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. ZUM_137
    May 31, 2021
    10
    Сталкер просто шикарная игра! Хороший сюжет, реплики бандитов, радио группировки бандитов, и многое другое! Те кто говорит что графика полное дерьмо и есть баги, то хочу ответить что эту игру делала небольшая, бедная компанияСталкер просто шикарная игра! Хороший сюжет, реплики бандитов, радио группировки бандитов, и многое другое! Те кто говорит что графика полное дерьмо и есть баги, то хочу ответить что эту игру делала небольшая, бедная компания
  2. Rolikkk1488
    Apr 1, 2021
    9
    Лучшая игра. По моему в ней все идеаотро, ща исключением большого количества багов.
  3. DKiska
    Jun 15, 2021
    10
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. Отличная игра моего детства
    . Хорошая, иногда пугающая ,атмосфера.Красивые локации и захватывающие квесты. Все то вас ждет в этой игре.    … Expand
  4. Ivoren
    Jul 15, 2021
    10
    Лучия стрелялка в свое время. Годный сюжет. Ребята из СНГ постарались и надеюсь, что следующшия часть будет лучше.
  5. Dellou
    Jun 5, 2022
    0
    Самая переоцененная игра в мире, игур так восхваляют хотя это говно мамонта, простая забагованая бродилка бродилка с плохой графикой даже по меркам 2007, не стоит времени даже на это тратить
  6. Avery12345
    Jan 4, 2022
    10
    Yes it does have some imperfections, especially the bugs. But it's still one of the greatest games of all time. This game is one of the hardest games I've ever played, but the difficulty isn't to the point where I thought it was ever unfair. This game will not hold your hand, it gives you a few basic controls and sets you loose in this irradiated world. I really like this approach, it letsYes it does have some imperfections, especially the bugs. But it's still one of the greatest games of all time. This game is one of the hardest games I've ever played, but the difficulty isn't to the point where I thought it was ever unfair. This game will not hold your hand, it gives you a few basic controls and sets you loose in this irradiated world. I really like this approach, it lets me figure out things for myself and really feel like I've accomplished something at the end. The gameplay mechanics actually still hold up today. The scavenging aspect is one of the best parts. There are no repair kits, you have to find new gear yourself. While most of the story is hidden behind optional dialogue, I found the story to be quite excellent. The AI is actually pretty decent even by today's standards (of course when it's not completely glitched out). This is one of the most atmospheric games I have ever played and is really the game's strongsuit. All the environments blow me away even today. Also Sidorovich is hot. Do yourself a favor and play on the max difficulty, it makes the bullet damage the highest and in my opinion is the fairest way to play. The enemy can kill you in a few shots but you kill them in a few shots too.

    TL;DR: Absolutely amazing would recommend    … Expand
  7. me_mosso
    Jan 31, 2022
    10
    Преподаватель - Мужик у тебя скоро экзамены!
    Я - Да-да?
    Если без шуток Атмосфера - 10 Сюжет - 10 Пресонажи - 10 Оружие - 5 (можно было на тот момент и не делать таких ошибок с левым затвором) Баги , Фризы , Пролаги не обращаешь внимания хоть иногда и вымораживает GSC GameWorls Спасибо за детство 10 из 10    Преподаватель - Мужик у тебя скоро экзамены!
    Я - Да-да?

