S.T.A.L.K.E.R.: Shadow of Chernobyl

 PC
User Score
8.4

Generally favorable reviews- based on 1886 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 1,528 out of 1886
  2. Mixed: 208 out of 1886
  3. Negative: 150 out of 1886
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  1. JimCorbett
    Aug 22, 2012
    6
    Not sure why this game has received massive praise from people. The setting and possible story elements are great, but the actual story that is presented is bland, confusing, and uninteresting. It's often hard to understand what the ingame characters are saying and with the absence of subtitles, the story becomes useless. The atmosphere outside of Lad X18 is not engrossing or "atmospheric"Not sure why this game has received massive praise from people. The setting and possible story elements are great, but the actual story that is presented is bland, confusing, and uninteresting. It's often hard to understand what the ingame characters are saying and with the absence of subtitles, the story becomes useless. The atmosphere outside of Lad X18 is not engrossing or "atmospheric" at all. The levels are hardly open as you will often see fences and other obstructions which force to to take a pre-defined path. The gun play is okay, if a bit stale. There are an insane amount of bugs and glitches present, including broken animations, application crashing, etc. If you want an engrossing Post-apocalyptic game done by an Eastern European studio, get Metro 2033 instead. It is far, far better than this title.… Expand
  2. Hudson633
    Aug 15, 2012
    8
    I love this, because I love singleplayer experience gameplay, that allows you to roam around with whatever equipment you want. There's a good mix of freedom, side missions, and storyline missions that you have to complete to progress. You can always go backwards, hunt for things, sell your treasures, buy weapons and ammo, until the endgame. The endgame itself is long, and took me totallyI love this, because I love singleplayer experience gameplay, that allows you to roam around with whatever equipment you want. There's a good mix of freedom, side missions, and storyline missions that you have to complete to progress. You can always go backwards, hunt for things, sell your treasures, buy weapons and ammo, until the endgame. The endgame itself is long, and took me totally by surprise at how epic it turned out to be. I was completely satisfied with it, seeing how such a modest game could unmask itself as being so brilliant. I wish I'd played it sooner, and had higher expectations with it, or I might never have tried it out. If you enjoy this and want a multiplayer version, I think DayZ mod is quite similar.… Expand
  3. frankbilders
    Aug 1, 2012
    9
    First off i was impressed with this games atmosphere and realism. Technically the game is sound it has a solid frame rate and not many glitches. The physics are superb, bullets drop while in flight and npc's react realistically when killed by explosives. The sound is really a mixed bag, some weapons sound realistic while others sound like hitting an oil drum, suppressed weapons soundFirst off i was impressed with this games atmosphere and realism. Technically the game is sound it has a solid frame rate and not many glitches. The physics are superb, bullets drop while in flight and npc's react realistically when killed by explosives. The sound is really a mixed bag, some weapons sound realistic while others sound like hitting an oil drum, suppressed weapons sound especially good. The mutants are new ideas and they're actually pretty scary. This games atmosphere is second to none, I am genuinely scared about what lurks behind a door in an underground lab i'm in. The plot i found was easy to follow but not to simple. Voice acting is pretty mediocre and most npc's don't even speak but instead have written dialogue. Though you don't have skill points or anything like that artifacts and armored suits improve your resistance to bullets,chemical's etc. Overall I'd say this game is one of my favorites, I'd even go as far as saying this game is the unsung hero of open world FPS's. It is definitely worth your money.… Expand
  4. CannibalBob
    May 21, 2012
    8
    STALKER's expansive, detailed and living world is enhanced by the eerie atmosphere, bizarre story and downright creepy monsters. The gameplay makes STALKER shine; with challenging, unforgiving, yet supremely satisfying gunplay, the RPG elements littered about include weapon scavenging, quests and random encounters. Ammunition is scarce, so rationing is of utmost importance, and utilizingSTALKER's expansive, detailed and living world is enhanced by the eerie atmosphere, bizarre story and downright creepy monsters. The gameplay makes STALKER shine; with challenging, unforgiving, yet supremely satisfying gunplay, the RPG elements littered about include weapon scavenging, quests and random encounters. Ammunition is scarce, so rationing is of utmost importance, and utilizing the day/night cycle to maximize damage with sneak attacks is a common strategy.
    While quests are enjoyable, they ultimately felt pointless since vendors rarely have ammunition you need, so the earned income was largely worthless. Engine issues would cause corrupted saved games on occasion, and some heavy tweaks were needed to get acceptable graphical settings. Lastly, the weight-based inventory system was beyond restrictive in an un-modded game.
    STALKER is an amazing game recommended to FPS fans who crave some non-linearity and some serious challenge in their game.    … Expand
  5. boomshanka
    Apr 8, 2012
    8
    I initially gave up on this game after several crashes and a growing frustration with the game mechanics. But in spite of the different bugs and steep learning curve I kept coming back for another run because of the absolutely breathtaking atmosphere of the game. Once you start to accept the fact that you can't just rush in and start spreading bullets around the game becomes somethingI initially gave up on this game after several crashes and a growing frustration with the game mechanics. But in spite of the different bugs and steep learning curve I kept coming back for another run because of the absolutely breathtaking atmosphere of the game. Once you start to accept the fact that you can't just rush in and start spreading bullets around the game becomes something entirely in it's own class.

    The decay-and-rust-alike graphics along with the sound design makes the weapons look really great and with a good variety of types and modifications. The reliability and accuracy of the early weapons are affected by this and you find yourself forced to plan your approach and devise a strategy accordingly. Even the enemy AI shows remarkable intelligence as they try to surround you and flank your position. You need to think fast and be adaptable in order to overcome the challenges in this game but once you learn how to survive the reward is fantastic. Unfortunately this also makes the game a bit too easy near the end but you're still looking at many hours of solid entertainment. I admit this game may not please everyone and at this point it is probably very outdated, but if you're a post-nuclear apocalyptic FPS fan you owe yourself to try out this game    … Expand
  6. MA3YP
    Apr 6, 2012
    9
    In this game, the life going independent from player. And that's right shows the life situation, which was after the Soviet Union. I wasn't there often, but I can compare the game and the real life situation and architectural style. At least I see so.
  7. VectorX
    Apr 5, 2012
    3
    This game made me cry. Slow game play, missions that didn't progress anything, long treks through rainy areas just to get to the next place only to realize I had to go back, and mobs of extremely accurate or extremely strong enemies that can kill you in an instant but you have to hit them with everything you have to kill them. Making enemies incredibly difficult to kill while make youThis game made me cry. Slow game play, missions that didn't progress anything, long treks through rainy areas just to get to the next place only to realize I had to go back, and mobs of extremely accurate or extremely strong enemies that can kill you in an instant but you have to hit them with everything you have to kill them. Making enemies incredibly difficult to kill while make you easy to kill doesn't make the game terrifying, just frustrating. I can understand making a game difficult, I would be even more bored with a game I could just walk through, but a game you can't even get through when you try every strategy you can? The graphics are pretty bad for 2007 and the plot is flimsy at best (wet toilet paper holds up better). I only give it a 5 because of a few things. First, if you play this game like the survival type that it should have been (screw the missions and storyline), the game holds the attention for a while. Second, The realism from having to decide what to hold and what to leave behind is a good system (too many games seem to think that ammo weighs nothing). And third, oh wait...there is no third, that's why I'm rating it a 3...… Expand
  8. hodub
    Apr 3, 2012
    9
    Gamers from Ukraine should be proud of this one. There is a bit of a learning curve at first, but this game has the perfect blend of realistic combat and survival horror. This is one of the first open-ended FPS games that I know of, so you can explore an open world and take on multiple tasks, preceding award-winning games like Fallout 3. It also features real-world locations, including theGamers from Ukraine should be proud of this one. There is a bit of a learning curve at first, but this game has the perfect blend of realistic combat and survival horror. This is one of the first open-ended FPS games that I know of, so you can explore an open world and take on multiple tasks, preceding award-winning games like Fallout 3. It also features real-world locations, including the city of Pripyat, which was abandoned during the 1986 Chernobyl disaster, and the Chernobyl NPP (Nuclear Power Plant) itself. One can expect Counter-Strike style combat when fighting enemy factions, though there are mutants and even zombies to keep things interesting as well. You'll quickly learn that dashing into a crowd guns blazing is a death wish, even with the best armor. You can buy and sell weapons and equipment. There are Artifacts that you can collect that will enhance your abilities, such as running speed and how bulletproof you are. I won't give away any more spoilers - first time players will have to find out for themselves. Another cult classic in the gaming industry. If you haven't already played it, play it!… Expand
  9. SlickRick
    Mar 6, 2012
    8
    As much as I want to give SoC a 10/10, I have to be real about it. The game is definitely a solid 8/10 without mods, WITH mods it is easily a 9/10.

    There could honestly be more mutants in ALL STALKER games, but there is definitely a charm about the mutants that are already in the game. There's nothing like being out at night when it's PITCH black and you hear a bloodsucker breathing and    As much as I want to give SoC a 10/10, I have to be real about it. The game is definitely a solid 8/10 without mods, WITH mods it is easily a 9/10.

    There could honestly be more mutants in ALL STALKER games, but there is definitely a charm about the mutants that are already in the game. There's nothing like being out at night when it's PITCH black and you hear a bloodsucker breathing and you don't know WHAT the f*** is going on

