Crysis 2 EA's biggest UK launch of 2011

By Robert Purchese Published 28 March, 2011

Bigger than Dragon Age II, Bulletstorm.

Crysis 2 is EA's biggest UK launch of 2011, sales-counter GfK Chart-Track has revealed.

That means the 8/10 shooter developed by Crytek has enjoyed a bigger opening weekend than Dragon Age II, Dead Space 2, Bulletstorm and Fight Night Champion - the games EA has already released this year.

Crysis 2 topped the UK all-formats chart this week, selling a 57 per cent majority on Xbox 360. The remaining 43 per cent was split 29 per cent on PS3 and 14 per cent on PC. Remember, digital sales aren't counted, which excludes Steam and its ilk.

Crysis 2 marks the series first multi-platform foray. Wrote Eurogamer reviewer Simon Parkin: "Story aside, Crysis 2 is a hell of a video game about shooting stuff. It's challenging, facilitates and then demands the use of tactics, and is more generous in scale than almost any other first-person shooter of the past few years."

The first 15 minutes of Crysis 2.

Picture of Robert.

About Robert Purchese

Bertie is Eurogamer's Senior Staff Writer. When he's not hunting down news stories he's often found playing with his kids or gabbling about fantasy games and strange online worlds. @Clert on Twitter.

Read more articles from Robert by visiting the Robert Purchese archive page.

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Comments (53) Latest comment 1 year ago

Comments for this article are now closed, but please feel free to continue chatting on the forum!

  • leafmulch #1 1 year ago

    deservedly fucking so...

  • NimbusTLD #2 1 year ago

    I wonder how it compared to MoH too!

  • charming_fox #3 1 year ago

    I'd like to buy Crysis 2 but apparently I'm a CUNT... as are you!

  • Dogs-not-Gods #4 1 year ago

    Have to say I'm not surprised. Halfway through the campaign at the moment and whilst it is graphically jawdropping pretty much all the way through I'm finding the gameplay a bit sterile.
    Edited by Dogs-not-Gods at 28/03/11 @ 11:38

  • evild_edd #5 1 year ago

    The fact that it's being lauded as EA's biggest UK launch of the year, and not just the UK's biggest launch would suggest that first week sales of Homefront outstripped it....? (unless my assumption is way off the mark here)

    If so, that is surprising and disappointing. But then Crysis 2 was up against the 3DS launch which would undoubtedly have commanded the attention of some punters' pounds.

    Yet to get Crysis 2 but am still considering doing so shortly.

  • mcmonkeyplc #6 1 year ago

    I'm loving it. I love going into a battle first with the cloak on and then switching to armour after scaring the shit out some cell guys.

    Then going back into cloak.

  • Darren #7 1 year ago

    It's thanks to EA that 2011 has had a very good start: Dead Space 2, Crysis 2, Dragon Age 2 and Bulletstorm, all very good, very enjoyable games although not without their quirks for on the PC e.g. Bulletstorm's annoying Games for Windows Live sign-in issue and Dragon Age 2's lousy DX11 performance for example.

  • orangpelupa #8 1 year ago

    so despite leaked on PC and Xbox (maybe on PS3 too?)
    so despite pirated on PC and Xbox (maybe on PS3 too?)

    crysis 2 still sell well :D

  • StolenGlory #9 1 year ago

    Bigger than BF3 will be?

    I think not.

  • thedaveeyres #10 1 year ago

    Ironically, just about the only game I've not bought this year. :)

  • StolenGlory #11 1 year ago

    @charming_fox

    Look, we all get your hate about the whole Rob Fahey readership cunt thing ok (I too think the guy is a farking spanner and his article was the kind of misinformed trash suitable for the Daily Mail), but how does being a trolling tool across every single fucking thread avail you (or the point that you are trying to make) in any decent way?

  • Noble6 #12 1 year ago

    All in good reason.

  • Cjail #13 1 year ago

    For me the most amazing thing is that EA has delivered only great games during the last 3 months!

  • pinhead #14 1 year ago

    Bought the 3DS and crysis 2. Liking both.