    Если без шуток
    Атмосфера - 10
    Сюжет - 10
    Пресонажи - 10
    Оружие - 5 (можно было на тот момент и не делать таких ошибок с левым затвором)
    Баги , Фризы , Пролаги не обращаешь внимания хоть иногда и вымораживает
    GSC GameWorls Спасибо за детство
    10 из 10
  8. DarkFox82b
    Mar 12, 2022
    9
    Доволі не погана ігра, яка порадує вас, як мінімум на кілька вечорів( не маленька) і яка привела до появи Чистого неба( моєї першої ігри з серії, що пішла на комп'ютері), Зову Прип'яті пізніше. Але грати після 2, 3 частини на першу не так сильно задовільняє/комфортно. Проте не дивлячись на це спробувати варто. 8.5/10(тому 9)Доволі не погана ігра, яка порадує вас, як мінімум на кілька вечорів( не маленька) і яка привела до появи Чистого неба( моєї першої ігри з серії, що пішла на комп'ютері), Зову Прип'яті пізніше. Але грати після 2, 3 частини на першу не так сильно задовільняє/комфортно. Проте не дивлячись на це спробувати варто. 8.5/10(тому 9)
  9. SAMpRo
    Apr 2, 2022
    10
    Очень классная игра!
    Классная атмосфера!
    Прекрасная погода и эффекты!
    Это игра шедевр она открыла врата в мир ЧЗО!
  10. Antohadance
    Jun 22, 2022
    4
    Унылый и кривой кал для нормисов, подпивасников, или тех, кто в играх не совсем разбирается
  11. hyrts
    Jun 4, 2022
    10
    The stalker game series is 10/10. The grimness of the world is way out there. I totally loved the pacing and the atmosphere.
  12. Big_Pisya
    Jan 3, 2023
    10
    Glory to Ukraine! Death to the Russian Nazist. I wish the company success in the further development of its games!!
  13. EricR.
    Sep 6, 2007
    10
    This is probably one of the most amazing and extreme first person shooters i have ever played, yes it has its bugs and coding issues but once you patch the game and get everything up to speed, the game had me playing for hours and hours. so many different things and possibilitys you can explore and proceed in many different ways. Just has me playing and playing just because of the several This is probably one of the most amazing and extreme first person shooters i have ever played, yes it has its bugs and coding issues but once you patch the game and get everything up to speed, the game had me playing for hours and hours. so many different things and possibilitys you can explore and proceed in many different ways. Just has me playing and playing just because of the several ways you can play through it, and many different and interesting endings and gameplay route within it. Its sort of like Deus ex and BioShock , so if your a fan of the Dues ex or BioShock i highly recommend this game. With the types of game play thats implemented in this game you'll just be blown away by the story and and environmental surrounding of this hostile world of Chernobyl!… Expand
  14. DanilS.
    May 9, 2008
    10
    The best shooter ever.
  15. BreakingAwesome
    May 14, 2016
    10
    Самый лучшая игра созданная когда-либо в СНГ. GSC отлично постарались над созданием игры. При разработке игра много раз сильно изменялась и постепенно переходила из 6-го поколение в 7-е. Для того времени игра преуспевал во всех игровых аспектах: графика, геймплей, мир, подача сюжета, атмосфера. Единственный небольшой минус - игры нету на консолях. Но это не повод снижать оценку игре.Самый лучшая игра созданная когда-либо в СНГ. GSC отлично постарались над созданием игры. При разработке игра много раз сильно изменялась и постепенно переходила из 6-го поколение в 7-е. Для того времени игра преуспевал во всех игровых аспектах: графика, геймплей, мир, подача сюжета, атмосфера. Единственный небольшой минус - игры нету на консолях. Но это не повод снижать оценку игре. ПК-геймерам действительно есть чем гордится!… Expand
  16. Denys
    Mar 6, 2008
    10
    I'm proud of this game! I'm proud to be Ukrainian as the creators of Stalker are! Remarkable game, worth the story to be continued....
  17. 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
  18. MarkedOne
    Mar 3, 2007
    10
    This game is very impressive and atmospheric. AI behaves in very intelligent way - think CoD2 where soldiers after battle sit around the fire, playing guitar, telling jokes and drinking vodka. You can talk to every stalker, ask him about rumors, try to trade or ask for a quest. Gameplay is about doing quests, roaming around the Chernobyl zone, avoiding deadly "anomalies" and radiactive This game is very impressive and atmospheric. AI behaves in very intelligent way - think CoD2 where soldiers after battle sit around the fire, playing guitar, telling jokes and drinking vodka. You can talk to every stalker, ask him about rumors, try to trade or ask for a quest. Gameplay is about doing quests, roaming around the Chernobyl zone, avoiding deadly "anomalies" and radiactive area and battling with bandits, military, mutants and aggressive wildlife. Zone represent area around Chernobyl with forests, plains, city of Pripyat, nuclear plant itself, small willages, roads and soviet Ukraine cars and trains wrecks. The game is mostly FPS but RPG elements are very strong. You have an inventory and doll for different types of gear. Every weapon have it's stats and durability. Every character have a name, inventory and an opinion about you. There is a player reputation system. If you help a dying stalker with a medikit he will become your friend. If you come close to neutral stalkers with weapon drawn they will warn you and if you don't listen, they will open fire and become hostile. You can use zone artifacts to improve your stats. Inventory is limited to weight you can carry. There are many quests in game - main quest line and side quests, many of them are time-limited. Models and textures are a bit outdated but light and shadows are very impressive. System requirements are somewhat high but it's not a big problem. I'd say they are close to F.E.A.R. requirements - slightly higher though. You can also use lower graphics settings on old video cards. After two days of gameplay I experienced a few minor AI and graphics glitches and only one CTD. Game is pretty stable and it lets you use Alt+Tab with no problems. Summary - if you want to imagine what is S.T.A.L.K.E.R. looks like... it's like F.E.A.R. meets Oblivion in living world of very realistic Chernobyl area. P.S. There IS eating and anti-radiation vodka drinkin in game. If character don't eat very long it will starve to death.… Expand
  19. RandyP.
    May 13, 2007
    9
    At first, I didn't like this game. I saw the flaws and bugs: Not pausing the game while you loot bodies... Being over burdened while under fire... save / loading bugs. But being one who hates wasting his money, I gave it a solid shot... and this game grew on me. It's not a conventional shooter by any means. It's an adventure shooter with light rpg elements... food, weapons, At first, I didn't like this game. I saw the flaws and bugs: Not pausing the game while you loot bodies... Being over burdened while under fire... save / loading bugs. But being one who hates wasting his money, I gave it a solid shot... and this game grew on me. It's not a conventional shooter by any means. It's an adventure shooter with light rpg elements... food, weapons, ammo, armor... etc. The A.I. is very strong... Enemies will fall back when out gunned, regroup, flank, and attack. Dead bodies are persistent until a predator/scavenger devours the bodies. Enemies dont spawn in front of you, they actually walk across the environment and repopulate previously cleared areas. There are weather changes, day / night cycles, and the behavior of all adapt and take advantage of it. There are many types of environmental hazards and strange/creepy creatures. The environments themselves are massive... and extremely detailed. The more you explore and play this game, you begin to realize that the environments themselves are alive! You also realize just how much work went into it... and it shows. I still don't think it was finished when it went out the door, but it's still solid. And for a first title on a new game engine... it's amazing. This game blatantly dares to be different and has successfully enhanced the FPS genre and raised the bar dramatically. One of the most impressive FPS titles to come out in a long time.… Expand
  20. 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.
  21. MichaelR.
    Mar 21, 2007
    9
    I am absolutely astounded by how good this game is. If it is not the stunning graphics and effects, the realistic physics, the brilliant AI, the gameplay and the vast size of the world, it's the superb atmosphere. The game runs exceptionally well on my pc, though it occasionally crashes to the desktop (hopefully, this will be addressed in a patch). I have waited almost four years for I am absolutely astounded by how good this game is. If it is not the stunning graphics and effects, the realistic physics, the brilliant AI, the gameplay and the vast size of the world, it's the superb atmosphere. The game runs exceptionally well on my pc, though it occasionally crashes to the desktop (hopefully, this will be addressed in a patch). I have waited almost four years for this game, and I am extremely happy that it has fulfilled all my wishes.… Expand
  22. arcizlo
    Sep 27, 2014
    8
    One of the most atmospheric shooter games I had a chance to play. It is quite realistic in terms of shooter, meaning you will get easily if under-equipped, basic guns are quite inaccurate, you bleed a lot, get poisoned, radiated and so on. Introduction of anomalies and artifacts system is amazing, loved just running around, collecting everything. The story might be little chaotic, plus theOne of the most atmospheric shooter games I had a chance to play. It is quite realistic in terms of shooter, meaning you will get easily if under-equipped, basic guns are quite inaccurate, you bleed a lot, get poisoned, radiated and so on. Introduction of anomalies and artifacts system is amazing, loved just running around, collecting everything. The story might be little chaotic, plus the different endings need more than one playing to fully enjoy the game, but it isnt game for ordinary "lets go shoot something" player. The further parts of the game are quite scary, you find yourself overwhelmed by mutated creatures and determined enemies, that wouldnt hesitate to chop your head off and make a campfire decoration out of it.