    The games atmosphere is a 10/10, no doubt about it

    The STALKER series is easily my favorite game series, and if you enjoy a challenging FPS with RPG elements, brilliant atmosphere, with plenty of scariness thrown in the mix. You will adore STALKER    … Expand
  10. erichlebt
    Feb 26, 2012
    10
    Simply a great and outstanding game. To this day (2/26/2012) I've not played any video game with such dense, dark, frightening atmosphere. Play it when it's dark, put your headphones on and get ready to **** your pants.
  11. Gettys63
    Feb 2, 2012
    9
    I have play this game four times. It was so tempting game to play for hours. Varies large area to hunt, fight, and meet NPC to experience the horror scenes.
  12. LordSeferoth
    Dec 30, 2011
    10
    Most atmospheric game i have ever played. Stalker: Shadow of Chernobyl is amazing combination of Shooter and Roleplaying. Stalker is an experience you never forget.
  13. Kelu
    Dec 25, 2011
    10
    Back in 2007 STALKER brought a breeze of fresh air in the horror genre. It's postapolaiptic Zone countryside was unforgiving, the atmosphere thick and some locations scared you **** Though buggy at release, got a bunch of official patches, and even professional-quality mod packs - look up STALKER Complete series of mods, which fixes most annoying features and bugs left by the developers,Back in 2007 STALKER brought a breeze of fresh air in the horror genre. It's postapolaiptic Zone countryside was unforgiving, the atmosphere thick and some locations scared you **** Though buggy at release, got a bunch of official patches, and even professional-quality mod packs - look up STALKER Complete series of mods, which fixes most annoying features and bugs left by the developers, and brings the graphics up to 2011 standards. A must-play for those who enjoy being afraid.… Expand
  14. Doomboss
    Dec 23, 2011
    9
    The graphic for this game is not pretty good, but the way to play it is kind of unique: mix up RPG and shooting game at the same time. I keep looking for some new weapon and ammo, just like i want some better equipment in WOW. But the saving for this game (or the restart point) is kind of bad because the auto save wont save unless you are entering new place, which make me need to restartThe graphic for this game is not pretty good, but the way to play it is kind of unique: mix up RPG and shooting game at the same time. I keep looking for some new weapon and ammo, just like i want some better equipment in WOW. But the saving for this game (or the restart point) is kind of bad because the auto save wont save unless you are entering new place, which make me need to restart from a very far away place just because i forgot to quick save and the game wont restart as close as possible from where i dead. I guess that is what makes the game hard.… Expand
  15. mez
    Dec 18, 2011
    7
    If ever a game needs mods, it's this one. The atmosphere and setting are absolutely incredible, but the whole thing feels like an alpha release. The balancing is all over the place and there many serious bugs and annoyances that really should have been dealt with before the game hit the shelves. And forget all the talk of RPG elements - this is a straight up FPS set in larger than usualIf ever a game needs mods, it's this one. The atmosphere and setting are absolutely incredible, but the whole thing feels like an alpha release. The balancing is all over the place and there many serious bugs and annoyances that really should have been dealt with before the game hit the shelves. And forget all the talk of RPG elements - this is a straight up FPS set in larger than usual environments. Yeah, you have an inventory and there are side missions you can do in any order, but if you're hoping for character development or flexible ways to complete objectives, you'll be disappointed. It's like Far Cry in the sense that you have these big open levels, but you can only ever play one way; in the end you always have to go in guns blazing. It's a waste really, because the Zone is the true star of the game, yet there's rarely a reason to just go and explore it. I do recommend the game for the atmosphere alone, but with serious reservations about the rest of it. Wait until it's on sale before putting your money down...… Expand
  16. omgitsbiren
    Dec 12, 2011
    5
    Some interesting gunplay mechanics, but otherwise a boring, repetitive waste of time. A good story might have saved S.T.A.L.K.E.R., but instead you go through mission after mission without the slightest idea of who you are or why you're doing what you're doing. Do yourself a favor and play Fallout 3 instead.
  17. Panzerfour
    Dec 3, 2011
    9
    I reviewed this game before and gave it a 5 which was unfair ( I was stuck in an underground and out of medkits ). So now I have beaten this game twice now and on my way to a third, I picked up the game again months later and had an easier time and now it is one of my fav games. It has a great and scary atmosphere and pants wetting undergrounds, good guns but they could use more. So thisI reviewed this game before and gave it a 5 which was unfair ( I was stuck in an underground and out of medkits ). So now I have beaten this game twice now and on my way to a third, I picked up the game again months later and had an easier time and now it is one of my fav games. It has a great and scary atmosphere and pants wetting undergrounds, good guns but they could use more. So this game was my least favorite to one of my favorite.… Expand
  18. Cobra007
    Nov 24, 2011
    10
    This is a game that you really want to love, but sadly it's put down by all the bugs in the game. There's either bugs that crash the game, that make a quest impossible to finish, to bugs that simply make the gameplay suffer. If it weren't for the bugs, I'd be giving this game a 10, but sadly I must give it a 7 since the game just suffers alot from all the bugs.
  19. Nostalgium
    Nov 6, 2011
    5
    Okay, so I just finished this game and here's what I have to say about it.

    I expected a game where you make your own choices throughout the entire game, a game which really messes with your head because of it's setting, (loads of potential for thrilling concepts involving Chernobyl right?)Both of these things were not really executed well. This is absolutely nothing like, say, Fallout 3.    Okay, so I just finished this game and here's what I have to say about it.

    I expected a game where you make your own choices throughout the entire game, a game which really messes with your head because of it's setting, (loads of potential for thrilling concepts involving Chernobyl right?)Both of these things were not really executed well. This is absolutely nothing like, say, Fallout 3. Because the choices are very limited.

    When you play the game for the first half hour, you get the impression that you can make your own choices entirely, which is simply not true, keep in mind this is a First Person Shooter, Not a Roleplaying Game. The game gets extremely linear towards half of the game.

    >The first thing that was really negative about it was those small bottle-neck loading-time routes that you have to go through, to get into a new area. Not only that, when you sometimes finished loading from one of these points, a fresh wave of respawned NPC's is there to immediately try to kill you, this is off-putting because you just can't prepare for anything, so not a lot of thought was put into that.

    The game discourages you to do any backtracking to other locations, to trade and stuff, because you'll have to pass about 4 extremely long loading zones.

    They could' ve been way more creative with the Chernobyl Power-Plant area itself. It's basically just one big shoot-out towards the end of the game, which really takes away the experience. The quests are not really note-worthy, and pretty straight forward, with the exception of some parts of the main quest.

    There are some horror-elements in some parts of the game, but only few were actually really scary. Most of the time you're just shooting bad guys with your gun.

    The only thing I found absolutely brilliant was the AI, and the lighting effects of day & night.    … Expand
  20. skipper_is
    Oct 14, 2011
    10
    One of my favourite games of all time. Yes it's buggy, and horrendously difficult in some places as you die by tripping over a rock... and the enemies need nothing short of a tactical nuke to kill. But lovably so. Some great hair raising moments, and a good sense of "pphhew" at the end. Great game
  21. JoseRochaPT
    Sep 20, 2011
    6
    Yes, amazing game ! Perfect history ! Fails in the aim and shooting system wich could be a lot better and faster, this game brings out a bit of RPG too, but if the shooting aim was a bit more like the regular FPS games it would be a straight "9". I recomend it tough !
  22. wiijobo
    Aug 20, 2011
    1
    **** story, **** combat, **** graphics, just horrifically boring. The game doesn't explain much to you, there is barely any story line, your time is spent wandering around from pointless quest to pointless quest untill you end up in an area where you are continually losing health from radiation and no idea of where to find a god damn radiation suit.
  23. Matthypaspist
    Aug 17, 2011
    9
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. I've recently bought the game to try the series after I've heard good words about it from my friend. I went in expecting a Fallout style game(which i wasnt a huge fan of) and came almost as happy as a video game can make a person. This game has the obvious bugs like durability and nowhere to repair(but things take forever to die out), a mission you HAVE to complete to join duty has bugged out so I cant complete it(and freedom already has me on a shoot on sight list), and early game you should feel a bit rushed on the main mission. (AKA you have a shotgun while you are now facing enemies with medium level SMG's, you can still handle them). Artifacts are a little to prevelent and make, making money, very easy. BUT, there is greatness with this game. The story is compelling to continue with. You dont know who you are and your PDA tells you to kill and unknown man. You just want to beat all these "side" quests and find out what is actually at the center of the Zone. And find this Strelok character. Being able to use the artifacts is a great sub system too. Get that greater edge in running, use some Mama beads to prevent some bullet damage. Increase your health majorly but sacrifice some protection bonuses. The side quests do add some extra fun but going after completing a few quests you will probably have more then enough money for a while and you might accept them only for an exploration opprotunity.… Expand
  24. hellznrg
    Jul 24, 2011
    10
    This is a great game, definitely worth playing. I had a few false starts over the last few years, but i played it and finished it over the last few weeks. according to steam, I clocked in at 27 hours. The game has a few bugs still but none of which are showstopping. This game had a few balance issues (way too much ammo and money in the world, pistols are completely useless beyond the firstThis is a great game, definitely worth playing. I had a few false starts over the last few years, but i played it and finished it over the last few weeks. according to steam, I clocked in at 27 hours. The game has a few bugs still but none of which are showstopping. This game had a few balance issues (way too much ammo and money in the world, pistols are completely useless beyond the first 2 hours or so). The environments was absolutely stunning and very authentic looking. Before playing the game I suggest you read up on the history of chernobyl on wikipedia... it's fascinating. The enemy AI was very good, but unfortunately there was no stealth aspect to the game, simply because enemies are aware of you almost all of the time, so the only way is to run and gun. The story was just ok and the missions were pretty all right. Overall I loved it... HOWEVER, i unfortunately hadn't heard of "stalker complete 2009" until after I finished the game, which was a real pity... so if you haven't played it yet, be sure to pick up that mod before starting up the game.… Expand
  25. Sidewayz
    Jul 16, 2011
    10
    This game is utterly stunning. A breakthrough as far as gaming is concerned. Being a true hunter, I can honestly declare S.T.A.L.K.E.R as the most realistic account of actually lugging a weapon in an open field. In fact, it is easy to forget yourself and imagine a proper hunting trip through scrub and forest with industrial detritus thrown in as a bonus. Although the foliage isThis game is utterly stunning. A breakthrough as far as gaming is concerned. Being a true hunter, I can honestly declare S.T.A.L.K.E.R as the most realistic account of actually lugging a weapon in an open field. In fact, it is easy to forget yourself and imagine a proper hunting trip through scrub and forest with industrial detritus thrown in as a bonus. Although the foliage is consistent throughout the game, the environments are extensive and the scenery varies - from contaminated creeks and swamps, to hills and elevated terrain. There is a literal plethora of abandoned buildings and hidden areas to explore and almost all of them contain some kind of reward. The loose goals and utter in-game freedom encourage exploration and provide great incentive for the player to realise all of the inherent possibilities. Adding further to this, eery music, strange biological sound effects and unusually gloomy areas all culminate to form a unique sense of mystery. Overall, this game genuinely appeals to the hunter gatherer instinct, which judging by some of these reviews, seems to be on the decline. When it comes to personal items, you start off with the bare minimum (pretty much junk) and have to work your way up to achieve a high tactical prowess. Although this is a common theme in many FPS's, it is starkly emphasised in this particular title. Items known as artifacts can be found scattered around the environs and offer a vast improvement in terms of Strelok's abilities. Some artifacts provide resistance to radiation and chemical burns, whilst others increase stamina and healing. Since they occur in dangerous areas, artifacts commend great value on the market and the rarer ones can be sold or swapped amongst stalkers for virtually anything that is on offer. Ammunition is relatively scarce, and must be conserved in order to ensure success. Players will find themselves searching dead bodies and unloading dropped weapons in order to accumulate their ammo. Similarly, health supplies like medkits can be difficult to find, but if a player is careful, they do eventually accumulate. Bandages, anti-rad medicines and foodstuffs are very common throughout the game, but can be quickly depleted if a player fails to be conservative. The weapons in this game are nothing short of brilliant. High end weapons are customisable and behave in a very realistic manner - there is a whole lot of recoil from auto weapons and this makes aiming virtually impossible when shooting in full automatic. During large bursts, a weapon will sway both traversely and longitudinally making it very difficult to shoot distant targets. This can be counteracted by switching the weapon mode to single/semi or by firing in sporadic bursts. Even with a brand new rifle, accuracy is never 100% and when overused, a weapon's condition will deteriorate further, hence decreasing its effectiveness. Jamming is common in poorly guns, and they must be reloaded to permit firing again. This is especially fun during battles, as it gets the adrenaline pumping. To further increase immersion, some of the most rugged and tactically appropriate weapons are provided, like the AK-47, AKS-74, VSS Vintorez, FN F-2000, MP-5 and LR-300. This choice of weapons is extremely consistent with the survival theme. By offering RIS rails, tactical weapons can be customised with grenade launchers, silencers and improved optics. There are also one off weapons hidden throughout the zone, which offer vast improvements over the base weapons and often commend a high resale price.

    To suggest that gameplay can be difficult is a dramatic understatement. Although Strelok will do everything he is commanded to do with a sturdy, surefooted confidence (unlike the wooden and clumsy JC Denton in Deus EX), the enemies are very competent at engaging and will take cover before unleashing a torrent of bullets. A few well placed shots are enough to kill Strelok, and a serious injury will lead to profuse bleeding. If left untreated, profuse bleeding can kill Strelok very quickly, so it must be stopped by applying bandages or by using a medkit. Whilst spawning does occur in this game, it is by no means obvious. So long as you remain in the area which you have cleared, it generally stays clear. Factions of bandits will usually reclaim the area once you leave for another region, but engaging them on the way back is strictly optional. Overall, the S.T.A.L.K.E.R franchise offers a great gaming experience which has not been replicated since. I have found that the closest title of similar offerings is FEAR, but it is much more streamlined. The zone is such a diverse world that replay value is a virtual guarantee. If you still have hunter-gatherer instincts and enjoy a challenging and complex survival based shooter with realistic physics and a very effective horror element you won't find a better game.    … Expand
  26. Rotemetoot
    Jul 12, 2011
    10
    "In Soviet Russia (ok... Ukraine), game plays you..."

