The jump to DirectX 10 couldn’t possibly be more dramatic. Crysis, the follow up to Crytek’s lauded first-person shooter FarCry, makes a compelling case for upgrading that dumpy system sitting before you. Don’t worry, though, it ought to be worth it—Crysis not only looks amazing, but its intense, action-packed gameplay will push the limits of the genre and your machine.

Crysis begins in the year 2019 when a massive asteroid penetrates Earth’s atmosphere and lands in a remote island near the Korean Peninsula. The North Korean government, seizing the opportunity to examine the asteroid, seals off the area to keep the international community out. Naturally, the Pentagon responds in kind by sending an elite team of Delta Force operatives to survey the site. You’ll take on the role of a Delta Force operative originally assigned to reconnoiter the site; however, during the mission the asteroid cracks open to reveal an enormous alien spacecraft. A flash freezing of the surrounding area signals the start of an alien invasion, shifting your mission from one of intelligence to one of survival.

With such a compelling setting, you can be certain that Crysis will dish out the action. Prepare to infiltrate the jungle and confront North Korean forces, navigate the frozen landscape following the alien ship’s unveiling, and eventually enter the spacecraft to engage the alien threat head-on. Enemy intelligence appears to be absolutely devastating, reacting to your tactics, utilizing objects in the surrounding environment, and even cooperating among their ranks. The incredibly realistic, lightening-fast action has us confident that Crysis will rocket to the top of the genre.

While we were only able to experience some of the earlier parts of the single player campaign, Electronic Arts did provide a few details regarding the multiplayer component of the game. Online matches will support up to 32 players across several unannounced game types. A toolkit will either ship alongside the retail release or shortly thereafter, providing a means to create additional multiplayer maps and even single player scenarios. Considering the blazing pace of the campaign, the thought of competing in huge 32-player matches is drool-inducing.

As a Delta Force operative, the Pentagon has equipped you with an experimental nanosuit that grants you special combat abilities. At any time you can pull up a radial menu that enables you to switch among the suit’s five “modes”: strength, speed, armor, weapon, and cloak. Each mode offers a different augmentation; for example, strength lets you pick up heavy objects and deal awesome damage with your bare fists, whereas speed allows you to jump higher and run faster than normal. Armor and weapon modes obviously heighten your defense and attack capabilities, respectively. Cloak is perhaps the most intriguing of the bunch, enabling you to blend into the environment. Cloaking is ideal when employing stealthy tactics, such as ambushing an enemy or infiltrating a guarded area.

The ability to switch among the nanosuit’s modes highlights the open-ended nature of Crysis. You’ll have complete freedom over how you engage enemies and interact with environment. In the level we played, we quickly sneaked up behind an enemy using cloak and then quickly shifted into strength mode to take out a few guys using our fists. As a helicopter assaulted us from above, we took temporary cover in a gas station that was quickly blown sky high. Completely destructible environments translate to an impressive level of interaction.