    The only letdowns are the necessity to run miles and miles at the beginning of the game completing the side missions and collecting goods for selling. The weapons are usually adaptable, but there isnt large range of attachments, only basic ones like SUSAT scope or silencer.
    Graphics are quite low, but you can always mod the game (for example with Complete 2009 mode, changing textures and so on). There are some strange physics sometimes, people get burned in their own campfires, boxes explode when you smash them and so on, but its not so drastic.
    Sometimes the game could get quite frustrating, like running to a massive radiation spot and get killed even with high protection, or get killed by anomaly you didnt see in the dark. But hey, rule #1, dont run when around anomalies, right ) All and all, the game is definitely one of my favs, even through some minor flaws. Plus there is the guy saying "get out of here, stalker" which is probably the best game quote ever, what more do you want.    … Expand
  23. 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
  24. 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
  25. 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...
  26. EzJ
    Mar 25, 2007
    8
    After years of development, S.T.A.L.K.E.R comes through and delivers a first rate experience in almost every way. If not for a few minor bugs and some poorly localized text, this would have got a 9.
  27. JustinF.
    Feb 8, 2008
    10
    S.T.A.L.K.E.R. Shadow of Chernobyl is a wonderful FPS/RPG. It has stunning graphics (MUST HAVE A BITCHIN' COMPUTER) and the soundtrack is very well composed. NPC's are very helpful, but turn bland if you ask too many questions. Other than small lag spots in certain maps, this game is amazing. Immerse yourself in this post-apocalyptic game and I promise your palms will be S.T.A.L.K.E.R. Shadow of Chernobyl is a wonderful FPS/RPG. It has stunning graphics (MUST HAVE A BITCHIN' COMPUTER) and the soundtrack is very well composed. NPC's are very helpful, but turn bland if you ask too many questions. Other than small lag spots in certain maps, this game is amazing. Immerse yourself in this post-apocalyptic game and I promise your palms will be sweating before you can say Pripyat.… Expand
  28. 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.
  29. 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.
  30. AndrewM.
    Mar 29, 2007
    8
    S.T.A.L.K.E.R. is a fascinating game. To no other title would I devote so much of my time while the game was damn near broken. I have a fairly decent rig, but the game runs like garbage in single player, I have to play in windowed mode with the settings at low-medium and I get a terrible frame rate much of the time. Despite that fact though, I push onward because for every time I want to S.T.A.L.K.E.R. is a fascinating game. To no other title would I devote so much of my time while the game was damn near broken. I have a fairly decent rig, but the game runs like garbage in single player, I have to play in windowed mode with the settings at low-medium and I get a terrible frame rate much of the time. Despite that fact though, I push onward because for every time I want to stop playing and wait for the inevitable patches, there is an instant in which the game completely and utterly surprises me. If you were (or maybe, like me, still are) a fan of Fallout 2 and really wish they would hurry the hell up with making Fallout 3 the sequel we all hoped for, S.T.A.L.K.E.R. should certainly make the wait easier. Hell, they could have released it a year from now after all the issues were fixed and called it Fallout 3 and I would not have complained. An amazing game.… Expand
  31. 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
  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. 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
  34. 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
  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. 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.
  37. 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.
  38. JaydenPickens
    Feb 20, 2019
    6
    Stalker SoC might be the hardest game to review ever. The reason for this is simple. This game is an ambivalent experience. I'll try to explain this as best as I can. I love the atmosphere and the setting. The locations are amazing and have a distinct vibe. The gameplay is good. No regeneration here and that makes me happy. But... BUT weapons get jammed. This is a huge problem for me. IfStalker SoC might be the hardest game to review ever. The reason for this is simple. This game is an ambivalent experience. I'll try to explain this as best as I can. I love the atmosphere and the setting. The locations are amazing and have a distinct vibe. The gameplay is good. No regeneration here and that makes me happy. But... BUT weapons get jammed. This is a huge problem for me. If you'll use a weapon too much it becomes broken. You can repair them of course and that costs money, but still this annoys me. It gives me Far Cry 2 flashbacks and that game might be the worst thing to have ever come out. I know that Stalker came out before FC2, but still, I hate this jam crap. But that's nothing compared to the bugs in this game. You think patches solved anything? Well you're wrong. This might be the buggiest game ever. Think Bethesda games are buggy? B*tch please. Play Stalker and let your mind die. Enemies high above the sky shooting at you and you're like wtf, who's shooting... oh yeah, it's levitating drunken russians trying to kill me... nothing new I guess! Enemies disappearing or reappearing, your character getting stuck, crashes and other crap, that I'm too lazy to mention.... guess that's just stalker. If I had to make a list of weird bugs I have seen while playing this, it would be longer than the list of guys, that Sasha Grey f**ked. I'm not a person to just ignore something like this. Bugs and crashes that take away the fun out of the game... at least for me. Also the game corrupts save files, so better pray to Jesus or your save files won't work! Jesus saves? Not in this game, I guess. This blows my mind, because this is not a beta. It's a patched game with a massive following yet it still feels like an alpha. This game is seriously broken and I doubt anyone will fix it anytime soon. The other thing is respawn. I think I said it before, but games that have respawning enemies suck ass. Is this Diablo 2? I don't think so. I like my enemies to stay dead when I kill them. This game wants to be realistic with all the guns jamming, armors getting used, yet it has respawning enemies, it's just laughable. So why am I ripping on this game so hard and still giving it 6 out 10? That's simple. I mostly enjoyed my time in this game. It has lots of faults and wrongs, but ultimately it's not crap. It has redeeming values like the atmosphere and locations, that I've mentioned earlier. Still, I will always laugh from stalker fans that think this game is a masterpiece with no problems. I've met such people and I almost got cancer from them and their stupidity. Nothing is perfect, this is far from perfect... this game is a journey. One you must take alone, you'll either love it or hate it... or like me, you'll think it's not bad, but not entirely good either... as I said in the beginning... ambivalent experience. Pickens ambivalences?… Expand
  39. JohnAnonymous
    Apr 10, 2007
    7
    As soon as they iron out all the bugs, the game will be a classic. Currently I have to exit and launch the game again to get the PDA to update the mission status. The fact that the enemies keep reappearing out of thin air is extremely annoying. This must be switched off. And, guys, since you equipped the NPC with guitars, get them a decent repertoire of Russian tourist songs (hint: Visbor As soon as they iron out all the bugs, the game will be a classic. Currently I have to exit and launch the game again to get the PDA to update the mission status. The fact that the enemies keep reappearing out of thin air is extremely annoying. This must be switched off. And, guys, since you equipped the NPC with guitars, get them a decent repertoire of Russian tourist songs (hint: Visbor is out of copyright).… Expand
  40. ChandraP.
    Jun 19, 2007
    10
    It's a great game with with greatest gunfights ever.
  41. Korin
    Aug 9, 2007
    10
    Excessive respawn is addressed in patch 1.0003. Don't be.....
  42. ThomasP.
    Sep 9, 2007
    9
    How can someone rate a game zero? Especially this game? This game is great! Like a combination of Halo, Morrowind, Half-life, doom, Freelancer and maybe a few more. The new patch is out that fixes many of the bugs that have been complained about so don't worry about that, it's just kind of hard to find a place to get it from but it worked out. The AI is amazing, constantly How can someone rate a game zero? Especially this game? This game is great! Like a combination of Halo, Morrowind, Half-life, doom, Freelancer and maybe a few more. The new patch is out that fixes many of the bugs that have been complained about so don't worry about that, it's just kind of hard to find a place to get it from but it worked out. The AI is amazing, constantly changing tactics and adapting to enviroment, but they do act like they have an IQ les than that of a jar of mayonaise, but not often.My only grip about this is that if you wan't to run this on high settings, you've got to have a beastly computer. All in all, great title that mixes different game elements to create a unique and gripping expeiriance.… Expand