    I play this game with the "Complete 2009" mod. They say you have to play with it because it removes bugs and updates the graphics, without removing or adding any gameplay mechanics. So credits to them for making this game a "10" title. This game isn't a console port which gives it 1 bonus point in my opinion. I think even reviewing    "In Soviet Russia (ok... Ukraine), game plays you..."


    I play this game with the "Complete 2009" mod.
    They say you have to play with it because it removes bugs and updates the graphics, without removing or adding any gameplay mechanics.
    So credits to them for making this game a "10" title.

    This game isn't a console port which gives it 1 bonus point in my opinion.

    I think even reviewing a game in many cases is a spoiler because the best thing is to just go and play it without knowing before hand what you can except and without having so many opinions about it...

    Awesome rpg meets awesome fps shooter.

    10/10    … Expand
  27. crazychicken
    Jul 5, 2011
    10
    This is hands down, the best single player game I have played. The atmosphere is fantastic and unlike any other game out there. it was in development for years and even though they didn't manage to include everything they wanted, what they did is still incredible. this is no Console shooter or port, if you want a simple run and gun don't buy it and play for 20 minutes and complain whenThis is hands down, the best single player game I have played. The atmosphere is fantastic and unlike any other game out there. it was in development for years and even though they didn't manage to include everything they wanted, what they did is still incredible. this is no Console shooter or port, if you want a simple run and gun don't buy it and play for 20 minutes and complain when unlike Crysis you can't kill everything in 10 seconds with your hi tech gun and invincible **** suit.

    First of all, don't play it without downloading the Complete mod for free first. This updates the textures, sounds, AI, fixes a load of bugs and errors and makes the game what it wanted to be. It doesn't change anything, just cleans it all up.

    This game isn't like other FPS because it is actually hard. You don't start off with an amazing gun and squad and intel, you have a coat and a pistol and aside from that you are on your own. The Zone is an easy place to die even without having a host of powerful mutants and heavily armed humans roaming around. This game doesn't hold your hand like Western shooters do, or load you up with amazing gear under the guise of being some Spec Ops soldier. The atmosphere is incredible, part's of it are creepy as hell and scary and not like the Doom3 teen equivalent of having a monster jump out when you press the door button or a loud bang etc. It is hard to get into because it is so unforgiving, and the first few maps and missions you are constantly trying to find a decent weapon that doesnt force you to retreat when outnumbered etc. If you want a linear shooter like HL2 or CoD with no freeplay, dialogue or exploration and lots of cutscenes then look elsewhere. There are plenty of games liek that around. if you want a slow hard atmospheric adventure then give it a try, turn out all the lights and play it till the sun comes up; call in sick and keep on playing.

    Very few games are ever made like this because of the time spent and expertise of a dedicated small team that a large company could never replicate. There is such a talented modding community there are literally thousands of mods you can install; including some Total Conversions that change the story completely - and are good enough to be stolen by the developers for Call of Pripyat.

    10/10    … Expand
  28. Selvec
    Jun 10, 2011
    10
    I just started walking around, and low and behold, 5 dogs pounced on me out of nowhere., and then flashes of radiation randomly killed me. What? Ummm. . . AWESOME! This game doesn't hold my hand, and actually turns the environment against you. I'd probably have understood it more if I wasn't such a bloody moron and didn't run ahead, or ignore the manuel. Damn my complete stupidity and lackI just started walking around, and low and behold, 5 dogs pounced on me out of nowhere., and then flashes of radiation randomly killed me. What? Ummm. . . AWESOME! This game doesn't hold my hand, and actually turns the environment against you. I'd probably have understood it more if I wasn't such a bloody moron and didn't run ahead, or ignore the manuel. Damn my complete stupidity and lack of taste. Damn it.… Expand
  29. tronchaviones
    Jun 7, 2011
    10
    Great game. It is priceless to be alone in the night, sat on a broken rooftop under a big thunderstorm, without any ammunitions and hearing a lot of mutant wolfs breathing while waiting for their lunch...
  30. amorpheus
    Apr 22, 2011
    9
    As somebody who likes post-apocalyptic settings, this is one of my favorite games of the last few years. It can be difficult to get into, but once the initial barriers are overcome it offers an incredible atmosphere and a fascinating game world. Especially with the Complete mod it's an experience that everybody who is even remotely interested should check out. It can be had for a very lowAs somebody who likes post-apocalyptic settings, this is one of my favorite games of the last few years. It can be difficult to get into, but once the initial barriers are overcome it offers an incredible atmosphere and a fascinating game world. Especially with the Complete mod it's an experience that everybody who is even remotely interested should check out. It can be had for a very low price these days and offers many hours of playtime.… Expand
  31. NostalgicRobotX
    Mar 25, 2011
    10
    Lately, the industry has been flooded with CoD-esque linear shooters. Very few games now-a-days have the pure, innovative gameplay, that S.T.A.L.K.E.R: Shadow of Chernobyl provides. STALKER is a lot of things, it's atmospheric, it's frightening, it's unique, and it's quite hard. However, STALKER is not Call of Duty, nor is it Fallout, and especially not Oblivion, it isn't even an entirelyLately, the industry has been flooded with CoD-esque linear shooters. Very few games now-a-days have the pure, innovative gameplay, that S.T.A.L.K.E.R: Shadow of Chernobyl provides. STALKER is a lot of things, it's atmospheric, it's frightening, it's unique, and it's quite hard. However, STALKER is not Call of Duty, nor is it Fallout, and especially not Oblivion, it isn't even an entirely perfect game. To the players that man up, and fight there way through the zone, this will be a game that is played over, and over again.

    With 7 different endings, and a amazingly long single player mode, this game will deliver surprises both good and bad for years to come, especially with the huge modding community.

    STALKER tries to be annoyingly realistic. You will die of blood loss, if you don't bandage up wounds. You will not take a shotgun wound standing. You will not walk away from radiation, without some medication.

    Graphically, STALKER has some of the best dynamic lighting engines ever, and it's a game that holds off the bloom, so it has a distinctive "dirty" look. Perfect for the harsh wastelands surrounding Chernobyl.

    Most bugs have been patched, and I highly recommend that everyone plays this spectacular game.    … Expand
  32. Blahonga
    Jan 27, 2011
    9
    One of the best and most atmospheric horror/action FPS's in recent time. It's similar to but better than Fallout 3, at least after you've installed STALKER: Shadow of Chernobyl Complete 2012 mod + realistic weapons. Those mods fixes a large number of bugs and updates the graphics to be better than the (horrible) sequel Stalker: Clear Sky. Very highly recommended game.
  33. ExtincT
    Dec 31, 2010
    10
    A truly atmospheric game which gives you a very strange feeling while playing it. I remember the first time I played it, I hated it for the dated graphics (even though I never look at the graphics in games), for the bad so called tutorial and the (what I felt then) extremely hard gunfights. As I was going to uninstall it I got the feeling that I should give it a chance. I don't regret thatA truly atmospheric game which gives you a very strange feeling while playing it. I remember the first time I played it, I hated it for the dated graphics (even though I never look at the graphics in games), for the bad so called tutorial and the (what I felt then) extremely hard gunfights. As I was going to uninstall it I got the feeling that I should give it a chance. I don't regret that choice today. While you play along you get to learn the art of killing in this game and get a very rewarding feeling when you do it. Combat is complex in this game but that is a positive thing since I'm tired of today's FPS games where you are like a tank and your weapons are so easily used that even your grandma could pull a shot at somebodies head. Other than that I can guarantee that you will fall in love with the Zone as it is truly alive with its mutants, environments and anomalies. This game combines big parts of the FPS genre with its own twists and elements of the RPG genre with its free roaming, scavenging etc. I recommend this game to everyone cause it is a remarkable and special game in it own right. Give it a shot and you won't get disappointed. Good hunting stalker!… Expand
  34. mcbeefbeef
    Nov 7, 2010
    6
    I tried very hard to like this game, and bought it at a deep (Halloween) discount on Steam (along with Pripyat) because I had always heard good things about it. Today, having just gotten to the Garbage, I was prepared to uninstall this game and write about how crap it is. I was JUST ABOUT TO go through with that... when I noticed that the game has a modding community. Surely, I thought,I tried very hard to like this game, and bought it at a deep (Halloween) discount on Steam (along with Pripyat) because I had always heard good things about it. Today, having just gotten to the Garbage, I was prepared to uninstall this game and write about how crap it is. I was JUST ABOUT TO go through with that... when I noticed that the game has a modding community. Surely, I thought, some astute modder has by now (the game is 3 years old) overhauled this game and made it not suck. YES! In summary, downloading and installing the STALKER Complete 2009 (currently 1.4.4) mod is a REQUIREMENT to enjoy this game. If you don't, you WILL NOT like it unless you're retarded. If you do install the mod, you might still not like it, but at least it will have put its best foot forward. The game is literally incomplete without this mod installed, and experienced gamers will identify the fact that the game, even fully patched, is in a development state that could be called "late beta". This is what the STALKER Complete 2009 mod rectifies. It alters so many aspects of the game, and the filesize is so large (700mb) that it might as well be called the official version of the game. What came out before that was just a buggy release candidate. For graphics cards that can handle it, the mod also makes the game pretty, departing from the game's original "real is brown" philosophy, aka the "we're too cheap to give you decent HDR" philosophy. I'm giving the game only a 6 because it was released in such bad shape, and the developers didn't have a hand in this mod, so why should they get positive recognition for it?… Expand
  35. MirceaC
    Oct 9, 2010
    9
    "S.T.A.L.K.E.R.: Shadow of Chernobyl" is one of the best games ever made when it comes to atmosphere, storyline and geography. The personality of the characters in this game is amazing as well. You will never feel alone in this game. Even though the FPS part doesn't really bring something new to this kind of genre, it's amazing how it works in combination with some RPG elements. Yes, there"S.T.A.L.K.E.R.: Shadow of Chernobyl" is one of the best games ever made when it comes to atmosphere, storyline and geography. The personality of the characters in this game is amazing as well. You will never feel alone in this game. Even though the FPS part doesn't really bring something new to this kind of genre, it's amazing how it works in combination with some RPG elements. Yes, there are quite a few bugs and glitches here and there, but with one or two patches, the game is truly stunning. I have to say that when I first played the game, I fell in love with it in a few seconds.… Expand
  36. dklingen
    Sep 29, 2010
    9
    Loved this game, played with the "Complete" mod and really enjoyed the experience. I skipped Clear Sky, but have Call of Pripyat and am awaiting the "Complete" mod for it...
  37. brettjv
    Sep 7, 2010
    10
    Synopsis: The greatest single-player FPS experience ever made ... and I've played darn near all of them.

    Okay, first of all, people ... if there's ever been a game in the history of the world where reviewing it after playing it for an hour or two (or less) is totally inappropriate, it is this game. Secondly, reviews from 2007 complaining about bugs should be basically ignored. This game    Synopsis: The greatest single-player FPS experience ever made ... and I've played darn near all of them.

    Okay, first of all, people ... if there's ever been a game in the history of the world where reviewing it after playing it for an hour or two (or less) is totally inappropriate, it is this game. Secondly, reviews from 2007 complaining about bugs should be basically ignored. This game didn't really get fully patched until '08, but when you play it now it's a fairly bug-free experience.

    Now, on to the game. I've had it since '07, I've played it through with just about every patch that's come out. I've also played it through with a bunch of different mods. This means I've found it engrossing enough to play through at least 10 separate times. And it is not a short game either.

