Crytek CEO and co-founder Cevat Yerli has revealed some new Crysis 2 story elements in G4TV's E3 2010 video interview. We already know that Crysis 2 is a reboot of the franchise with some continuity of Crysis and that the story happens three years after the events in Crysis 1. Crysis 2 will introduce a new cast and some oldtimers from Crysis will reappear, with Prophet being one of them, but, in Cevat's words, the fictions are decoupled.

In 2023, having been buried deep inside the earth, the aliens are awakening underneath New York and everywhere in the world causing worldwide martial law situations. This explains the huge alien spikes coming from below the streets and causing massive destruction, as seen in the gameplay clips and in the 3D trailer.

We will be playing as a soldier named Alcatraz who inherits Nanosuit 2.0 to become a supersoldier with the main objective to save New York: save New York, save the rest of the world. Some unofficial reports have stated that Alcatraz actually hijacks Nanosuit 2.0 and Crynet Systems, dominant technology provider to all the top military powers, goes after the player in an effort to retrieve the suit.

That was all that Cevat was willing to reveal at this stage. After this information, one can't help noticing that the story of Crysis 2 bears a striking resemblance to War of the Worlds.

G4TV: Cevat Yerli Q&A at Crysis 2 E3 2010 Booth