  43. 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
  44. Wazoo
    Mar 20, 2007
    9
    + Fantastic atmosphere. + VERY good AI that flanks (even in the vertical!) and uses cover. + Very stable for me. Not one CTD yet. + Impressive graphics engine that makes the environment believable. + HUGE draw distances + Weapon accuracy/ballistics just "feels" real (bullets impact at distance with nice dispersal effect witnessed by bullet impact graphics/lighting) + Firefights, between + Fantastic atmosphere. + VERY good AI that flanks (even in the vertical!) and uses cover. + Very stable for me. Not one CTD yet. + Impressive graphics engine that makes the environment believable. + HUGE draw distances + Weapon accuracy/ballistics just "feels" real (bullets impact at distance with nice dispersal effect witnessed by bullet impact graphics/lighting) + Firefights, between the enemy AI and the ballastics, are just wicked fun! + Very open ended gameplay. Fun for explorers. + Non-scripted activity abounds! The world feels alive. Seriously. - Real resource hog with type lighting effects. Running on 7800GTX SLI OC'd, X2 4800+, 2gig and can maintain over 30fps in 1600x1024 with HDR *most* of the time. High object density areas can dip it into the high-teens. - Story is weak. If English is the writer's first language, he/she has the literary skills of an 8th grader. - Overall lacks "polish"; mouse wheel works poorly with map, fonts often look like place holders, need to push-and-hold to maintain "iron-sight" view. etc. etc. - Economic system seems imbalanced. Seems a bit too easy to get cash and not too much to buy.… Expand
  45. KylebK.
    Mar 23, 2007
    10
    This is a great game and a huge persistent world with realtime weather and day change. There are awesome enemies it just takes a while to progress. If you like free roaming exploration and a storyline that isn't just fed to you with a kickass atmosphere get this game. you will get lost in it. Think HL2 meets Fallout 2 meets F.E.A.R. meets Oblivion, with better graphics. better have This is a great game and a huge persistent world with realtime weather and day change. There are awesome enemies it just takes a while to progress. If you like free roaming exploration and a storyline that isn't just fed to you with a kickass atmosphere get this game. you will get lost in it. Think HL2 meets Fallout 2 meets F.E.A.R. meets Oblivion, with better graphics. better have at least a radeon X800 or Geforce 7900 GS with a decent processor though.… Expand
  46. BradG.
    Mar 28, 2007
    7
    I'm really enjoying this game, but not for the same reasons I've been looking forward to it for the past few years. The game has a lot more in common with Deus Ex than it does with Oblivion. You do have a certain level of freedom to explore but the world is quite small overall. Its broken up into somewhat linear maps and the side quests are a lot like those found in Freelancer, I'm really enjoying this game, but not for the same reasons I've been looking forward to it for the past few years. The game has a lot more in common with Deus Ex than it does with Oblivion. You do have a certain level of freedom to explore but the world is quite small overall. Its broken up into somewhat linear maps and the side quests are a lot like those found in Freelancer, standard "shoot him" or "collect that" fare. Still, the single player campaign is quite good. The human enemies are extremely smart and always surprise me with their capacity to flank, hide, and cover one another. The game's most promoted feature, the so called "A-Life", seems to be there in full effect but almost never has enough room to run around. Packs of wild dogs (among other things) move around eating things, running when outnumbered or scared, and working as a team, but only three or four of the games areas feature these elements and most can be run across in a couple of minutes. I was also disappointed to see the more innovated enemies like the bloodsuckers and psychics almost completely constricted to the main quest. You'll rarely run into any interesting enemies until you reach the last few areas. The Zone's anomalies are also hit and miss. They range from nothing more than boring, glorified minefields in the open areas to well integrated traps and visual effects in some of the interiors. Radiation has some cool implementations like radiated, burned out vehicle hulks on some maps but it is often simply used to mark the edge of someplace you can't go yet. The artifacts are interesting, though they're really nothing more than stats boosters randomly strewn across the landscape. The factional elements are also woefully underdeveloped and don't come close to what you'll find in other free-form games. In the end, you're investing in a standard FPS with a great sense of style, gripping atmosphere, and solid gameplay. Sadly, for any of us who frequented the game's original website (replaced a few months ago), this isn't quite the game we expected. No vehicles, no massive world to sink into, and practically nothing interesting to do off the beaten path of the main quest. Everything unique or outstanding gets showcased in the plot missions which can sadly be breezed through in under 20 hours.… Expand
  47. MichaelB.
    May 3, 2007
    9
    I found this game extremely immersing. I was reminded of my Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion experience. So much to do, so many things to kill and loot. The setting is perfect for the gameplay and creates very intense situations. There are a few bugs, and some of the interface could use some polish, so I cannot grant a perfect score. If you are interested in a Fallout styled Oblivion I found this game extremely immersing. I was reminded of my Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion experience. So much to do, so many things to kill and loot. The setting is perfect for the gameplay and creates very intense situations. There are a few bugs, and some of the interface could use some polish, so I cannot grant a perfect score. If you are interested in a Fallout styled Oblivion experience, this is the game for you.… Expand
  48. XNelson
    Jun 2, 2007
    7
    It ends so suddenly, nice weapons, nice sounds, a good game.
  49. MikeL.
    Jul 15, 2007
    8
    Has a learning curve of sorts, you really need to figure out how best to survive in your environment. That being said, the game designers said that's what they wanted. I think this game is fantastic, I think the graphics are quite spectacular, even though they rely on very high rig specs. This game might have the best gun fights I've ever seen in a game. The Ai is impressive, Has a learning curve of sorts, you really need to figure out how best to survive in your environment. That being said, the game designers said that's what they wanted. I think this game is fantastic, I think the graphics are quite spectacular, even though they rely on very high rig specs. This game might have the best gun fights I've ever seen in a game. The Ai is impressive, they take cover very well and will escape if they feel out-gunned, they will even hid so they can ambush you later. I enjoy the inventory system they use in this game, you can find detachable under barrel grenade launchers and scopes for your weapons, armor and relics of the wastes. The environmental qualities of the game are above that of HL2 if not as varied. Most everywhere you go will be very.....Russian. The grass isn't going to be bright green and there won't be palm tress but there are still sunny days and it feels like summer sometimes. The designers took trips to Russia to get it right. I think they did, if you like abandoned buildings, research labs, makeshift military camps, sewers etc in quarantine zones you'll like the setting. There are dynamic day/night cycles, which means if you speed up time you see the sun raising and setting and the shadows growing longer, very cool. There is also a dynamic weather system, there is nothing cooler than having a gunfight with an enemy faction through the streets of an abandoned city with flashes of lightning lighting up everything around you and casting realistic shadows of all the trees and buildings. It's needless to say at this point that the real-time shadows are re-donk-ulous. One of the cons of this game is that every-time you move through an area and it needs to reload it, the enemies come back. Which is a huge jolt of unrealism, because the bodies stay for like a week game time. So after clearing out one of the much larger camps of 50 or so enemies and you go back, you have mounds of corpses. I built a wall via "300" of corpses, must have been 80 or so, that's the most un-realilistic thing ever. Another con is that to enjoy the awesome graphics you need to have a computer that can run Oblivion without dropping below 30 fps at any time. It seems to me that the longer I play the more I take a hit on fps because the game has more to remember in high traffic areas. You need a moderately powerful computer to run this game well. Personally I haven't had any crash error problems, but I hear that's a common launch problem. If you install the first patch your save games from V1.00 don't work anymore. It has issues, but I feel I got more than my moneys worth in this game.… Expand
  50. DontBeNasty
    Oct 7, 2017
    7
    certainly not a game for everyone. its pacing is meant to be slow, and the game wont take your hand for a pleasant walk in the park.