    In fairness, this is not a perfect game by any stretch. YES, it's relatively difficult in the beginning. Yes, the weapons are terrible, and inaccurate, and under-powered, and you die ... a lot. Yes the PDA is kinda hard to figure out, it's hard to know what to do. Unlike most big-budget titles, the beginnings of your career as a Stalker is perilous and confusing. There is no hand-holding, and you need to make manual saves A LOT, because death will always be at your doorstep.

    But if you stick with it, you figure these things out. You get better weapons and armor, and artifacts to improve your survival rate. You get accurate weapons with scopes, etc. You slowly adapt to life in 'The Zone', and become proficient at all the things you need to be proficient at in order to survive.

    I can practically guarantee that if you play this game through to conclusion (and make sure you do what's necessary to get the one 'Real' ending, otherwise the ending(s) suck), if you're an FPS fan, I can guarantee you that you will not be disappointed in the overall experience of this game.

    And in case I didn't mention it, the replay factor of this game is VERY high. And if you finish it, you'll almost certainly want to play it again.    … Expand
  38. stanman
    Aug 23, 2010
    0
    OK, I have to correct my previous review because I forgot to set the rating on it. This game is definitely NOT a 10. So here is my previous review with the correct rating: I had very high hopes for this game based on the other reviews but I found it almost unplayable. Unmentioned anywhere else is that, unlike every other FPS game I have ever played, the image you see on your screen bobsOK, I have to correct my previous review because I forgot to set the rating on it. This game is definitely NOT a 10. So here is my previous review with the correct rating: I had very high hopes for this game based on the other reviews but I found it almost unplayable. Unmentioned anywhere else is that, unlike every other FPS game I have ever played, the image you see on your screen bobs from side to side and up and down as you move. This literally gave me a headache after only a few minutes of playing it. Every other game just moves you smoothly, so I don't know why they had to add the unnecessary movement in this one. In addition, the graphics, which other reviews have raved about, were nothing special. to me. It seems to be a very crude imitation of what a FPS should be. I just bought this and, even as part of special bundle deal, this was money wasted for me.… Expand
  39. SweetKitty
    Jan 29, 2010
    1
    I really agree with the other low reviews. This game is extremely underdeveloped, and I felt as though I was testing a draft. I happened to only play it for 30 minutes and that truly was enough to rate this game. Overall, it's dull and uninspiring. There is no music in the background, and music, of course, is crucial for any game to be fun (that's just fundamentals people). And I really agree with the other low reviews. This game is extremely underdeveloped, and I felt as though I was testing a draft. I happened to only play it for 30 minutes and that truly was enough to rate this game. Overall, it's dull and uninspiring. There is no music in the background, and music, of course, is crucial for any game to be fun (that's just fundamentals people). And one guy plays a guitar around a campfire, which is nothing special. The game is also empty, and I mean quite literally. Most buildings have no details inside; there's just slabs of concrete and some boxies (which really gives a bad image of Chernobyl), and no one has anything interesting to say. Everyone just wants to kill everything else. Gang anarchy! That's new. The character walks like a gangster wobbling side to side, which gets annoying after awhile, not to mention I got a headache a few minutes into the game. There's also very little voice acting and too much text messaging, which is mostly fluff and garbage anyways. I had to force myself to read some of the dialogue once I started playing. By now, there really is no excuse for no voice acting. We're in the 21 first century people (even if there was voice acting, the quality of the text was poor). The story is also very superficial and ambiguous; I really don't get what's going on, which is probably because there is no tuturial whatsoever. I just started walking around, and low and behold, 5 dogs pounced on me out of nowhere., and then flashes of radiation randomly killed me. What? Ummm. . . okay. Perhaps some kind of warning could have been helpful? The inventory management is also very poor and clumsy; I felt moving items was really a chore. But what I truly hated about this game was the simple fact that it's way too serious and there's no humor or wit at all. Fallout 3 feels much the same way with the open world (at least in theory) but at least it has some genuine humor and music along with the bloody shooting and gore. In this game, you just go around shooting things, and you really don't know why; there was nothing that compelled me to move forward. No music, no dialogue, no interesting people or plotline, no detailed environments or buildings. There is nothing intriguing or revealing. You just join some arbitrary gang and start killing other gangs. So what? Doom was great with that kind of senseless violence. (I know some die-hard fans may be unhappy with my review, but this is what I truly felt while playing the game. I'm honest here. I played so many shooters and I really see nothing worthwhile in this one. It's one of the worst ones I've ever played. The only thing that stopped me from giving it a 0 was that it ran smoothly on my computer).… Expand
  40. Bobbys
    Jan 15, 2010
    10
    This is one of the best games i have played in a long time. By the time you are done with it you want more. Combat and story are superb. It is great just to sit around a campfire listening to the guitar in a post apocalyptic environment.. You never want to come back. Great job GSC
  41. WesM
    Jan 14, 2010
    10
    S.T.A.L.K.E.R. is definitely not a game for everybody. It can be brutally difficult, even on the normal setting. It doesn't hold your hand or cut you a break at the beginning--there's not much of a tutorial, early weapons are inaccurate and weak, and you'll die a lot. But that's part of the charm of it all. It's a rough world out there, and it's not meant to S.T.A.L.K.E.R. is definitely not a game for everybody. It can be brutally difficult, even on the normal setting. It doesn't hold your hand or cut you a break at the beginning--there's not much of a tutorial, early weapons are inaccurate and weak, and you'll die a lot. But that's part of the charm of it all. It's a rough world out there, and it's not meant to be easy to survive. Whereas games like Fallout 3 make the post-apocalyptic world seem almost harmless, S.T.A.L.K.E.R. brings out what you'd expect it to be like. You're no super-human, you're a regular person, a bullet to the head will kill you just like it'll kill anyone else, and those people will try to kill you in return just to survive.… Expand
  42. CatalinU
    Jan 13, 2010
    10
    Probably the best FPS in the world :) For me it had a very high degree of re-playability. Finished it over 5 times till now. The game play is very realistic, specially the ballistic system for weapons. Unbelievable multiplayer action!!! Definitely a MUST PLAY game!!!
  43. SteveH
    Jan 11, 2010
    3
    This game is way over-rated in my opinion. It felt like a ripoff of half-life two in a Fallout-3 setting but done very poorly. Both of those games are far better than this collosal waste of time. The graphics arent anything spectacular / the dialogue and storyline are awful / they throw you into the fray with no tutorial at all / the shooting machanics are unrealistic(when you shoot the This game is way over-rated in my opinion. It felt like a ripoff of half-life two in a Fallout-3 setting but done very poorly. Both of those games are far better than this collosal waste of time. The graphics arent anything spectacular / the dialogue and storyline are awful / they throw you into the fray with no tutorial at all / the shooting machanics are unrealistic(when you shoot the enemy in the face six billion times and they dont die but they have one shot one kill ability it feels like dirty pool). Dont waste your money on this game. Im just glad it came in a bundle so I didnt pay full-price for it. I ask myself why this gets such high praise from the critics and even players. We need to set the bar higher folks. I found this this game got me frustrated at best so if thats what you find fun then have at it.… Expand
  44. ZedT
    Jan 5, 2010
    1
    I'd usually leave a commercial game alone, because no matter how much feedback I give it's not going to change the game a lot. After playing this game for a while though, I'd have to say this is the worst 5 dollars I have ever spent. Having played similar titles like Deus Ex, Elder Scrolls IV (released before STALKER), and Bioshock (released only a few months later), this I'd usually leave a commercial game alone, because no matter how much feedback I give it's not going to change the game a lot. After playing this game for a while though, I'd have to say this is the worst 5 dollars I have ever spent. Having played similar titles like Deus Ex, Elder Scrolls IV (released before STALKER), and Bioshock (released only a few months later), this has got to be the worst attempt at blending the genres. I have no issue with the ideas behind the game: item based character advancement sounds like a refreshing change from ability points and xp; post-apocalyptic world sort of appeals to me. But the entire execution of the game was horrible: hit boxes don't work correctly, i.e. your bullets don't exactly land where they look like they're landing. This is more apparent when you're trying to knife the AI and you find that pressing right up to him isn't quite enough, and the computer sort of rolls a die to see if it hits him. The head bob is horrendous. Quake has headbob, COD:MW and MW2 has headbob, but it doesn't get in the way like STALKER's headbob. Don't give me any of that crap about how it makes the world more real - realism is about not reminding me with a twisted gut and headache that I'm looking at the screen trying to pretend that I'm moving my head like a spring doll when I'm just bloody walking. The keyboard/mouse interface is unresponsive, and simple UI concepts such as being able to navigate the character info/map/inventory with the mouse alone is missing. The inventory system, while could be given credit at an excellent attempt at realism, doesn't work when you're designing a game where you have to keep game balance in mind. The designers of Fallout 3 did the gamers a favor when they assigned ammunition ZERO weight. Not saying that ammunition should be weightless, but that design decision has to be made with reason. If your ammunition weight is going to limit the amount of firepower you can carry such that it actually CRIPPLES the pace of the game, then BLOODY DITCH IT. The abovementioned AI barely qualifies as AI - Half-Life, released in bloody 1998 had better AI than this. Fine, the game was released unfinished (which is not a valid excuse anyway, shame on you THQ), but there are many fundamental flaws to the game, that when put together, makes the game near unplayable. This is coming from someone who dearly loves the fps genre, enjoys a challenge (hard mode and above, unless otherwise directed), and has been following post-apocalyptic gaming since the first Fallout. I am baffled by the sheer number of positive reviews that this game gets.… Expand
  45. NickN
    Jan 2, 2010
    10
    This is a stunning game. I've been playing Stalker for two years and still can't find any game which would deliver a similar experience in the atmosphere. Although, these were the various mods (Russian version of the game) that enriched the game immensely, I got hooked on the original game and still can't shake off its charm.
  46. ColeD
    Dec 25, 2009
    2
    I've heard great things about this game, so I decided to buy it. Boy was I surprised when it was as bad as it was. The weapons are so underpowered I had to use almost all of my ammo to kill a single dog, there is hardly a tutorial explaining how to play the game, and the AI is a pile of garbage. This game could be good, but the concept is wasted by it's bugs, making it feel like I've heard great things about this game, so I decided to buy it. Boy was I surprised when it was as bad as it was. The weapons are so underpowered I had to use almost all of my ammo to kill a single dog, there is hardly a tutorial explaining how to play the game, and the AI is a pile of garbage. This game could be good, but the concept is wasted by it's bugs, making it feel like an alpha version.… Expand
  47. QuinnH-L
    Dec 9, 2009
    10
    One of the best games I've ever played. The combat is fun and the story and setting are really unique.
  48. DirgeT
    Nov 26, 2009
    9
    To start off my opinion which any comment is, purely opinion even if there is a fact to base it upon. These Facts as said are translated and filtered in a process by the individual whether or not by a "professional" Critic or a user. Every game has it's bugs and Stalker SHoC did has bugs to start with it's initial release which is true. If GSC was allowed the time they wanted to To start off my opinion which any comment is, purely opinion even if there is a fact to base it upon. These Facts as said are translated and filtered in a process by the individual whether or not by a "professional" Critic or a user. Every game has it's bugs and Stalker SHoC did has bugs to start with it's initial release which is true. If GSC was allowed the time they wanted to finish the game and not forced to release a game that was "about" 95% complete by THQ at the time then the bugs, glitches, all would have been lessened and even more so would have been less of a hassle.Since that did not happen no one can clearly say if that is truth or not on the released version. But, it is true it was not a completed game on release. The U.S. version I played was tested from using patches 1.0001-.0005 And respect must be given to the developers for listening and fixing so many things with each patch, after patch .0003 I believe that all saved games were able to be used between that scope.and the most current patch. One must take in account pros, and cons. Within the end, the Pros to this game are much more than that of cons. If one wishes to look at a game, hardware of any and all kinds must be placed into whether or not it is user error. Using both Nvidia to ATI graphics and even the processors. At the release at .0003 the game was frustrating, annoying with having to restart to the beginning, or if you were a smart individual making multiple saves to fall back on in different areas. This "bug" was actually found to me in my opinion due to the A.I. being used at the time and the x-ray engine. It was aggressive and very complex on consumers//users of the game. These things were actually very easy to work around for a user that was, yes, a cliched word called a "gamer" , and by that meaning a true gamer or looked at a game and that game alone, without a comparison to other games with an attempt to boast and praise another unrelated topic. A FPS RPG chaotic atmospheric game made to show warnings of mankind and their tampering with technology, using that of what an RPG is supposed to be. That of which is an open environment where close to if not always 1,000 A.I. on a single section, map level, of the 50Km (( if that is correct )) full map at a time. Scaled down of course to not each level being 50Km but the overall area, the A.I. caused conflicts mainly when leaving or entering a map, and even when conversing and completing maps. This is con yes, but at the same time it's a con based on the aspect of giving the user to choose what they want to do to progress and finish the game. Go and try guns blazing into an area of friendly or non friendly non-playable characters on the highest difficulty if you claim to be a "Pro Gamer" and see if you can do it without using up massive amounts of bandages and healing items. Most likely you are dead. At least within the game they made it so you couldn't kill off an important character that allowed you finish the game with it's 8 different optional endings. Point:Giving the user abilities to change and effect their own outcome caused an early bug inside of the game to maybe not let you move from a map without a crash. But at this point. The finished result isn't the same. It is a hard, and rather close to realism that could be done with testing, trial and error at the start of developing in early 2000, I believe 2003-2004. This game is not for everyone. It is a gorgeous game with amazingly accurate as possible dimensions, to scale weight of items and limitations of the real world, including the weapons with recoil, bullet spread, armor effects, and so on. The game is a very largely innovated and respected game world wide. Allowing users to freely modify and release drastic changes in the game, some mods for fun and those that showed improved balancing and more realistic truth that a few bullets in the gut does kill you. Place in mind and hold a bit closely to your heart of the beauty of the music, atmospheric conditions, difficulty, realism of it's time. and of course in my opinion if you wish to take in account this last part. The idea that this individual has is that on a stability of hardware, this game was before it's time with the needed requirements to play it at it's fullest and strongest unless you had 2--4GB of DDR RAM, an AMD Athlon FX-57 or the FX-60 Dual core Cpu, and a rather high-end Ati or Nvidia GPU. You were going to run into issues if you weren't even able to process the data correctly though your machine. I did find that out the hard way if you tried to push the in game settings to max. I would give this game a 10 for some many reasons, but I don't think any game deserves a Perfect score, a high 98-99% may be possible, but not an over rated 100.… Expand
  49. MauricioP
    Nov 11, 2009
    10
    This is by far one of the best games I ever played. It grows on you very quickly and it is addictive. The ending changes depending on the role you chose to play during the game. It is action packed and it gets your adrenalin pumping. It will stretch your nerves and if you're not strong enough, it may just shatter your nerves! Oh yea! This game is a masterpiece and it is worth every This is by far one of the best games I ever played. It grows on you very quickly and it is addictive. The ending changes depending on the role you chose to play during the game. It is action packed and it gets your adrenalin pumping. It will stretch your nerves and if you're not strong enough, it may just shatter your nerves! Oh yea! This game is a masterpiece and it is worth every penny and every minute of your time you put on it. Don't let yourself be fooled by people who criticize "flaws" in the game (that's why every game, program and software has version control, patch releases, and updates). The critic from "Total Video Games" must have gotten his job by accident or something like that, has no clue whatsoever what a true game is all about. "Johnny D" should buy a new videocard or better yet, just go play ping pong or fuzz-ball or something.… Expand
  50. GameBoy
    Nov 9, 2009
    10
    Simply the best game ever created. Bought this 2 years ago and I'm still playing it now with the various mods available - all offline. Now THAT'S good value for money. If you haven't played it, then the best mod to get is STALKER Complete 2009, which fixes all strange bugs, updates the ballistics, and makes the graphics prettier - but most importantly does not change the Simply the best game ever created. Bought this 2 years ago and I'm still playing it now with the various mods available - all offline. Now THAT'S good value for money. If you haven't played it, then the best mod to get is STALKER Complete 2009, which fixes all strange bugs, updates the ballistics, and makes the graphics prettier - but most importantly does not change the storyline. The ONLY thing it does change is that it allows free play at the end of the game. OK, I'll stop going off on a tangent and get back to the crux of the matter - this game is not for the faint hearted. You have to stick with this game, it starts off hard - and the first map is, how shall I say - a bit bland. BUT, it gets sooo much better as you progress, think of the first map as a training ground. Later on you'll have literally heart attack inducing tension in further maps. I can't say enough good things about this game - I LOVE IT (how sad eh?!) Just please buy it, install STALKER Complete 2009 mod, stick it out for the first map, then trust me, you'll be hooked.… Expand
  51. SeanH
    Oct 29, 2009
    10
    Stalker is a redefining title. It leaves no excuse for any other title to be cheap. Stalker combines the gameplay elements of an RPG with those of an FPS. Character developement is totally capturing and the team has done a fantastic job of keeping the player immersed in the terror that is Chernobyl. Positively one of my all time favorites, I hope the industry learns a thing or two from Stalker is a redefining title. It leaves no excuse for any other title to be cheap. Stalker combines the gameplay elements of an RPG with those of an FPS. Character developement is totally capturing and the team has done a fantastic job of keeping the player immersed in the terror that is Chernobyl. Positively one of my all time favorites, I hope the industry learns a thing or two from this title.… Expand
  52. PE
    Oct 28, 2009
    10
    This game is stupidly good. It's probably my favorite shooter of all time. The atmosphere is second to none, the AI is great, there are a ton of mods available, and the story is interesting. A much better game than Fallout 3.
  53. MaxxA
    Oct 27, 2009
    10
    Its the greatest game franchise I've ever played, and I've been a gamer for way to long now for that to be meaningless. From a game designers perspective though, its an absolutely unmatchable achievement. I'd like to see some big billion dollar game company model the "Zone" when its terribly radioactive. Also, the glitches, if you know the movies story, have some purpose. Its the greatest game franchise I've ever played, and I've been a gamer for way to long now for that to be meaningless. From a game designers perspective though, its an absolutely unmatchable achievement. I'd like to see some big billion dollar game company model the "Zone" when its terribly radioactive. Also, the glitches, if you know the movies story, have some purpose. By glitches I mean everything from anomalies, to crashes. The ballistics system is just amazing. It's probably achieved this better than any other game, in fact, you should buy its sequel just for the hunting rifle.… Expand
  54. RhennaO
    Oct 26, 2009
    8
    This game has captivated me for several months. Yes, it has a few warts, but it is a wonderfully immersive and atmospheric shooter. There is a bit of a learning-curve required, so those suffering from ADD need not apply. I would rate it even higher if I took the available mods into account.
  55. perkelek
    Sep 3, 2009
    9
    Absolutely one of the best games I've ever played. Large free-area, realistic weapons, shooting is really hard and above average story. Graphics are awesome and gameplay is quite buggy, but its half fps and half rpg, that's why the action and shooting isnt as smooth as in games like F.E.A.R.2 or half-life 2 (I love those games) but who gives a shit? so much things and tasks to Absolutely one of the best games I've ever played. Large free-area, realistic weapons, shooting is really hard and above average story. Graphics are awesome and gameplay is quite buggy, but its half fps and half rpg, that's why the action and shooting isnt as smooth as in games like F.E.A.R.2 or half-life 2 (I love those games) but who gives a shit? so much things and tasks to do in this game! this game is definitely worth of playing.… Expand
  56. DannyM
    Aug 30, 2009
    8
    pretty good game the graphics are decent and the game play was fun and good. There is the problem with the bugs which was alot but the game was still good and the guns were really cool, if you liked shadow of chernobyl you will like clear sky as well
  57. LukeG
    Aug 18, 2009
    9
    Great game,its got a fairly good story that you can always follow up by reading about it on your PDA, nice weapon ballance, offers a great oppertunity for the modding world, the graphics are nice and it has a long game life. Only put down is the game over screen once you finished the game but you can ave total freeplay with the Oblivion Lost mod
  58. oddA
    Aug 10, 2009
    10
    This game is simply beautyful. Not the colors and stuff, but the gameplay! The difficulty of this game is mixed with the little feeling that you CAN win! The weapons are realistic and awesome! This is one of the games where EVERY single enemy has the ability to kill you with a single headshot, so you wont be left unchallenged. If you are/want to become a great gamer, try this game. If you This game is simply beautyful. Not the colors and stuff, but the gameplay! The difficulty of this game is mixed with the little feeling that you CAN win! The weapons are realistic and awesome! This is one of the games where EVERY single enemy has the ability to kill you with a single headshot, so you wont be left unchallenged. If you are/want to become a great gamer, try this game. If you succeed you can call yourself a real gamer. But bevare, enemies will try to flank you, sometimes you must fight a whole army (10-20 people) and you will die ALOT. But you should try it out, it's pretty damn fun. The 6th best FPS i have played. (Bioshock, System shock, SS2, Doom and Deus Ex are higher if you wondered).… Expand
  59. ChrisNielsen
    Aug 8, 2009
    8
    Yeah, there are a few bugs and gameplay can be slightly choppy at times, not to mention the translations are sometimes hard to interpret, but jesus christ, this game has by far the best atmosphere of any game out there, PERIOD