  • Vice.Destroyer #15 1 year ago

    @stolenglory I am out of the loop here. I feel like I should know what you are talking about, but don't. Are you saying that Charming_fox was being ironic/sarcastic? That Rob Fahey called him a cunt? Or that Rob Fahey called the EG readership a cunt? Can anyone enlighten me?

  • GamesProgrammer Verified Games Team Programmer, Eutechnyx Ltd. #16 1 year ago

    @StolenGlory

    Rob Fahay called the Eurogamer Readership cunts and charming_fox aint taking it to well, but you have to admire his dedication, to posting fast in every thread, i think i would of got bored by now.
    Edited by GamesProgrammer at 28/03/11 @ 12:22

  • CaptainQuint #17 1 year ago

    Brilliant game. Congrats to EA, Crytek and Crytek UK.

    Quirks aside, campaign is engrossing and multiplayer is absolutely brilliant. My copy of Halo Reach will collect dust for a while...

    ... but I'll be back.

  • arcam #18 1 year ago

    It's easy to get annoyed when you are called an odious, selfish, ignorant, fuck-witted, white male, whinging cunt. Rather ironic after that to say EG commenters went too far.

    But as it was said on Twitter, not on this website, IMO it's just Rob that's the dick here, not EG as whole.

  • DiamondIce #19 1 year ago

    @StolenGlory

    I'm glad you posted your comment because I had no idea why charming_fox thought we were all c!nts! Blimey that article did cause a stir.

    Anyway, I have enjoyed Crysis 2 a lot. A great game that deserves the sells. I'm almost at the end but will be playing through again in no time.

  • GamesProgrammer Verified Games Team Programmer, Eutechnyx Ltd. #20 1 year ago

    @arcam

    I agree with ya there, would make more sense just to protest new articles by Rob Fahay, that to attack EG as a whole.

    Still should all make for a fantastic podcast tomorrow.

  • Shikasama #21 1 year ago

    Wonder how many copies of Homefront where traded in against Crysis 2

  • Sodding_Gamer #22 1 year ago

    Someone please enlighten me about this Rob Fahey dude and send me a link to this article?! Sounds like an interesting read lmao!!

  • uknortherner2000 #23 1 year ago

    @Sodding_Gamer

    Well, the article in question is this one published on Eurogamer over the weekend:

    [link url=http://www.eurogamer.net/articles/2011-03-26-slapped-down-article
    ]http://www.eurogamer.net/articles/2011-0...[/link]

    You can read the 400-odd comments for the shitstorm that ensued, as well as links to Fahey's Twitter feed where he called us all cunts to his chums despite refusing to read any of our comments.
    Edited by uknortherner2000 at 28/03/11 @ 13:03

  • CaptainQuint #24 1 year ago

    Please, save the Fahey comments for his future pieces; let Crytek enjoy their success and the well wishing comments.

    Besides, everyone knows how easy it is to call someone a c*nt from behind the safe confines of a computer desk. Fahey would never say it to a man's face - fearful that he would be of a swift headbutt to his face and the Ted Baker t-shirt spoiling explosion of red mist which would follow.

    So yeah, Crysis... what a game.
    Edited by CaptainQuint at 28/03/11 @ 13:29

  • DiamondIce #25 1 year ago

    @CaptainQuint

    How about we all ass slap Mr Fahey, instead. Maybe not...

  • MMMMMM7 #26 1 year ago

    FAULTY A.I
    ----------------
    So far the best FPS I have played with a single player campaign
    that seems to have from what I hear and read a descent size and
    doesn't resemble a tech demo.

    So we have:
    Graphics = 10 (for the current technology)
    Music =10
    Artistic -Level Design=10
    Nonlinear paths = NO
    Artificial Intelligence (A.I) = AVERAGE - BAD

    The artificial intelligence (A.I) is for me the greatest drawback
    of this game. What are the faults I have found so far:

