Crysis Warhead Details Emerge; Success May Lead to Crysis 2, DX10 Not Required for High-end Effects

New details about Crytek's PC shooter follow-up Crysis Warhead have surfaced in monthly gaming magazine PC Gamer, reported by Czech gaming site Tiscali Games.

According to the preview, the possibility of a Crysis 2 relies heavily on Crysis Warhead's performance at the market. While the title isn't necessarily a true sequel, the developers stressed that Warhead is a completely stand-alone, full title.

Echoing Crytek's claims that Warhead would be optimized to run on cheaper PCs, the preview notes that the Windows Vista-exclusive DirectX 10 API won't be required to engage the game's highest levels of detail and visual effects.

As previously reported, the game focuses on new lead Psycho, one of Nomad's teammates from the original Crysis. Not unlike Valve's Half-Life expansion Opposing Force (PC), the events of Crysis Warhead run parallel to those of the first game, following Psycho on the other side of the island.

Warhead's campaign is said to employ more free-roaming sandbox gameplay than its predecessor, clocking in at around eight to ten hours, and features dialogue written by BioShock scriptwriter Susanna O'Connor.

The preview goes on to suggest that the enemy AI has been improved in Warhead, better equipping foes in terms of organization and combat tactics. In terms of new additions to the game's arsenal, at least two new weapons—including a grenade launcher and double submachine guns—have been added, as well as the new armored scout recon and hovercraft vehicles.

Likely to be Crytek's final PC-exclusive effort, Crysis Warhead is slated to hit PCs this fall.