Crysis 2 Guide

Game Objective

Despite the ability to participate in combat, the goal of Crysis 2 is to reach a spot on the level to end the current mission. If there is opposition, chances are you can sneak by them using cloaking about 90% of the time.

There are a few instances when you cannot sneak past encounters, and must destroy enemies to bring progress to the game (example — Semper Fi or Die, or Corporate Collapse, et al.) you should have plenty of munitions and room to take cover to recover energy.

When enemies are all neutralized, there's no point in lingering, so you move forward.

Your Campaign Career

All the following you collect in the campaign (story mode) is saved to your Crysis profile (or game profile): nano-catalyst sum, armor modules (story mode only), and weapon attachments (story mode only).

This means you can purchase the armor modules for use in harder difficulties in future ''New Games''. Do that. It makes Super-Soldier difficulty much easier than say, Dead Space 2's Hardcore Difficulty mode.

You Are Now Samus from Metroid Prime — Scanning

Soon after stepping outside in the mission ''Second Chances'', you will be introduced to the VISOR and its function as a scanning device. Since you can often approach an engagement cloaked, or in a spot that is hidden from enemy patrols, you can scan the area ahead for enemies, ammunition supply bins, and tactical option points.

Scanning and marking important weapons (like C4 and JAW) and enemies lets you see them when you have the VISOR put away. Knowing where enemies and items are will let you fight or sneak more effectively.

VISOR Range vs. Marker Range

The range of the VISOR is probably about 200 game-meters (or more). It can certainly make icons pop up a lot further on your playfield than when you have the VISOR retracted. When something is marked, it will automatically appear but subject to a range limitation of 100 game-meters.

Hence, a tactical point or enemy you marked will have its marker disappear until you get within 100 game-meters of it when you have weapons drawn. If you're not sure if you tagged something, bring up the VISOR again and make an effort to mark it. Until you remember everything in a level, marking is handy to get you used to a mission's layout.

Earning ''Money'' or Nano-catalyst

Unless you are in the rare instance where you need to fight enemies to proceed, rely on cloaking and sneak by enemies.

Farming Nano-Catalyst

You start earning nano-catalysts midway through the mission ''Sudden Impact''. Since you have to actively confront and destroy the alien Ceph for nano-catalyst, you may want to earn these credits on the easiest difficulty setting.

Most stages have a limited number of enemies, but the mission ''Unsafe Haven'' has a slow trickle of infinite Ceph until you complete the objective in the Onyx Building. Since you can run out of ammunition, resort to punching enemies. With the easiest setting, you can slowly gather the needed nano-catalyst for all your modules without the threat of being quickly killed by enemies.

Nano-catalyst is that cloud of golden ''dust'' that appears where a Ceph is slain. The clouds have no weight, and float in the air if the enemy was killed in the air.

Ceph Scout — 100 Nano-catalyst

Ceph Soldier — 100 Nano-catalyst

Ceph Commander — 300 Nano-catalyst

Ceph Devastator — 500 Nano-catalyst

Ceph Pinger — 2000 Nano-catalyst

Nanosuit Modules

Accumulated nano-catalyst can be used to purchase the dozen suit modules in the campaign mode (you unlock and level these same modules in multiplayer). The costs for each module are listed when you bring up the module menu (unlocked for all levels in future games once you pass the midway point of ''Sudden Impact'').

Note that some modules are more helpful than others in the campaign. Save the nano-credits you earn for the recommended modules marked below, or you will find the game very hard (even on Recruit difficulty).

VISOR Module — Threat Detector

Handy, but not terribly important once you know where enemies are coming from (and memorize a mission layout). When this module is active, enemy shots are ''ray-traced'' with a green highlighter. Using these artificial lines, you can locate the origin of your attackers more easily.

VISOR Module — Proximity Detector

This module creates an audible "BAKK-BAKK-BAKK" sound (similar to the motion sensor in the movie Aliens or any of the half-dozen Aliens Vs. Predator games). The difference is that the closer you are to a living entity (an active enemy or ally, it doesn't matter), the faster the pings.