    If you're looking for an immersible storyline and something to make you crap your pants, look no further
  60. AnonymousMC
    Aug 5, 2009
    10
    Yes it does have outdated graphics by todays standards and yes it has its bugs. But this is one of the most immersive and breathtaking game worlds I have ever played in: The detail payed to background and information about the zone, to the dark, dank labs which are sure to give the most hardened gamer a jittery trigger finger. I'm currently playing through it for a third time! And itYes it does have outdated graphics by todays standards and yes it has its bugs. But this is one of the most immersive and breathtaking game worlds I have ever played in: The detail payed to background and information about the zone, to the dark, dank labs which are sure to give the most hardened gamer a jittery trigger finger. I'm currently playing through it for a third time! And it seems to me its gotten even more scary... I would recommend this game to gamers whod dont just rely on graphics but who enjoy a good story and atmospheric games.… Expand
  61. H.D.
    Jul 21, 2009
    2
    This game has nothing big to offer.?f you want throw your money out of the window,buy this thing.Play Fallout 3 if you want a game in this concept.
  62. joshq
    Jun 8, 2009
    9
    Maybe because we don't rate our games off hype or top notch graphics... here's comparison for you, Bioshock is that beautiful dish u get at a gourmet restaurant that tastes terrible, but all the snobby people try to hype it up to be something, Stalker is that meal that you get at some no-name restaurant that blows you away. Why don't u logically explain thins rather than go Maybe because we don't rate our games off hype or top notch graphics... here's comparison for you, Bioshock is that beautiful dish u get at a gourmet restaurant that tastes terrible, but all the snobby people try to hype it up to be something, Stalker is that meal that you get at some no-name restaurant that blows you away. Why don't u logically explain thins rather than go on ur fanboi rants, o bioshocks great, yea, last i checked playing thru the same exact-looking environments against the same exact enemies with terrible ballistics and uninteresting weapons with their failed palsmid system which allows u to shoot things out of ur hands (most of the stuff is shot out of guns in other games).… Expand
  63. MarkP
    Jun 8, 2009
    8
    I think this is a great game. It's not perfect, but it's good. One person has mentioned a poor tutorial and this I agree with. The in-game help when starting should be more thorough. But the world where the player lives in is incredible. The movments of the mutant animals and just the feeling of being in a wastleand is so realistic. Currently, I have not finished the game, but I think this is a great game. It's not perfect, but it's good. One person has mentioned a poor tutorial and this I agree with. The in-game help when starting should be more thorough. But the world where the player lives in is incredible. The movments of the mutant animals and just the feeling of being in a wastleand is so realistic. Currently, I have not finished the game, but night has fallen and I'm too scared to continue so I've headed back to camp. I'm not sure what to do now. My only ral gripe is a better tutorial especially when it comes to using the PDA and getting through the missions.… Expand
  64. JohnnyD
    May 30, 2009
    2
    Pretty terrible game all around, I really wonder how anyone can give this a 9 or 10. The only unique concept is it's attempt to blend FPS and RPG but even then, Deus Ex and Bioshock do it better. The game starts out with the worst tutorial I've seen in 15 years of gaming. It gives a 3 minute demonstration on how to use your PDA, while not mentioning how to open the PDA UI at Pretty terrible game all around, I really wonder how anyone can give this a 9 or 10. The only unique concept is it's attempt to blend FPS and RPG but even then, Deus Ex and Bioshock do it better. The game starts out with the worst tutorial I've seen in 15 years of gaming. It gives a 3 minute demonstration on how to use your PDA, while not mentioning how to open the PDA UI at all. It leaves you to find out how to access your inventory, switch weapons, zoom in, etc etc. A pretty miserable start. Graphics are terrible from an artistic perspective (gray and brown as far as the eye can see) and from a performance perspective. Gameplay feels like a grindfest without any xp to grind out. AI is a complete joke, both of allies(which is typical of all FPS's so no faulting it there) but also of enemies. Half-Life, which was released 10 years before this game, had better enemy AI. Overall this game plays like Deus Ex's retarded stepchild, and I feel sorry for people who give this game 9s and 10s. A non-linear world does not mean an immersive world. Trudging across fields of brown nothingness breaks immersion pretty damn fast. This game does NOT have good graphics, even at top settings. Lots of graphical detail doesn't compensate for crappy art. It has the most unintuitive start of any mainstream game ever. There are a laughable amount of bugs, even if they are fixed in later patches it is still unacceptable.… Expand
  65. danm
    May 21, 2009
    10
    One of the best video game experiences i have EVER had. PERIOD. This game is so incredibly visceral and engaging. I can get lost in this world forever. Not only is the game play completely realistic, but it is incredibly well designed for normal gaming pleasures, such as upgrades. Words cannot express the coolness of finding a sweet ass gun in the middle of nowhere. Definitely awesome.
  66. LoganM
    Apr 9, 2009
    10
    GREAT!!!!! The only problem with me are a few bugs in the quests but this is becuse they wanted it to be almsot fully in english. If some of the characters speeches we still in russian there would be no bugs. The one phrase they left in russian is to me important. when the guy says but down ur gun its in Russian!!!! good thing I already knew waht it mean.
  67. KyleP
    Mar 7, 2009
    9
    Absolutely a stunning game. The non-linear plot and fully-explorable environment make this game seem like Oblivion...but much, much darker. The mutants you encounter throughout the game have a habit of making you jump or straight up scaring the crap out of you, and the AI really works well for allies and enemies alike. I give it a 9/10 only because it can be kind of buggy (crashing and Absolutely a stunning game. The non-linear plot and fully-explorable environment make this game seem like Oblivion...but much, much darker. The mutants you encounter throughout the game have a habit of making you jump or straight up scaring the crap out of you, and the AI really works well for allies and enemies alike. I give it a 9/10 only because it can be kind of buggy (crashing and what not), and the learning curve is kinda steep as it is tough to get comfortable with how the game works until you're about halfway through the game. I recommend this game, though. Keeps you on your toes through one of the most widely known areas in the world - and one of the worst nuclear disasters ever to happen.… Expand
  68. JimR
    Mar 3, 2009
    10
    Absolutely the most immersive and impressive game concept ever to make it out of development hell. Bugs and all- any points this game might lose due to broken mission scripts or sketchy translation are absolutely annihilated by the sheer scope and vision of GSC Gameworld. A flawed masterpiece. And GSC are treating this game as such; very seldom have I seen a developer release so much Absolutely the most immersive and impressive game concept ever to make it out of development hell. Bugs and all- any points this game might lose due to broken mission scripts or sketchy translation are absolutely annihilated by the sheer scope and vision of GSC Gameworld. A flawed masterpiece. And GSC are treating this game as such; very seldom have I seen a developer release so much source material to the modding community- if anything, I'd say those guys love this game more than it's most fervent fans. I would gladly pay full retail tenfold on any game which had so much love put into it. By turns it is touching, exhilarating, petrifyingly scary and sometimes unintentionally amusing. The closest I've felt to full scale immersion since playing commando around a WW2 era bomb shelter when I was a child, or breaking into 'the old haunted house' near where I lived. As you might have guessed, I cannot recommend this game strongly enough. Buy it! if you don't like it, wait a month and try it again. Keep trying until it hits you; when it does it'll be worth all your time and effort- and the inevitable ensuing week without sleep.. PS: the difficulty curve favours the cautious, and those who kneel to fire :)… Expand
  69. Mat
    Feb 11, 2009
    10
    I loved this game possibly rhe best shooter you can get from Morristons at 5.00 quid .Every single detail about Chernobyl is immense like how they captured the Pripyat town exact!.I dont have much to say except at any price this game is worth it and is possibly the best first person shooter i have ever played.
  70. DavidK
    Feb 10, 2009
    10
    One of the most underrated games in the past give years. This game is much better than the critics make it out to be. As it was with the F.E.A.R. series. Though it has its Russian origins, I have to say this is probably the best first person shooter to come along in a long time. It is a thinking persons fps and very close to what I would imagine is real life. Though it has a sluggish One of the most underrated games in the past give years. This game is much better than the critics make it out to be. As it was with the F.E.A.R. series. Though it has its Russian origins, I have to say this is probably the best first person shooter to come along in a long time. It is a thinking persons fps and very close to what I would imagine is real life. Though it has a sluggish start hang in there with it and I am sure you will agree. Comes close to a perfect game. Very, very underrated.… Expand
  71. Erik
    Jan 3, 2009
    4
    Those who played this says it's a good game. I won't say that it's not, but it's that the game takes forever to load, wich completely destroys the feeling. And when I started playing it, I felt very trapped. Because there's tons of like radiaton things that subliminally says "You have to go there, not this way", and therefor I didn't feel free. I'm sure Those who played this says it's a good game. I won't say that it's not, but it's that the game takes forever to load, wich completely destroys the feeling. And when I started playing it, I felt very trapped. Because there's tons of like radiaton things that subliminally says "You have to go there, not this way", and therefor I didn't feel free. I'm sure it's a nice game, but for me it was a waste of money.… Expand
  72. MikeB
    Jan 2, 2009
    9
    A great game, but like others have said it has its share of issues. To start with my gripes, my biggest complaint with this game is its uneven AI - note how I said "uneven" as opposed to "bad". Because the AI isn't necessarily bad; in most instances it's actually quite good. Enemies work as teams, circling and flanking you in an attempt to take you out. They will stage A great game, but like others have said it has its share of issues. To start with my gripes, my biggest complaint with this game is its uneven AI - note how I said "uneven" as opposed to "bad". Because the AI isn't necessarily bad; in most instances it's actually quite good. Enemies work as teams, circling and flanking you in an attempt to take you out. They will stage coordinated assaults and work around offensive strengths on your part. At other times, the AI will fail. Miserably. It might be a character who doesn't run or take cover while bullets rain down around him. And like others have said, the AI is seemingly without any sense of self-preservation. Even when hopelessly outgunned, bandits and other humans will not flee with their lives; they often choose to stay and fight no matter how many of their allies go down. That being said, the stray dogs have a greater sense of self-preservation - often able to be scared off with a few shots in the air - but this is just not so with the humans. My other major gripe with this game is that your weapons and armor are in a state of constant wear and degradation with no way to repair them. The armor I can understand to a degree - you're replacing your armor usually at a regular pace, and in real life damage to armor plates is usually irreparable except by replacement, but by the time you get the best bits you will want to keep them and sadly that is not an option. However, the lack of the ability to clean or repair your firearms simply astounds me, as gun cleaning you would think would be a basic survival skill in the zone. Not true; guns will start to jam frequently, even after relatively minor degradation, with no way to fix this problem except to sell them and buy a new one, usually at an astronomical cost. The other option is to wait to see if you can find a new one, but this is a dicey proposition, especially in the Zone. I have a few complaints about this game's difficulty, but they are minor. On normal difficulty, a major military force assaults your camp almost right away, on either the first or second day. After a succession of tries I finally survived, but virtually everyone else died. This game employs a hell of a learning curve, and it is not for the faint of heart in the difficulty arena. You must be willing to grind a lot of things out through multiple tries - and unlike other RPG titles, there's no "I'm not at a high enough level" excuse. You either need better equipment or you need to try a new strategy - or you need more experience. That being said, this game has many, many more high points that far outweigh this game's high learning curve. Its atmosphere is almost too perfect; as other reviewers have mentioned its environments are strange, frightening, and sometimes disturbing. STALKER takes full advantage of its decayed Exclusion Zone environment; it has a weirdly immersive environment, with superior graphics and sound that leave you less frightened and more unsettled. The underground sequences are some of the most frightening in the game, and they are just as terrifying for the creatures you will find there as for their poorly lighted, post-military environment. The combat system is enormously entertaining, totally immersive, and is pulse poundingly fast paced and dangerous. For me, some of the game's most difficult moments came when I was forced to finish off downed, whimpering opponents, particularly soldiers (I am a Ukrainian expat and have relatives in the army there). If you are one for nightmares, or have a particular sensitivity towards this sort of thing, this is not a game for you. A minor point but nonetheless important, the weight and carry system is impeccably good, as the enormous weight of large amounts of ammunition is accurately simulated. In many ways, this game reminds me of the tangentially related Arx Fatalis, in which a hero with no memory awakes and has to find his way around a dark world. Though the games have many technical and contextual differences, they are similar enough to make me think the developers of STALKER must have played it. In spite of its flaws this game is just too much fun and is just too good to skip, especially for people who like games like Oblivion and Fallout 3.… Expand
  73. NaffGame
    Dec 25, 2008
    0
    I played this for about 10 hours now and have 2 big questions. 1) Can i have my 10 hours back and 2) if someone gifts you a game on steam, can you send it back? im used to developers releasing games that are unfinished then rushing patches out to deal with all the bugs they couldn't be bothered fixing but this game shocked me. The AI is pretty much useless, the weapons are so under I played this for about 10 hours now and have 2 big questions. 1) Can i have my 10 hours back and 2) if someone gifts you a game on steam, can you send it back? im used to developers releasing games that are unfinished then rushing patches out to deal with all the bugs they couldn't be bothered fixing but this game shocked me. The AI is pretty much useless, the weapons are so under powered you would do more damage if you threw you gun at the enemy and the graphics and dated, add all these points to the fact that the game is stupidly unstable and you have yourself a swing and a miss. so much potential. yes this was only a couple of quid to buy (or get gifted in my case) but please give us a complete game when we give you our cash, i cant even play online at the moment as the steam and retail versions are different with no visible effort to resolve this. if i worked on this game, i would make sure my name was removed from the credits with the next patch. its an embarrasment. DO NOT BUY THIS GAME!… Expand
  74. AnthonyC
    Oct 28, 2008
    9
    Once you eliminate [the majority of] the bugs with patches, this game is brilliant - the dark atmosphere and compelling (if slightly repetitive and oddly ended) story keep it interesting, and the core gameplay is an excellent mix of realistic FPS and RPG elements. While not aiming for the genre per se, STALKER is also a good horror game - the underground levels were genuinely scary Once you eliminate [the majority of] the bugs with patches, this game is brilliant - the dark atmosphere and compelling (if slightly repetitive and oddly ended) story keep it interesting, and the core gameplay is an excellent mix of realistic FPS and RPG elements. While not aiming for the genre per se, STALKER is also a good horror game - the underground levels were genuinely scary (rather than the cheap shock scares most "horror" FPS titles employ), and I was actually afraid of visiting them the second time through - not because they were boring or tedious, but because they were so very scary. The haunting sound very much contributed to this, combined with some grainy, sepia-toned visuals in various areas. But the real pleasure in STALKER for me was the customizable FPS - with the right mods, you can have 60 real-world weapons avaiable to you, with various attachments and realistic ballistics. I must have spent tens of hours playing the modded game as a sandbox after completing the main game, as collecting items and gradually working your way through the various areas is very rewarding in itself. And of course, the graphics are quite good if your hardware is recent - while there are some glitches and some of the artwork leaves some detail to be desired, overall it is a beautiful game.… Expand
  75. GAMEDEFENDER
    Sep 7, 2008
    10
    For the love of God, stop comparing this game to Oblivion and FEAR!!!
    FEAR sucked, it only had cheap scares, and Oblivion is only good with a couple thousand mods running at once!!!
    STALKER is based on real life. And it captures that feeling well. If you think that you can't handle STALKER, then maybe you should all just crawl back to your cribs where you belong. As fr me? I give    For the love of God, stop comparing this game to Oblivion and FEAR!!!
    FEAR sucked, it only had cheap scares, and Oblivion is only good with a couple thousand mods running at once!!!
    STALKER is based on real life. And it captures that feeling well. If you think that you can't handle STALKER, then maybe you should all just crawl back to your cribs where you belong.