    It throws you into the fray, Pripyats exclusion zone, where mutant monsters and physics defying anomalies ravage the land. You are expected to survive with limited resources that are already pretty scarce in the world. In harder difficulties the game    certainly not a game for everyone. its pacing is meant to be slow, and the game wont take your hand for a pleasant walk in the park.

    It throws you into the fray, Pripyats exclusion zone, where mutant monsters and physics defying anomalies ravage the land. You are expected to survive with limited resources that are already pretty scarce in the world.

    In harder difficulties the game adds several notes of realism and is only for the most dedicated and hardcore players, although its nowhere near the realism of games such as ARMA. the interface is easy to understand and to use.

    The AI might lean on the silly side, as you may notice some enemies are doing the same moves again and again while they fight you, still though they are nothing sort of easy and you can die pretty easily in stalker.

    Techwise the graphics are fair. they are particularly good underground as you can see the shadow effects from light sources, however there are several flaws on the graphics that make it seem older than the time it came out, like the surface ground and flora seems old with the textures it uses, still the graphics make up for incredible atmosphere, so does the sound with very convincing wild life sound, underground effects that will make your blood chill, and gun sounds

    The plot is somewhat average and the voice acting is fair, although listening to someone talk russian in one instance and perfect english the other feels kind of awkward.

    In closing this game IS NOT FOR PUSHOVERS. it can be tricky and difficult and it will certainly test your patience both with difficulty and pace.    … Expand
  51. Belus
    Nov 15, 2013
    7
    It has been a while since I last played this game, but when I did I loved it. The atmosphere was great, the setting cool, the weapons nice and the story good enough to keep me interested throughout the game.

    There are a few things I didn't like though. First of all I pretty much have to empty a clip into the face of an enemy to kill him. That ruins a lot for me. Secondly the re-spawning    It has been a while since I last played this game, but when I did I loved it. The atmosphere was great, the setting cool, the weapons nice and the story good enough to keep me interested throughout the game.

    There are a few things I didn't like though. First of all I pretty much have to empty a clip into the face of an enemy to kill him. That ruins a lot for me. Secondly the re-spawning of enemies some places made the game close to unplayable. Thirdly I hated the fact that my weapons became useless very fast, because I wore them out, so to say, and there was no way for me to repair them. So I ended up carrying around the coolest guns, using all sorts of crap I came along, because I didn't want my coolest gun to break...

