction to the world and its characters.
EA Games hosted a large crowd of journalists and fans last night at their media launch, where they got a chance to play the game, hear from the developers (and Gavin!), see a multiplayer tournament being played out and, exclusively, watch the first level being played through by one of the programmers. It was amazing watching it all on the biggest screen in the UK – this game looks utterly beautiful, and even a novice gamer like myself was impressed by the scale and depth to be found. Here’s a photo of Gavin on stage at the Imax, and as you can see they’ve carefully made it clear what his job is:
Gavin also signed copies of the book for 25 lucky attendees, chatted at length to some gaming news websites, and all around we had a very fun time. It was eye-opening to see how much effort goes into the launch of a major computer game!
It’s been a great experience working with the guys from EA and Crytek, and I think we’ve ended up with a book that works very strongly for fans of both Crysis and Gavin’s writing. And if you haven’t yet experienced either of those things, I urge you to.
We’ll be hosting one of the stories on the blog next week, along with a competition to win copies of the book and the game, so keep your eyes peeled for more news. The books is released on the same day as the game, next Thursday, in hardback and eBook. If you like hard-hitting futuristic SF, lots of explosions, powerful nano-suited soldiers hitting each other and lots of swearing, then this is the book – and game – for you! Here is the official description of the game:
Powered by Crytek’s proprietary CryENGINE, Crysis 3 advances the state of the art with unparalleled visuals and dynamic shooter gameplay. Players take on the role of ‘Prophet’ as he returns to New York only to discover that the city has been encased in a Nanodome created by the corrupt Cell Corporation. The New York City Liberty Dome is a veritable urban rainforest teaming with overgrown trees, dense swamplands and raging rivers. Within the Liberty Dome, seven distinct and treacherous environments become known as the 7 Wonders. This dangerous new world demands advanced weapons and tactics, including the Nanosuit. Equipped with superhuman powers including cloaking, armor and enhanced visor abilities, the Nanosuit is the ultimate tool that allows players to assess, adapt and attack whatever the 7 Wonders throws at them. In addition to the Nanosuit, players will wield the powerful Predator bow and devastating alien weaponry to become the deadliest hunter on the planet.