    1. Shooting only at legs and the enemies die !
    1.2 Enemy soldiers can't hear you when you jump behind them
    and they have their back turned to you. Normally the impact
    of your body and the vibration of the earth should alarm them
    but that doesn't happen. They are deaf.
    1.3 I noticed that grenade explosions and generally explosions from vehicles
    which are huge explosions don't alert soldiers that are only 20-30 meters
    away from the explosion. It's again like they seem to be completely deaf.
    2. Bad covering of enemies behind boulders when you hold
    a position of higher ground. They hide behind the boulder but since you are
    higher your view angle leaves them exposed.
    3. Enemies don't pursue you when you hide in the underground sewers
    and subways neither throw grenades or generally try to hunt you under the earth.
    4. Gunners on vehicles are very easy to shoot because the vehicles never
    move and the gunners are still like statues and don't duck to take cover.
    5. In many situations when you hide in a building for example and you give
    the enemy soldiers an alarm only one single soldier is sent to recon and you
    can kill him very easy. At least two soldiers should be sent. A basic rule in
    police and military reconing.
    6. You shoot at the soldiers and they remain still instead of taking cover. They
    have a very static defense intelligence instead of strafing left or right.
    7. When you shoot at soldiers and they retreat they usually turn their
    back to you and they can be very easily killed.
    8. Enemy soldiers never use the prone position to cover.
    9. There is no group intelligence so enemy soldiers can create a diversion on
    one side and outflank you on another side.
    10. Although you have uncovered your position, enemy soldiers don't try to
    surround you and create a block perimeter.

    I could continue writing a lot more faults but I just want to say that when
    the game looks so great and has such a high quality in almost all the
    other departments, A.I faults really ruin the immersion and give a bad
    impression which is unjust full for such a game. Combine this faulty A.I
    with the super powers of the nanosuit and the game becomes extremely
    easy and doesn't offer much challenge.

    I hope CRYTEK releases a patch that can improve the AI routines because
    CRYSIS 2 deserves it.
    Edited by MMMMMM7 at 29/03/11 @ 07:39

  • Eraysor #27 1 year ago

    Totally agree with you MMMMMM7, the AI is literally the only thing that I dislike about the game!

  • uknortherner2000 #28 1 year ago

    @CaptainQuint: "let Crytek enjoy their success and the well wishing comments."

    The same whiny Crytek who berated PC gamers as "pirates" for playing something they themselves leaked? Sorry, but despite these mega-sales (which basically shoots their argument out of the water), they'll get no praise whatsoever from me, a PC gamer - who, should I wish to play this game, will have to subject myself to SecuROM and the privilege of being viewed as a criminal for doing so.

  • metallicorphan #29 1 year ago

    I know a lot of people still slag off EA,but thats some damn fine games right there for the first 3 months of the year

  • CaptainQuint #30 1 year ago

    The AI is weird in its inconsistency though - sometimes it can be quite marvelous and really surprise you, yet a lot of the time it's completely barking and cheap - I REALLY don't like how coming out of invisibility for a split-second can suddenly alert ALL AI in the vicinity of your location and the rain of bullets that occurs as a result can be bloody ridiculous. The amount of times I've ran for the hills in this game is a joke!

    A few more months of polish for the next sequel please, Crytek.

    Game breaking it isn't, but it does take the shine off, somewhat. With that said though, I can give a game a pass when it's ambitious and very successful in pretty much all other areas.

  • spekkeh #31 1 year ago

    I'd like to buy Crysis 2 but apparently I'm a CUNT... as are you!

    Nope, just you.

  • CaptainQuint #32 1 year ago

    @uknortherner

    Sorry for your bitterness. You're really missing out on a great game, though.

    It's time to swallow your pride.

  • uknortherner2000 #33 1 year ago

    @CaptainQuint

    Sorry, but no. I have better things to spend my money on. Generic FPSes from self-absorbed developers and DRM that disabled hardware on my previous PC isn't one of them.

    I boycott this shit for a reason.

  • Sodding_Gamer #34 1 year ago

    uknortherner I can't get onto the link :( what was the article about and I'll search for it :)

  • uknortherner2000 #35 1 year ago

    @Sodding_Gamer

    It's on the front page - Click on "Slapped Down" (it's the one with Duke Nukem on it).