    The game started out good, but towards the end it was just a fast FPS, and I don't like that. I kept playing to find out how it ended (and I found three different endings), but it really was not very fun at the end.    … Expand
  52. TubeSockJ
    Sep 30, 2013
    10
    This stunning game was worth every penny I payed. I felt totally immersed in combat, scrounging, and just simply getting by. There are so many lifelike aspects of the game, which I rarely found in any other FPSes. Although some might say that the game is "notoriously buggy," I have never encountered a single crash, lag, or anything like that. The graphic styling is charmingly bleak,This stunning game was worth every penny I payed. I felt totally immersed in combat, scrounging, and just simply getting by. There are so many lifelike aspects of the game, which I rarely found in any other FPSes. Although some might say that the game is "notoriously buggy," I have never encountered a single crash, lag, or anything like that. The graphic styling is charmingly bleak, setting an apocalyptic and dark tone. Gameplay is astonishing, especially in a gunfight. Instead of just running and gunning, you need to actually engage in combat, maintain your health and ammo, and check flanks as diligently as you can. All in all, this game (for me) set a new standard in first-person shooters. It's worth your money and time, and you owe it to yourself to play this game.… Expand
  53. TheChosenOne7
    Jan 23, 2017
    10
    This is different from my first review, but all the problems I had with the game were fixed by playing on Master difficulty. This mode is much more fair and makes a lot more sense combat wise while playing on Master. I am giving it a 9.5/10, .5 taken off for being a bit repetitive.
  54. 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
  55. fukery3
    Mar 7, 2013
    5
    Just.... I really wanted to like this game! It has so many good things... and so many bad things. There's enough bugs to make the game an exorcise in worrying about whether or not you should re load the last save because your current objective got somehow glitched. Its a typical Russian story of "ghosts and radiation" like they all seem to be: Nuclear disaster with a paranormal element.Just.... I really wanted to like this game! It has so many good things... and so many bad things. There's enough bugs to make the game an exorcise in worrying about whether or not you should re load the last save because your current objective got somehow glitched. Its a typical Russian story of "ghosts and radiation" like they all seem to be: Nuclear disaster with a paranormal element. The living breathing world is cool... and I really like how fragile you are as a character and how many things you have to be mindful of from food to sleep. It makes one feel like they actually are in Ukraine fighting mutants and bandits. The graphics are not very good although there are mods to alleviate this, and there is next to no voice acting and long text blobs that have to be read to understand the story. I wouldn't so much mind this, but in a game like stalker, it REALLY breaks the immersion and reminds you its a game. All in all, STALKER feels unfinished and sloppily put together. But I've certainly played worse.… Expand
  56. 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
  57. 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
  58. 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.
  59. 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.
  60. Jodle
    Dec 1, 2015
    10
    Masterpiece this game is amazing
    . . .
  61. 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
  62. alexfsmw
    Feb 7, 2018
    1
    The reason I played this game was because of the overall score people gave it. I tried to like it but couldn't. The only good thing about it is the graphics and atmosphere, which I did actually like. Everything else is mediocre at best. The story and side missions are very boring, after completing a few side missions I stopped taking them completely. Plus, the bugs, all those bugs, it wasThe reason I played this game was because of the overall score people gave it. I tried to like it but couldn't. The only good thing about it is the graphics and atmosphere, which I did actually like. Everything else is mediocre at best. The story and side missions are very boring, after completing a few side missions I stopped taking them completely. Plus, the bugs, all those bugs, it was so frustrating at times I just wanted to rage quit and uninstall this game, but the completionist in me made me see it to the end. This is honestly the mostly bugged game I've every played. I don't regret playing it, just so I now know what it's about, but I would recommend spending your time on something else, it was not an enjoyable ride for me.… Expand
  63. 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
  64. 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
  65. ChrisOzzie
    Apr 27, 2013
    8
    “The Zone” is a genuine uninhabitable region in the Ukraine covered in nuclear fallout. STALKER took this idea, made a few fictional tweaks, and established a creepy world with paranormal scenery. The enemies are creatively designed to depict mutated forms of life that’ll frighten and shock you. The atmosphere, setting, and environment are STALKER’s power play. The thunderstorms are“The Zone” is a genuine uninhabitable region in the Ukraine covered in nuclear fallout. STALKER took this idea, made a few fictional tweaks, and established a creepy world with paranormal scenery. The enemies are creatively designed to depict mutated forms of life that’ll frighten and shock you. The atmosphere, setting, and environment are STALKER’s power play. The thunderstorms are awesome, the anomalies are bizarre and the bloodsuckers will have you jump out of your seat. Venturing through The Zone after sunset will make you very uneasy and keep you on your toes. This is a unique game with a lot of potential. Add the STALKER complete mod and prepare yourself for a scary and paranormal experience in The Zone. I highly recommend this game to sandbox, first person shooter, or even RPG fans.… Expand
  66. Dethstar
    Jan 7, 2014
    9
    Just replayed this after exhausting it for years. Still a great game. The stalker series have an atmosphere I have never found in any other game although there are some similarities with fallout. Preferred call of pripayt as it feels more polished but I love the open feel of Shadows of Cherobyl. CoP lost a little of the open world feel but not enough to kill it. A classic game in aJust replayed this after exhausting it for years. Still a great game. The stalker series have an atmosphere I have never found in any other game although there are some similarities with fallout. Preferred call of pripayt as it feels more polished but I love the open feel of Shadows of Cherobyl. CoP lost a little of the open world feel but not enough to kill it. A classic game in a classic series. We need more like this.… Expand
  67. Defianc4
    Apr 14, 2013
    9
    With the STALKER Complete Mod, all the bugs and lack of polish are stripped away, and what's left is a horribly beautiful treasure of the PC platform.
  68. 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
  69. ArMoRofGOD
    Nov 26, 2012
    9
    The STALKER series is one of my absolute favorite games series ever made. It is gritty, dark, realistic atmosphere, some of the best AI Ive seen, good graphics for its time, very fun guns, a terrific artifact collecting system that really just sets this game apart, and very importantly extremely interesting and fun missions with a great variety of endings. I died a little when theyThe STALKER series is one of my absolute favorite games series ever made. It is gritty, dark, realistic atmosphere, some of the best AI Ive seen, good graphics for its time, very fun guns, a terrific artifact collecting system that really just sets this game apart, and very importantly extremely interesting and fun missions with a great variety of endings. I died a little when they canceled STALKER 2. Anyone who scores this game low probably experiences a lot of bugs or crashing which I honestly did not find MANY of although there were a few and for a game this good they can be overlooked.… Expand
  70. Rufousjet
    Dec 2, 2012
    9
    Probably one of my favourite games, this delivers on so many levels. First you have the intriguing and mysterious story that sits comfortably inside the remains of history so if a bit of research is completed than it can seem frighteningly realistic. The atmosphere of the game is amazing, some of if not the best I've encountered sitting up there with metro 2033 and Dark souls. TheProbably one of my favourite games, this delivers on so many levels. First you have the intriguing and mysterious story that sits comfortably inside the remains of history so if a bit of research is completed than it can seem frighteningly realistic. The atmosphere of the game is amazing, some of if not the best I've encountered sitting up there with metro 2033 and Dark souls. The environments, chillingly eerie and oppressive cast a constant sense of danger and paranoia. The equipment and weapons have a realistic touch and the animations are consistently acceptable. The gun play itself is very fun with all the weapons feeling useful as ammo will need to be looted or found unless you want to pay for it. The length was impressive as well with my normal level playthrough clocking in at 15 hours, with me glossing over a lot of the extras.My only gripes would be the bugs which are able to be overlooked if weight of the positives, the way everything is explained isnt really there... at all and the need to look at a wiki to get the fullest experience can be required for some. Throw in fantastic mods and patches to eliminate bugs, enhance the graphics and a $20 usd pricetag on steam its worth it. Get out of here stalker! (and buy yourself this today!)… Expand
  71. GamerFromHell
    Dec 14, 2012
    9
    First of all, this game needs mods to be playable (I suggest "Stalker Complete" and "Realistic Weapons" for starters, but there are others), but then it's one of the best games I've ever played. It has a relatively open world with characters and graphics/weather effects that perfectly support the incredible atmosphere. STALKER, get out of here and play this game!
  72. carlinux
    Aug 29, 2014
    10
    This is the kind of inspired game you can play two or three times and enjoy every journey as a different game. Probably one the five best games of the decade. very good story and screenplay, gorgeous graphics (especially with the Complete 2009 Mod), and an amazingly well balanced and smart AI. Hands down. Perhaps the only thing that could be better is... more Stalker games. The saga endedThis is the kind of inspired game you can play two or three times and enjoy every journey as a different game. Probably one the five best games of the decade. very good story and screenplay, gorgeous graphics (especially with the Complete 2009 Mod), and an amazingly well balanced and smart AI. Hands down. Perhaps the only thing that could be better is... more Stalker games. The saga ended with Call of Pripyat and the studio was closed so.. is unlikely to happen.… Expand
  73. SoulBrother
    Mar 3, 2015
    5
    Stalker is an OK game if you into post-apocalyptic settings & themes ,,, i see Fallout 3 and Metro series borrowed quite a bit from this game since they precedent both of them ,,, the world wasn't bad , but it's could have been done better , each zoned area is limited and have few interesting places to check out ,,, the writing was not bad , but the story itself was a uninteresting withStalker is an OK game if you into post-apocalyptic settings & themes ,,, i see Fallout 3 and Metro series borrowed quite a bit from this game since they precedent both of them ,,, the world wasn't bad , but it's could have been done better , each zoned area is limited and have few interesting places to check out ,,, the writing was not bad , but the story itself was a uninteresting with linear progress ,,, the side missions were terrible are repeatable by all NPCs ,,, alot of bugs , and generic game-play make it unmemorable game overall… Expand
  74. 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
  75. 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.
  76. 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.
  77. 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
  78. ave
    Oct 20, 2015
    7
    I've discovered S.T.A.L.K.E.R. years after its release, and it took quite a time to figure out how to play it properly.

