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Crysis 3 will be one of the most technically competent titles ever released on current-generation consoles. That’s according to studio CEO Cevat Yerli, who told Videogamer that the trilogy-capping sci-fi shooter is using almost every ounce of power from existing platforms.

“Crysis 3 is absolutely maxing out the consoles,” Yerli said. “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. 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 [360] and PlayStation [3], I’ve yet to see a game do that still today.”

Yerli further claimed that the Halo or Gears of War franchises do not even come close to what Crytek has been able to achieve with Crysis 3.

“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,” Yerli said. “With Crysis 3, we’re pushing that to another level, but the PC is just two levels beyond.”

Crysis 3–due February 19–is a first-person shooter set in 2047 New York that casts players as Prophet, a supersoldier seeking vengeance. For more, check out GameSpot’s previous coverage.

On Friday night, Dark Souls II was announced for Xbox 360, PlayStation 3, and PC, but not Wii U. Now, gamers have launched an online petition at Change.org to bring the role-playing game to Nintendo’s first high-definition console. It has netted 3,204 signatures thus far.

The creator of the Dark Souls II Wii U petition cites a couple reasons as to how the Wii U and its GamePad controller could benefit the game. The first, he said, is by using the GamePad to manage inventory. Controlled this way, players would not have their vision obscured on the TV itself when searching for items, he said.

The second major reason why Dark Souls II should come to Wii U, he said, was due to the console’s “affordability” relative to PC and PS3, as well as online fees associated with Xbox Live. Online access for Wii U is free, with the exception of a 50-cent charge for minors.

Dark Souls II will feature a new hero, a fresh storyline, and an “unfamiliar” setting. “Epic battles with gruesome enemies” are promised, as well as a revamped server-based multiplayer mode that aims to “put a distinct Dark Souls II twist on the concept of playing with others.”

Dark Souls will also be “more straightforward and more understandable,” according to new director Tomohiro Shibuya.

In advance of Metro: Last Light’s debut early next year, THQ has made the original Metro 2033 free through a new Facebook promotion. Beginning today and running through December 16, gamers can score a PC copy of the 2010 shooter by “Liking” the official Metro Facebook page.

Download codes are redeemable through Steam.The Metro 2033 promotion is open to legal resident of the 50 United States and District of Columbia who are 17 or older. The offer is also available for United Kingdom residents.

Metro 2033 released for PC and Xbox 360 during March 2010 behind generally positive reviews. A film based on Dmitry Glukhovsky’s science fiction novel, which was the source material for Metro 2033, is also in the works.

As for its sequel, Metro: Last Light, that game was recently delayed to March 2013 and is currently in development at 4A Games for Xbox 360, PlayStation 3, and PC. Competitive multiplayer was at one time planned for the game, but has since been scrapped.

For more on Metro: Last Light, check out GameSpot’s previous coverage.

Halo 4’s first wave of downloadable content is out now. The Crimson Map Pack for Microsoft’s new sci-fi shooter adds three new maps and eight achievements worth a total of 250 Gamerscore. It is available as a free download for those who have a $25 War Games Map Pass or $10 otherwise.

As was previously announced, the maps included with the Crimson Map Pack are Wreckage, Harvest, and Shatter. The maps will be playable in their own playlist that only features the new environments.

The Crimson Map Pack also brings a new game mode to the mix called Extraction. This new 5 vs. 5 objective-based gametype tasks players will extracting assets from various locations. Once a squad has found an extraction site, they must plant a beacon and protect it. The defending team will receive a point if they control the beacon. If they fail to do so, however, they attacking team will be awarded a point. The first team to extract five points is the winner.

Microsoft made clear that those who own a War Games Map Pass should not purchase the Crimson Map Pack, as they will be charged twice if this occurs.

Two further Halo 4 expansions will follow the Crimson Map Pack. These are the Majestic Map Pack and the Castle Map Pack, due in February and April, respectively.

Dark Souls is getting a sequel. Tonight during the 2012 Video Game Awards show, Dark Souls 2 was announced via a new trailer.

Information regarding platform availability or a release window for Dark Souls 2 was not announced at the show. However, a subsequent press release officially announcing the game has confirmed a range of details for the game. First, it is in development at From Software for release on Xbox 360, PlayStation 3, and PC.

Notably, Demon’s Souls and Dark Souls director Hidetaka Miyazaki is not the chief mind behind Dark Souls II. He will serve as a “supervisor” on the project, with development instead led by From Software director Tomohiro Shibuya.

Dark Souls II will feature a new hero, a fresh storyline, and an “unfamiliar” setting. “Epic battles with gruesome enemies” are promised, as well as a revamped server-based multiplayer mode that aims to “put a distinct Dark Souls II twist on the concept of playing with others.”

The original Dark Souls (itself a spiritual successor to Demon’s Souls) has sold over 1.19 million units in North America and Europe since launch during October 2011. Despite its commercial success, From Software said that a sequel was not a sure thing.

When Irrational Games unveiled the covert art for BioShock Infinite last week, the reception was mixed. Studio creative director Ken Levine acknowledged this in a new Wired interview, saying he understands that some fans may be disappointed, but the decision was not made without much consideration and forethought.

“We went and did a tour… around to a bunch of, like, frathouses and places like that. People who were gamers. Not people who read IGN. And [we] said, ‘So, have you guys heard of BioShock?’ Not a single one of them had heard of it.”

Levine then likened games to salad dressing. His point being, just because some gamers do not keep up to date with the happenings of the business does not mean they are any less important to market to. In fact, he said it is the opposite; these gamers are keeping the business alive.

“Our gaming world, we sometimes forget, is so important to us, but… there are plenty of products that I buy that I don’t spend a lot of time thinking about. My salad dressing. If there’s a new salad dressing coming out, I would have no idea,” Levine said. “I use salad dressing; I don’t read Salad Dressing Weekly. I don’t care who makes it, I don’t know any of the personalities in the salad dressing business. For some people, [games are] like salad dressing. Or movies, or TV shows. It was definitely a reality check for us.”

Levine added that in order for BioShock Infinite and games in a similar vein to continue to be made, they must be financially successful. And this could not be achieved without marketing efforts aimed at the right people in the right way.

“I wanted the uninformed, the person who doesn’t read IGN… to pick up the box and say, okay, this looks kind of cool, let me turn it over,” he said. “Oh, a flying city. Look at this girl, Elizabeth on the back. Look at that creature. And start to read about it, start to think about it.”

Those who were not pleased with the BioShock Infinite box art may be happy to learn that Irrational Games will release a set of alternate covers that gamers can download and print. These were not specified at any length, but Levine said Irrational will work with the community to decide how to best move forward.

“We had to make that tradeoff in terms of where we were spending our marketing dollars. By the time you get to the store, or see an ad, the BioShock fan knows about the game. The money we’re spending on PR, the conversations with games journalists–that’s for the fans,” he said. “For the people who aren’t informed, that’s who the box art is for.”

BioShock Infinite was delayed last week and is now due March 26, 2013. For more, check out GameSpot’s previous coverage.