    The short version is Rob Fahey getting high and mighty over the "Capture The Babe" mode in DNF and comparing it to domestic violence.
    Edited by uknortherner2000 at 28/03/11 @ 14:02

  • dingo75 #36 1 year ago

    1. Shooting only at legs and the enemies die !

    I'm not a fan of Crytek but to be fair this behaviour is pretty common in FPS.
    I used it in Far Cry, Crysis, Crysis Warhead, Call of Duty: Modern Warfare and Gears of War with enemies in cover in the last weeks and all died that way.

  • CaptainQuint #37 1 year ago

    @uknortherner

    Okay bud. Bye.

  • TelexStar #38 1 year ago

    I agree the AI is a bit inconsistent. I've had equal measures of cunning and stupidity out of the enemies but it doesn't break the game for me. I love the tactical approach to each scenario and this certainly fills a gaming void.

  • rojjer #39 1 year ago

    Yeah I bought crysis 2. Wish I hadn't. Its already full of douchbags online (xbox 360) that cloak and camp just outside the capture zones to boost their kills. Zzzzzz. Trading friday as long as Shift 2 is good.

  • MattyD #40 1 year ago


    1. Shooting only at legs and the enemies die !

    Not unrealistic at all. If your femoral artery in your thigh gets ruptured you can bleed out and die in seconds. Bullets also tend not to just pass through you, if they hit a bone they nearly always ricochet through your body and come out in all kinds of weird and wonderful places.

  • mattrix33 #41 1 year ago

    Deserved...total surprise for me.
    I had zero interest in it until last week..picked it up on a whim and it's blew me away.

    But then again I am a Eurogamer reader...so just a plain all round cunt lol

  • dingo75 #42 1 year ago


    1. Shooting only at legs and the enemies die !

    Not unrealistic at all. If your femoral artery in your thigh gets ruptured you can bleed out and die in seconds. Bullets also tend not to just pass through you, if they hit a bone they nearly always ricochet through your body and come out in all kinds of weird and wonderful places.

    One could also argue that after being shot in the legs you fall down onto the ground as you can't stand anymore and then your torso + head are in range of the shooter's position.
    Of course this bit is still missing in the FPS games of today.

  • GooseUK #43 1 year ago

    Who's Rob Fahey?

  • miiiguel #44 1 year ago

    Who's the cunt ?

  • inutaihanyou #45 1 year ago

    I wish Crytek had optimized the game some more before release, or atleast pushed the date back. 15FPS is really unappealing, but i'll still be getting it eventually

  • patchbox360 #46 1 year ago

    i expected 0% from the so-called master race

  • KrispyBacon #47 1 year ago

    Finished the game yeaterday ob the Xbox 360. Found the second part of the game to be the most enjoyable.The graphics are very nice throughout. Didn't find the framerate too bad either. 8/10.

  • Tryhard #48 1 year ago

    After the connecting failure of Homefront it is nice to get green bars on Crysis 2.And bouncing,invisble killing spree fun of MP.
    With a SP with an epic visual delight.

  • DrStrangelove #49 1 year ago

    Really deservedly so. One of the very few games I bought at full price, and I love it.

    Too bad it's so awfully bug-ridden. I hope they quickly fix that.

  • KayTannee #50 1 year ago

    The AI is ok, but does have some cheap moves.

    Which is odd, since the Original Crysis Human AI is superb, best I've ever played against. I still go back and play the original because they actually try and seak you out and hunt you down, sweeping the area. Which makes it varied and fun.

    Maybe has something to do with less RAM and CPU power they've had to remove some of the intensive AI algorithms.

    I like the way the aliens move accross the terrain in this though, big thumbs up for the improvement in aliens as the aliens were terrible in the first one.

  • spekkeh #51 1 year ago

    Don't really get the negging of uknortherner. I think a sizable portion of PC gamers belong to a dying breed of whiny neckbeards (I'll get people negging me), but not putting op with being treated like a criminal, THAT I think is a principle that's worth standing for. Like buying a product is a service you lend to the producer.

  • spekkeh #52 1 year ago

    By the way, can't really comment on Crysis, but if any game deserves a huge sale it's Dead Space 2. That game is fricking Awesome, and I don't even like horror games normally.

  • DAN.E.B #53 1 year ago

    Would it be possible to sort out the AI with a simple patch?
    if so I might wait a while before I play anymore because its kinda ruining it for me.