    I won't mention the almost permanent "dying" due to gunshots, radiations, and various anomalies - that's part of the experience : wandering inside the Zone, a perimeter around the nuclear plant of Tchernobyl, full of mutants, factions and hazards. So S.T.A.L.K.E.R. is    I've discovered S.T.A.L.K.E.R. years after its release, and it took quite a time to figure out how to play it properly.

    I won't mention the almost permanent "dying" due to gunshots, radiations, and various anomalies - that's part of the experience : wandering inside the Zone, a perimeter around the nuclear plant of Tchernobyl, full of mutants, factions and hazards. So S.T.A.L.K.E.R. is a "quicksave/quickload" game in old-school fashion (even in easy mode).

    I liked the design of the wasted lands, and the warring factions, but not loved it. Trying to find your way to Strelok isn't picnic.

    So far, I've understood that the main strategy is to :
    - find a serie of guns (pistols, machineguns, rifles, shotguns...) for which you can gather enough ammo ; and upgrade the most efficient ones
    - always keep a nice amount of bandages (bleeding), syringes (radioactivity), medikit (heal) and food (eat) otherwise
    - gather artefacts to keep the best ones in your belt and resell the other ones. The best I've found (for me) were the ones reducing radioactivity & bleeding ; and boosting endurance.
    - never pack more than 50 kg of stuff otherwise you'll lose stamina too quickly (because you'll have to go back and forth alot of time in this game - no teleport).

    The game lacks some clear information about what is important to play properly, you're basically left alone. But since it takes about 30 min / 1h to die stupidly, it takes time to figure out the whole thing.

    Another dissapointing aspect of the game is the dialog window and the inventory window, two modes not that exciting. Plus, the game still run while you use your inventory, so sometimes you die without knowing why.

    Despite these negatives elements (and the fact I wasn't able to go farther than a "locked" checkpoint), the first instalment of the serie was quite engaging and pleasing in its punishing ways ;)    … Expand
  79. The_Bear
    Apr 3, 2013
    7
    I wanted to give this game a "9", however, the ending kind of ruined this otherwise great game for me (although not entirely, obviously). I'll try not to spoil anything, but just prior to the the game's final level your given an optional objective all the way on the far corner of the map. If you ignore this objective, and proceed to the endgame, your given one of five fake endings withI wanted to give this game a "9", however, the ending kind of ruined this otherwise great game for me (although not entirely, obviously). I'll try not to spoil anything, but just prior to the the game's final level your given an optional objective all the way on the far corner of the map. If you ignore this objective, and proceed to the endgame, your given one of five fake endings with virtually no exposition whatsoever. Way to let me down. When I realized this, I went to reload an earlier save, and to my disappointment, realized that my earliest remaining save left me right in front of an broken stairwell. So I'll be waiting until my second play-through to find out HOW THE GAME ACTUALLY ENDS!
    Anyway, this (pretty significant) problem aside, I really enjoyed this game. The game-play was harder than other games I've played, but perfectly manageable on easy. STALKER SOC's strongest suit is most definitely its atmosphere and setting, whether your running from packs of irradiated dogs in the Ukrainian wilderness or dodging mutants in subterranean compounds. The whole post-Chernobyl thing is really cool, and the game makes it easy to pretend that you're there. The weather system, in particular, lends the world a sense of authenticity.
    Ultimately, one of my favorite games, despite some glaring flaws. Would definitely recommend to anyone who appreciates a good atmosphere.    … Expand
  80. iddqd4
    Mar 16, 2018
    9
    Настоящий культ среди русскоговорящих, близкая на всем по духу атмосфера, очень бы хотелось увидеть серию на консолях, но не судьба к сожалению.
  81. GromRost
    Mar 8, 2022
    0
    тупайя игра ни о чем фыв
  82. zoomerok
    Jan 18, 2022
    0
    переоцененное нечто. интересна только бомжебоярам, у которых ничего помимо сталкера то и не идёт. анекдоты настолько не смешные, что хочется плакать
  83. GameFans
    Apr 4, 2014
    6
    The game would worth 9 or even 10 after patching with community mod. However, a game should be rated on its own only, right?

    I can understand why there is a great deviation of user scores here. On one side, the game claims to be a realistic survival game but fails with unrealistic gun and stealth mechanics as well as the tedious travel and equipment degradation. The game is also    The game would worth 9 or even 10 after patching with community mod. However, a game should be rated on its own only, right?