    As fr me? I give it a 10 just to shove it in these babies' faces. And it deserves the 10, too.    … Expand
  76. RobW
    Aug 26, 2008
    8
    I got this game off steam for a very good price, I believe the product is worth mor than what I payed, a fantastic game with brilliant gameplay, AI, setting and innovation. This game can hold me for hours at a time. However it takes a bit of time learning everything, and the enemy are very hard when you start, but once your over that, a serious contender for my favorite FPS!
  77. BenHewitt
    Aug 20, 2008
    10
    This game gave me heavy deja vu of when i was young and playing doom2, scared sh1tless because i was being hunted by grunting pink demons. I have not played a game in a long time that really rattles the nerves by atmosphere and noises alone. This is a great game.
  78. jaeq
    Aug 13, 2008
    8
    I'm reviewing this because unlike most people I think I have a good viewpoint, and i'm completely non-bias about this game. Overall, it's good. I first bought stalker over a year ago, and guess what, I stopped playing after 20-30 minutes.
    Now that the summer is settling down, I needed something to kill time. So I reinstalled STALKER, updated and played, now the updates    I'm reviewing this because unlike most people I think I have a good viewpoint, and i'm completely non-bias about this game. Overall, it's good. I first bought stalker over a year ago, and guess what, I stopped playing after 20-30 minutes.
    Now that the summer is settling down, I needed something to kill time. So I reinstalled STALKER, updated and played, now the updates fixed most of the bugs, the game is no longer any more buggy than ur next game. Still I saw some problems, first thing was the combat experience I noticed almost no blood and the sound on the starting pistol just had to go, I went on filefront, downloaded a recommended mod (Oblivion Lost), that aimed to make Stalker how it's pre-realease features were, new game, was improved but seemed just avg, but once I got lets say 20-25% into the game things started getting much cooler, and I'll say a 9 for experience, but I'm leaving it an 8 since it required a mod to deck it out with features.    … Expand
  79. vespinevespine
    Aug 5, 2008
    10
    Very rarely a game comes out that feels like the developers made it especially just for me, Stalker is one of those games. The aesthetic and atmosphere in this game are spot on 100%. It transcended its technical issues and played like a piece of art not a piece of software. And exactly like art, you either "get it" or you don't, as some of the low scores here prove. Playing andVery rarely a game comes out that feels like the developers made it especially just for me, Stalker is one of those games. The aesthetic and atmosphere in this game are spot on 100%. It transcended its technical issues and played like a piece of art not a piece of software. And exactly like art, you either "get it" or you don't, as some of the low scores here prove. Playing and exploring the Stalker world was interesting and exciting. If that's not your "thing", then fair enough, I can believe people score it low because they "didn't like it"; the game is cold, bleak and gritty, which isn't everyone's cup of tea. Some people prefer tea to be fast and colourful like Halo or UT. I however LOVE my tea cold, bleak and gritty. What I CAN'T believe is people think the graphics are bad? If you think the graphics are bad, I think you need glasses, this game has the best post apocalyptic industrial environments in a game ever, hands down. Yes it needs a very good machine to get the best out of the graphics, but if you are a real gamer, you have a very good machine and it isn't a problem. All in all, I think this game is an absolute stand out in the genre and a benchmark for cold, bleak and gritty. Up there in my opinion with my very favourite games like System Shock (2), Half Life (2) and Deus Ex. I'll admit this isn't a perfect game, I can think of ways to improve it, but for pure enjoyment and aesthetic this game deserves a 9.5 from me, and I'm gonna round up, just because of all the noobs that scored it low for having crap graphics or running poorly on their x486s. I sincerely hope that in the effort to correct the problems of Stalker, they don't listen to the advice of the mainstream and ruin the up coming prequel for us grit lovers… Expand
  80. DavidSimpson
    Aug 2, 2008
    9
    I loved the fact that I was actually walking around in a world that was really like the aftermath of Chernobyl. I thought there were a couple of little bugs in the game but overall I really enjoyed playing it. It did take me a while to get used to the style of play as I mostly played FPS prior to this but great game!! Cant wait for the next.
  81. JaredJones
    Jul 18, 2008
    0
    Twenty hours into the game I thought;
    "Gee, this repeats too much."
    Fifty hours into the game, I completed it, watched the ending cut-scene and...slamed my fists on the desk and broke a pencil then broke the disc itself. It has no story, no meaning and SEVEN ENDINGS!! Who in thier right mind would play it again to get a different ending?! Went to youtube to watch the endings...they    Twenty hours into the game I thought;
    "Gee, this repeats too much."
    Fifty hours into the game, I completed it, watched the ending cut-scene and...slamed my fists on the desk and broke a pencil then broke the disc itself.
    It has no story, no meaning and SEVEN ENDINGS!!
    Who in thier right mind would play it again to get a different ending?! Went to youtube to watch the endings...they all suck! Apealing to the eye, but stay away I don't care if it says;
    "Voted one of the top ten PC games of 2007."
    Yeah they left out the "most horrible" between "the" and "top"
    I never knew what an over rated game was untill I played this!
    STAY AWAY!!    … Expand
  82. Muffles
    Jul 12, 2008
    9
    Without mods, it's not really worth your time, it's set up to give an illusion of artificial life, but everything spawns in the same place, every time, and characters never leave their assigned area.

