Crysis Remastered Trilogy activates maximum value mode as upgraded version of the legendary, hardware-crushing FPS series is currently 60% off

Crysis hero Prophet running down a beach while under fire — (Image credit: Crytek)

The story of PC gaming simply cannot be told without the Crysis series of FPS games, which since the original game burst onto the scene in the late 2000s not only cemented the PC as the place where you got groundbreaking new graphical technologies showcased, but genuinely blew gamers and critics away with its combination of intense action and cinematic storytelling.

Indeed, PC Gamer magazine gave the original Crysis a stonkingly high score of 98% on review—one of the absolute highest scores we’ve ever handed out—and we then followed that up with an 89% Crysis 2 review and an 81% Crysis 3 review, scores that propelled the series into the upper echelons of FPS history.

Speaking directly to PC Gamer, Crysis’ director and co-founder of its developer, Crytek, Cevat Yerli, recently explained that the original game was designed to be so graphically impressive as he "wanted to make sure Crysis does not age", and I think it fair to say that even if you play the original three games today, it is remarkable at how good they still look. Back when they were released, these were the games that spurred PC gamers to upgrade their rigs en masse, and since then there has arguably never been the same phenomenon in PC gaming.

All of which explains why when I saw that the Crysis Remastered Trilogy is currently discounted in Steam’s Crytek 25th Anniversary Sale by 60%, I thought I would bring it to the attention of the PC gaming community. This remastered trilogy delivers all three games with a series of modern graphical enhancements that take the amazing-looking original games and then dial things truly up to eleven, with ray-traced lighting, improved textures, enhanced resolution and aspect ratio support, DLSS and more added in. Here are the details:

Neatly, all three remastered games come with a unique ‘Can it run Crysis?’ graphics mode, which is the top-tier of graphics available. Turn this on and you’re treated to the very finest visuals on offer, with ray tracing and post-processing effects. But, even if you run the remastered games on one of their lower settings, they still look notably improved over the originals. Just take a look at this side-by-side shot showing the original Crysis (at the top) and Crysis Remastered (at the bottom) side-by-side.

Crysis Remastered graphics shown side-by-side with the original Crysis — This side-by-side shows the very obvious graphical improvements that Crysis Remastered delivers over the original game. (Image credit: Crytek via Jonathan Bolding and Filip_7)

Exactly! As good as the original games looked at release, and still look in many ways today, the remastered versions of these FPS games are 100 percent what PC gamers should play today. Which is why I think this price cut is very attractive to anyone who hasn’t had a chance to pick up and play the remasters yet. It's a way to enjoy some incredible, great-looking FPS action for not much outlay.

Oh, and one more thing, each game in the series is available to pick up individually with a discount, too, so if you fancy playing one game but not the others, then that option is also available. The Crytek Publisher Sale runs until April 3.

Rob is editor of PC Gamer magazine and has been PC gaming since the early 1990s, an experience that has left him with a life-long passion for first person shooters, isometric RPGs and point and click adventures. Professionally Rob has written about games, gaming hardware and consumer technology for almost twenty years, and before joining the PC Gamer team was deputy editor of T3.com, where he oversaw the website's gaming and tech content as well its news and ecommerce teams. You can also find Rob's words in a series of other gaming magazines and books such as Future Publishing's own Retro Gamer magazine and numerous titles from Bitmap Books. In addition, he is the author of Super Red Green Blue, a semi-autobiographical novel about games and gaming culture. Rob loves riding motorbikes, too.

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