For best results, you should decrease the volume of the game's music to hear the SFX for this module. It is a handy module for sneaking through heavily defended zones, as a furious series of pings means you're too close to an enemy (best for detection to your sides or back). However, it's not necessary for successful sneaking -- deliberate (and careful) scanning and marking is.

VISOR Module — Cloak Detector

This module lets you see cloaked enemies easier. The cloaking "distortion" is greater with this ability active than not. However, the only cloaked enemies you fight in the campaign are the six cloaked Ceph at the last stage (and they are fairly weak).

Use this module with some heavy firepower (and a K-Volt to decloak them) and you will make short work of the game's "final boss" (which is essentially that encounter).

Body Module — Armor Enhancement

Until you have the nano-catalyst to buy the Nano-Recharge module, this cheap module effectively lets you remain in armor mode slightly longer. What it doesn't do is reduce damage from incoming attacks.

This module effectively lets you use armor mode liberally, but does little to help you recover energy. It's handy for doing long-distance sniping (since maximum armor stabilizes your aim) and can help you survive slightly longer in light firefights since sprinting and jumping uses energy as well.

Body Module — Nano-Recharge · CAMPAIGN RECOMMENDED

Basically a fast Energy Recharge ability. Once you stop using the suit's armor, cloaking, speed or strength, the energy reserves regenerates at more than double rate.

The module's function is very basic, but highly important to the success of your ability to sneak by long sections of enemy-held territory without being discovered. Buy this module and leave it on. The other alternatives suck all ass.

Body Module — Deflection

This module increases the defence in armor mode so you take less damage. Effectively, it reduces the energy drain when you are attacked, but energy drains normally when in armor mode. Not being able to stack modules together means this module is not a good idea to have around in the thick of battle, unless you are fully loaded with weapons or using a Heavy Machinegun.

Mobility Module — Mobility Enhancement · CAMPAIGN RECOMMENDED

A handy module to keep active all the time. Basically reduces the energy for sprinting and power-jumping, and you can mantle atop rooftops and sky-facing surfaces quickly. The other modules in this set are more for multiplayer, and not useful in the story mode.

Mobility Module — Air Friction

Basically lets you control your descent (much like Section 8) when falling a great vertical height. Since this is Crysis and not Prince of Persia, the ability is pretty useless. Slowing down in the air to move doesn't protect you from dying from terminal velocity in story mode (unlike multiplayer mode). Remember this when taking a dive from a high height.

Mobility Module — Air Stomp

This is the ability to deliver a spine crushing blow from the air. It's neat in theory, but not handy. Doing this move will completely drain your energy reserves, meaning your armor turns off and the enemies around you who aren't killed instantly open fire and murder your dumb ass.

Stealth Module — Covert Ops · CAMPAIGN RECOMMENDED

This module is a sound nullifier that silences all sounds of movement. This means you can sneak through areas at full speed without alerting enemies with your footsteps.

However, energy drains as normal (and at great rates if you move quickly) so you ideally only make short bursts with this tactic. Where you need the speed though, this module definitely helps you get by!

Stealth Module — Tracking

This module lets you monitor the patrol patterns of enemies. When enemies walk, their patrol route is traced on the ground for a brief time, allowing you to follow or evade them at your leisure. Solid Snake would have found this a handy ability in Metal Gear, but for Crysis' campaign, the module is unnecessary.

Stealth Module — Cloaking Enhancement · CAMPAIGN RECOMMENDED

A vital module to stay cloaked for longer periods of time. This lets you cover the great stretches of ground IGN recommends in the Veteran/Super-Soldier difficulty walkthrough. When sneaking, weigh carefully the need to remain cloaked longer with the need for not making a sound to draw enemies.

Where you need to make a quick hop over an obstacle or land from a high height, switch to the Covert Ops module quickly to mask your sound, then switch back to the Cloak Enhancement module to prolong your state of invisibility.