    Redux+AliVe, however, spectacularly solves this, and makes the game incredible. Combining the realism of Redux with the variety of AliVe leads to some awesome moments. The Dark    Without mods, it's not really worth your time, it's set up to give an illusion of artificial life, but everything spawns in the same place, every time, and characters never leave their assigned area.

    Redux+AliVe, however, spectacularly solves this, and makes the game incredible. Combining the realism of Redux with the variety of AliVe leads to some awesome moments. The Dark Valley's underground lab has some truly nerve-wracking moments.    … Expand
  83. DaveR
    Jul 10, 2008
    10
    This is a great game in my opinion. Love the atmosphere and the gameplay is extremely addictive. My only gripes are that the ending is lame and there should be more expansive levels. Better bonuses to the exo-suits would be a good idea too. I really hope they make a sequel for this.
  84. JamesG
    Jul 5, 2008
    4
    The environment looks good and is well designed, but the characters lack detail and are all too bland. The weapons are shoddy, and provide a fustrating experience for the player.

    Your money is better spent on Crysis (which looks a hell of a lot better considering both games were released in the same year), or, if you're really into the RPG aspect. Deus Ex or the upcoming Deus Ex 3.
  85. OzymandiasD
    Jul 2, 2008
    9
    Without a doubt one of the finest dystopian shooter/RPG's ever, this game enters you into the sad world of the Chernobyl incident.

    The depth of the environments is amaing, with various traps and suprises. Whether or not these are caused by the incident will be known in due time. The only issue is the base storyline is a bit weak, but with mods like AMK or Oblivion Lost, it    Without a doubt one of the finest dystopian shooter/RPG's ever, this game enters you into the sad world of the Chernobyl incident.

    The depth of the environments is amaing, with various traps and suprises. Whether or not these are caused by the incident will be known in due time.

    The only issue is the base storyline is a bit weak, but with mods like AMK or Oblivion Lost, it becomes a totally different beast.    … Expand
  86. michaelshaw
    Jun 28, 2008
    8
    Fantastic game, limited by some amazingly bad bugs. One in particular with freedom/duty that completly breaks both mission lines. there are times where the ai is fantastic, and others where the ai seems completely lost. The special thing about stalker, however, is you are willing to ignore those bugs, because the rest of the game is done so well, atmosphere, storyline, etc. being in theFantastic game, limited by some amazingly bad bugs. One in particular with freedom/duty that completly breaks both mission lines. there are times where the ai is fantastic, and others where the ai seems completely lost. The special thing about stalker, however, is you are willing to ignore those bugs, because the rest of the game is done so well, atmosphere, storyline, etc. being in the middle of an intense fire fight, and having your weapon jam is a fantastic touch. you would think its annoying, but after a while, you wonder if you would have it any other way. It throws me back to my days of playing Neocron, where i was able to ignore the many bugs for an amazingly long time as i was so caught up in the feel of the game. One of the FEW games where I look forward to the sequel. the amount, and sometimes the scope, of the bugs in this game bring my rating down from 10 to 8.… Expand
  87. JackT.
    Jun 12, 2008
    8
    This game is very emersive and well played out, but there are a few bugs and AI quirks that really hurt the game. A bug cause my system to crash and I had to delete everything and re-install, now I have to start from scratch with a new character. Hope Clear Sky fixes the problems. The -2 is for the technical stuff, otherwise its an amazing survival game. Warning: If you go into this gameThis game is very emersive and well played out, but there are a few bugs and AI quirks that really hurt the game. A bug cause my system to crash and I had to delete everything and re-install, now I have to start from scratch with a new character. Hope Clear Sky fixes the problems. The -2 is for the technical stuff, otherwise its an amazing survival game. Warning: If you go into this game looking for fast paced shoot-em-up action. You'll be wasting money, it is truly based on survival and you have to use every means possible to stay comfortably alive. Also, the swaying takes a bit to get used to.… Expand
  88. LucasDelzell
    Jun 8, 2008
    9
    First the bad stuff: A TERRIBLE ENGINE. I run a Dell XPS M1530 nwith everything maxed out, and as such am used to a pretty good gaming experience. S.T.A.L.K.E.R. runs at about medium quality, so be warned.

