Crysis 3 multiplayer beta begins January 29

Crytek has announced that the open beta for the multiplayer of Crysis 3 will be starting on January 29. It will be available on Xbox 360, PlayStation 3 and PC. The beta will have two team-based game modes and two maps.

The beta will be available for two weeks and will be ending on February 12. This will give players the chance to get used to the game well before its release on February 22.

“With Crysis 3 we are delivering the deepest, most robust Crysis multiplayer experience yet,” said Cevat Yerli, CEO of Crytek. “We have listened closely to our fans and have evolved the multiplayer in Crysis 3 by adding a host of new gameplay features including the unique Hunter mode, deadly new weapons like the Predator bow, deeper loadout and unlock options, enhanced upgrade systems and more social features like the New York Feed. Top it all off with the ultimate weapon in the Nanosuit and you have a multiplayer experience that is unlike anything else out there.”

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One of the game modes in the beta will be Crash Site, where players must secure and defend specific locations, earning points along the way for kills and their ability to hold those locations. The other game mode will be Hunter mode, which pits two players against ten (2 versus 14 on the PC). The two players are armed with enhanced nanosuits with infinite cloaking and Predator bows. The aim is to kill all the other players in the time limit. The major twist is that when the other players are killed, they become part of the hunter team with infinite cloaking and a Predator bow.

The maps in the multiplayer beta include Airport and Museum. Both are a mix of a lush rainforest and urban environments, as is the general theme of Crysis 3 and its Biodome.

Back in December, Yerli had said that Crysis 3 used so much power on the current-gen consoles that not even one percent of power was left. “Crysis 3 is absolutely maxing out the consoles. There is absolutely not even 1 percent left. No game will ever look technically better than Crysis 3 on these consoles, flat out. Most games are not even anywhere near Crysis 2 technically,” said Yerli. “I’m not talking about art style–art is subjective–but the pure fact of what we have been cramming in with Crysis 2 on Xbox and PlayStation, I’ve yet to see a game do that still today.”

He also talks about the game being ready for the next-gen gaming consoles. “That’s why we said that Crysis 3 is next-gen ready already. We did that without knowing the specs but it’s not going to be much more than what we have done so far. And it turns out we were pretty much right,” noted Yerli. “Any day I will take a battle against Gears and Halo, whatever, the amount of data we put in and the detail level is far superior. With Crysis 3, we’re pushing that to another level, but the PC is just two levels beyond.”

It was revealed in early November that pre-ordering Crysis 3 on EA’s Origin service will get you a free copy of the original Crysis. Crysis 3 will be available in February 2013 for the Xbox 360, PlayStation 3 and PC.

The Crysis 3 Hunter Edition gives players tools to become the ultimate hunter in multiplayer with instant access to the new signature Predator bow and its attachments, plus the Hunter Nanosuit module that adds additional power and functionality to the super-suit. Owners of the Crysis 3 Hunter Edition will also have a headstart when playing online, with a bonus XP boost up to level 5, a unique Predator bow skin and three exclusive dog tags. The Crysis 3 Hunter Edition is available on Origin.com and other participating retailers for $59.99 (approximately Rs 3,216).

Crysis 3 is coming out on February 22, 2013.