Another game that's been in development for a long time is Crysis. Earlier this year there was a pretty good review of it, <a href="http://www.shacknews.com/extras/2007/011607_crysis_1.x" source="Shack News" author="Chris Remo">Crytek's Jack Mamais on Crysis</a>, where the reviewer noted that <iq>running on a beefy DirectX 10-capable NVIDIA 8800, the game was never short of gorgeous.</iq> Granted, an NVidia 8800 is no shrinking violet of a graphics card---with the top-of-the-line version weighing in at $600+ and <i>177 Watts</i>---but still, it was running the game <iq>at a fluctuating framerate in the 20-30fps range</iq> at the <iq>ridiculous resolution of 2048x1536</iq>. Naturally, the developer claims that the game runsjust fine on an older card, and that even a <iq>[a] three year old graphics card should be pretty good. ... It won't be cutting edge with the graphics but it'll be super good.</iq> The game apparently has a story because Crytek has <iq>hired writers</iq> and everything, including <iq>a couple of Hollywood guys working on the story with us</iq>. Awesome. A couple of Hollywood guys are a sure-fire way of getting quality adult-themed entertainment into a game. Just look at the quality writing in your average Hollywood action blockbuster. It's a plan that can't fail. Here's a brief summary of plot points, player capabilities, etc.: nano-suit gives super-human powers, player can drive/fly all sorts of vehicles and "Attack and Defend" multiplayer mode that is completely different because it's called <iq>Power Struggle</iq> instead. Oh yeah, and it's non-linear in completely new and exciting ways. Despite whining from the developer that <iq>[i]t kills us when people call it a tech demo</iq>, the thing that really screams "buy me!" are the screenshots. Behold: <div align="center"><img attachment="crysis1.jpg.jpeg" class="frame" align="left" caption="Guarding the Mothership"><img attachment="crysis2.jpg.jpeg" align="left" class="frame" caption="Death from Above"><img attachment="crysis3.jpg.jpeg" align="left" class="frame" caption="Firefight"></div> <div align="center"><img attachment="crysis4.jpg.jpeg" align="left" class="frame" caption="Hightailing It"><img attachment="crysis5.jpg.jpeg" align="left" class="frame" caption="Surrounded!"><img attachment="crysis6.jpg.jpeg" align="left" class="frame" caption="The Tropics"></div> All sarcasm aside, it looks amazing. It may be the same old <i>type</i> of game (super soldier clears out world full of whackos with heavy weaponry single-handedly), but looks to be one of the first that takes advantage of the kind of power a $600 graphics card can offer. So if you've got one of those lying around or you've got a wad of cash burning a hole in your pocket, put this one on your Christmas list ... if it's out by then. For even more screenshots, check out <a href="http://www.shacknews.com/screens.x/crysis/Crysis/1/011007/011007_crysis_1.jpg" source="Shack News">Crysis Screenshots</a>.