    UNBALANCED GRAPHICS: a beautiful environment, interseting monster design. But NPC characters look cartoony and absurd, and don't get me started on lip-sync. GOOD STUFF:    First the bad stuff: A TERRIBLE ENGINE. I run a Dell XPS M1530 nwith everything maxed out, and as such am used to a pretty good gaming experience. S.T.A.L.K.E.R. runs at about medium quality, so be warned.

    UNBALANCED GRAPHICS: a beautiful environment, interseting monster design. But NPC characters look cartoony and absurd, and don't get me started on lip-sync.

    GOOD STUFF:
    STORYLINE: awesome hard-SF storyline that kept me riveted.

    COOL WEAPONS: I liked all the guns in this game, in part because thy helped keep me anchored to reality in a totally trippy game.

    FPS/RPG HYBRID: this game wouldn't work without the hybrid gameplay, with takes most of the linear drag of, say HL2 or Halo, out of this game.

    WEAPONS SYSTEM: I liked how the weapon system worked in the game, allowing for the keepiong of many different weapons without sacriicing realism (Half-Life 2, anyone?)

    ENVIRONMENT: Like I said, the environment looks beautiful, with light blooms and the whole shebang. Being set in post-apocalyptic Ukraine allowed for both rolling hills, forests and (my favorite) abandoned industrial structures, which make for endless fun with a sniper rifle.

    OVERALL: I like this game alot. Yeah, I'd like to be able to turn the graphics up more, but the kill-or-be-killed gameplay keep me on my toes enough to allow me to look beyond this fault. Like Elder Scrolls 4: Oblivion, a bad engine can be trumped by fun gameplay and better story. I recomend buying it.    … Expand
  89. MehmetT
    Jun 2, 2008
    8
    If the developers had taken the time to properly polish this game, I would have easily bestowed it a score of 9 or 10. But this game STILL has, even with the latest patch and after so much time after its release, an annoying number of bugs and glitches. A number of side missions appear to be glitched or broken. The game stutters, crashes and causes the computer to freeze randomly, EVENIf the developers had taken the time to properly polish this game, I would have easily bestowed it a score of 9 or 10. But this game STILL has, even with the latest patch and after so much time after its release, an annoying number of bugs and glitches. A number of side missions appear to be glitched or broken. The game stutters, crashes and causes the computer to freeze randomly, EVEN when you tone down the graphics settings to something your computer can easily handle. It also has excessively high system requirements. Weapon ballistics are mostly very realistic, though at times weird things seem to happen, like when you shoot your enemy at point blank range with a shotgun and somehow still miss. Your combat knife is a complete joke, most of the times it doesn't even seem to hit your enemy. Features that should have been included in the game are sorely missing, like there is no way to repair your weapons or armor, and your only option of travel is on foot, no vehicles, no optional fast travel (the game takes place in a pretty large map). The game features a large quantity of weirdly translated in-game dialogues; as if the translations to English were done by someone who didn't properly understand the English language. To me this is a serious flaw because it detracts from the mood of the game. And overall, the game feels like a number of exciting and innovative gaming features that have just been thrown together instead of having made sure everything works well together. This last flaw is important because Stalker isn't simply a FPS where you go about gunning down your foes, it's also about doing missions, scavenging, exploring, and surviving in an unforgiving landscape. In the end, Stalker promises to be an original and really exciting game; but it's simply dragged down by its bugs, glitches and unpolished gaming features.… Expand
  90. CorporalAmez
    Jun 1, 2008
    10
    The most atmospheric games I have ever laid my eyes on, is the basic way to put it. You never expect anything to happen more than twice when playing the game. Very scary at times as well, to make it scarier try to play the game with the brightness toned down as if night time. The only minor problem for me was the lack of some realism, such as shooting point blank at a target in the headThe most atmospheric games I have ever laid my eyes on, is the basic way to put it. You never expect anything to happen more than twice when playing the game. Very scary at times as well, to make it scarier try to play the game with the brightness toned down as if night time. The only minor problem for me was the lack of some realism, such as shooting point blank at a target in the head with the obokan it misses. Also it takes a unfair number of shots to kill a certain monster or person. Don't get me wrong I really loved this game, and I can't wait to buy Clear Sky! This is a true MYST BUY game! For 20 bucks? This is more bang for the buck without sacrificing the game play at all!… Expand
  91. CatherineQ
    Jun 1, 2008
    8
    I dont normally play FPS im a bit naff at them and ive never really enjoyed rampaging around but with its role playing elements, a good story and multiple endings depending on your actions this game drew me in and ive become addicted. Its tragic about the bugs, some of which have crashed my laptop but do give this a go, its worth it.
  92. Ace
    May 30, 2008
    9
    Apart from the occasional stutter where everything freezes for a few seconds, the game is immense.

    The action is there and the combat is realistic. You will jump at certain times which makes it all the more fun.
    Once you start playing it's the kind of game that you cannot put down. Amazing.
  93. NickMaxwell
    May 27, 2008
    9
    This game is easily the best shooter of its time. Let me start by saying that the game is a perfect blend between an RPG with a HUGE Immerse breathing zone, with the valued tactics of a fantastic shooter like Arma. This game has hours upon hours of playing time stacked onto it by me personaly due to the games fantastic storyline and gameplay. and better yet, if you dont like the originalThis game is easily the best shooter of its time. Let me start by saying that the game is a perfect blend between an RPG with a HUGE Immerse breathing zone, with the valued tactics of a fantastic shooter like Arma. This game has hours upon hours of playing time stacked onto it by me personaly due to the games fantastic storyline and gameplay. and better yet, if you dont like the original stalker there are HUNDREDS of modifactions to suit anyones needs, and make this game worth around 800 hours of anyones life ;). THIS IS THE PERFECT SHOOTER. But then you ask "Well if it is the perfect shooter why do you only give it a 9/10?", well the game is running an absolete gaming engine, makeing the graphics not the greatist with several laggy situations, but with minor tweeks you can run this game perfect. Another reason i only give it a 9 is because the MP is terribly lacking, it is horrid and laggy, but the single player compensates and makes the game increadably enjoyable. The only game better isnt out yet and thats STALER:Clear Sky. DONT MISS THE BEGINING OF THE BEST SHOOTING FRANCHISE OF THE DECADE!… Expand
  94. DanilS.
    May 9, 2008
    10
    The best shooter ever.
  95. FrazerS.
    May 8, 2008
    8
    I have to say, this game is broken. NPCs get stuck walking into walks, they attack each other and bodies spasm out of control on the floor. Yet if you can ignore all of that like i did, it's a great game. I was never excited about this game when it first came out but when it was on Steam for cheap, i thought i may aswell try it. I'm glad i did. The less you know about the game, I have to say, this game is broken. NPCs get stuck walking into walks, they attack each other and bodies spasm out of control on the floor. Yet if you can ignore all of that like i did, it's a great game. I was never excited about this game when it first came out but when it was on Steam for cheap, i thought i may aswell try it. I'm glad i did. The less you know about the game, the more times you swear when a monster jumps out at you in a basement because you don't expect something like that.… Expand
  96. TruthSoldier
    May 8, 2008
    0
    I bought this game off Steam and it won't run on a brand new system and the developers don't seem to be offering any technical support whatsoever. I think that pretty much says it all!
  97. AnonymousMC
    May 2, 2008
    8
    good game but bugs are getting very annoying and developers don't fix them, like they are pretending that they don't see/find them. that's very very strange.

    Robin Z says he needs cheats to play it? what a noob! =) this game isn't that difficult if you find cool armor and weapons. Search better! STALKER is meant for exploration too, not just running straight    good game but bugs are getting very annoying and developers don't fix them, like they are pretending that they don't see/find them. that's very very strange.

    Robin Z says he needs cheats to play it? what a noob! =)
    this game isn't that difficult if you find cool armor and weapons. Search better! STALKER is meant for exploration too, not just running straight dead ahead.

    and that's exactly the idea that you know nothing about the zone when you play this game first time, isn't that more interesting??    … Expand
  98. James
    Apr 29, 2008
    10
    S.T.A.L.K.E.R. is an excellent first person experience. Not only are the graphics top notch, but the story keeps your attention and the environment pulls you in and doesn't let go (lol literally in some places - these are in-game traps within the Zone that you learn to avoid). This game led me on to watch the Russian movie that helped inspire the game and even acquiring the book that S.T.A.L.K.E.R. is an excellent first person experience. Not only are the graphics top notch, but the story keeps your attention and the environment pulls you in and doesn't let go (lol literally in some places - these are in-game traps within the Zone that you learn to avoid). This game led me on to watch the Russian movie that helped inspire the game and even acquiring the book that inspired the movie. The game isn't perfect, but patch 1.005 really helped it to run well. Don't let the RPG aspects keep you away from the game. The game is mostly an action/adventure with some RPG elements, but these elements are not too involving, and the interactions you have with characters are not too deep. I actually wish the RPG elements were a bit more complex, but I'm not complaining... I wish there were more games that were at least half as fun as S.T.A.L.K.E.R. I don't get scared when playing games, but i did get some chuckles as my mouse hand unintentionally jumped as i turned to see men/things come lurching out of the shadows at me. The lighting in this game is fantastic as is the dynamic weather. Oh, after you play it through the first time, download the mod "oblivion lost" and be prepared for some more wonderful time spent in the Zone. The oblivion lost mod is very cool! Have fun, but don't let the Zone consume you!… Expand
  99. Jaker
    Apr 20, 2008
    9
    This game is amazing. I have played FPS since Wolfenstein 3d(probably about 100 fps games total) and this is the most immersive environment I have ever seen. The game is so spooky, and is so addicting. I have clocked over 100 hours on the Single Player alone. My only problems with the game are it's technical jitters, but the game should not be missed. Stop reading this, and go buy it.
  100. AlextheMenacevonMenace
    Apr 14, 2008
    8
    How I love this game. But, wait... I gave it a 8 because: The game is really great. The atmosphere, the graphics, the open world... but...wait again: There isn't no open world. There are FENCES and FENCES and FENCES. The difficulty is very very hard though, I played it at... Beginner, its "Anfänger" in German (I am from Germany)... I played the 1,0005 Version with the Weather How I love this game. But, wait... I gave it a 8 because: The game is really great. The atmosphere, the graphics, the open world... but...wait again: There isn't no open world. There are FENCES and FENCES and FENCES. The difficulty is very very hard though, I played it at... Beginner, its "Anfänger" in German (I am from Germany)... I played the 1,0005 Version with the Weather Overhaul Mod, this is something I would recommend!… Expand
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Awards & Rankings

33
#33 Best PC Game of 2007
7
#7 Most Discussed PC Game of 2007
8
#8 Most Shared PC Game of 2007

Critic Reviews

All reviews »
Metascore
82

Generally favorable reviews - based on 44 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 37 out of 44
  2. Mixed: 7 out of 44
  3. Negative: 0 out of 44
  1. PC Zone UK
    85
    As a brave experiment in all-action shootery, STALKER has certainly succeeded, though with its dearth of personality and many peculiar foibles, you can't help but wish that the publishers had granted GSC some extra time to polish their creation. Oh, hang on a minute... [Apr 2007, p.56]
  2. Eurogamer
    80
    It's a warped behemoth from the Ukraine, and one of the scariest games on the PC. Stalker will remind you of all kinds of prior games, and yet it will also defy your expectations. Like the mythological Chernobyl zone it is based upon, this game is a treacherous, darkly beautiful terrain. Not everyone is going to enjoy venturing into the zone, but some of those who do will find what they've been looking for.
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  3. Computer and Video Games
    80
    Littered with a variety of anomalies which can cause the unwary to explode and other delightful stuff, mutant doggies, deserted buildings, weather effects, real-time day/night cycles etc. etc. - it creates a deliciously unique atmosphere.
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