    I can understand why there is a great deviation of user scores here. On one side, the game claims to be a realistic survival game but fails with unrealistic gun and stealth mechanics as well as the tedious travel and equipment degradation. The game is also extremely buggy with potential game crash and save corruption. In fact, the whole STALKER series is plagued with bugs. The original game itself may only worth 3 or 4 only.

    However, thanks to the efforts of community. The game with complete mod fixes the above mentioned issues, making the game become an enjoyable survival game with stealth and tactical shooting elements. If you like the ideas of original Deus Ex, just try this game with complete mod. You will enjoy the game a lot.    … Expand
  84. 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
  85. wolfie2013
    Mar 17, 2013
    9
    S.T.A.L.K.E.R.: Shadow of Chernobyl is my favourite post Apocalyptic game because this game have really good climate
  86. 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.
  87. faceless-1
    Jun 23, 2013
    0
    This game is totally underdeveloped broken I never experienced so many game breaking glitches and bugs. AI is brain dead, game play is boring and only dangerous think about enemies is that they re-spawn.
  88. CritiqueFreak
    Apr 19, 2013
    4
    This game was, in my opinion, badly made. No autosave feature made the game very irritable. I didn't even know of it until I died after doing 5 missions (and had to redo them.) Also, no headbob setting. The headbob seemed too extreme, as I was getting a headache 10 minutes into the game. I played this game on novice and it seems like I'm playing it on hard. I look in my inventory, hearThis game was, in my opinion, badly made. No autosave feature made the game very irritable. I didn't even know of it until I died after doing 5 missions (and had to redo them.) Also, no headbob setting. The headbob seemed too extreme, as I was getting a headache 10 minutes into the game. I played this game on novice and it seems like I'm playing it on hard. I look in my inventory, hear two shots, and I die instantly (I had full health.) The way that the aiming is very random is quite annoying. The tutorial from Trader randomly skipped through what he was saying without me pressing anything so I barely even knew how to do certain things. I had to get a mod for autosaving and headbobbing. I got very far into the game, when I got a crash report. I kept loading the game and I kept getting the same crash, so now the game is unplayable for me UNLESS I hit the "Load last save" button on the menu which literally takes me back to the start of the game. The game seemed fun, but all of these things are blinding it from the fun I thought it was. Very disappointed in this game and I wish I could get my money back.… Expand
  89. 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
  90. 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
  91. 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.
  92. Klewer
    Nov 15, 2012
    8
    A game that puts you in to an amazing world and attempts to make you feel part of it. Some truly scary and haunting moments as well as a strong story make it highly enjoyable. A few bugs and quirky moments but easily glossed over.
  93. TierMix
    Sep 12, 2020
    10
    This game helps to feel the whole atmosphere of the Chornobyl anomalous zone! Unforgettable emotions can be felt in laboratories. The graphics aren't that bad today, but the game can attract more computers, which is very good for scrap metal owners. The plot may not be the best, but it is full of quite unexpected twists. The mechanics of the weapon are quite comfortable, and there isThis game helps to feel the whole atmosphere of the Chornobyl anomalous zone! Unforgettable emotions can be felt in laboratories. The graphics aren't that bad today, but the game can attract more computers, which is very good for scrap metal owners. The plot may not be the best, but it is full of quite unexpected twists. The mechanics of the weapon are quite comfortable, and there is nothing superfluous in the likeness of thirty functions that no one ever uses. Phrases such as "Chiki-Bricki" and "Caught Olive" have become classics. I've always liked this game, so I'll put 10/10.… Expand
  94. MrSTULKEROFF
    Mar 16, 2022
    0
    Thank you GSC Game World. Your games gave me an unforgettable experience, revived and destroyed the bad legacy of the Slavic Games and just made my childhood more fun.
    I went through many of your games, including Cossacks and others. You gave me love for the atmosphere, not for the graphics.
    I've been waiting for your game for 15 years, and received only a spit in the face. I do not    Thank you GSC Game World. Your games gave me an unforgettable experience, revived and destroyed the bad legacy of the Slavic Games and just made my childhood more fun.
    I went through many of your games, including Cossacks and others. You gave me love for the atmosphere, not for the graphics.
    I've been waiting for your game for 15 years, and received only a spit in the face. I do not support the war on the territory of Ukraine, but I would rather support the war than that those who bought your games, who appreciated and loved your games, waiting for your games, you just abandoned and lied. You lied about being out of politics and you/your games will not be affected by politics. I am very sorry that you have stooped to the level of such cheap and salable products. I'm not saying that the stalker game series that came out is bad, it's just the only thing I can do so that even Western players from America, Europe and others know what GSC Game World did for their fans. Ratings don't mean anything here. This game and all the rest of the legends, no estimates will dispute this.    … Expand
  95. 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
  96. 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
  97. 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
  98. tdebug
    Jan 25, 2014
    0
    Back in 2007 I stopped played when after update my saves stopped working.
    The game was so many years in development that the engine was already outdated by the release time.
    Not even half of promised appeared in the final version. Isolated areas instead of big world, no vehicles, respawning enemies, etc. Not even mentioned massive amount of bugs and gameplay issues.
  99. Tritonio
    Jul 16, 2013
    3
    Without the "complete" mod this game is unplayable. Mostly because of the head bobing. I can play Descent for hours with no problem, yet this game made my eyes hurt. I really don't understand what the developers where thinking when they put that bobing in the game. Anyway, the "complete" mod thankfully removes it.

    But still, after 4 hours of gameplay this game failed to give me any kind    Without the "complete" mod this game is unplayable. Mostly because of the head bobing. I can play Descent for hours with no problem, yet this game made my eyes hurt. I really don't understand what the developers where thinking when they put that bobing in the game. Anyway, the "complete" mod thankfully removes it.

    But still, after 4 hours of gameplay this game failed to give me any kind of purpose. I keep asking myself why is my character persuing all these things. Why does he even care? 4 hours and still no purpose, just a series of boring missions killing bandits in a wasteland.

    They say it's open world but I got tired of being stopped by barbed wire fences.

    The UI feels a bit buggy too and perhaps not fit to modern screen resolutions (even using the "complete" mod).

    The graphics with the "complete" mod are good though and overall the fighting was interesting in some cases. Still I've seen better fights in other games.

    IMO it's not worth the 6 euros I gave. It completely failed to give me any kind of interest after 4 hours of play and the only reason I kept playing was because of all the praise that this game gets from other players. If it was just some unknown game, I would have dropped it in the first hour or so.    … Expand
  100. 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
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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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