Разработчик: GSC Game World
Описание
S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2: Heart of Chornobyl
Prepare to enter the Zone for your own risk striving to make a fortune out of it or even to find the Truth concealed in the Heart of Chornobyl.
* EPIC NONLINEAR STORY IN SEAMLESS OPEN WORLD
* VARIETY OF ENEMIES AND HUNDREDS OF WEAPON COMBINATIONS
* LEGENDARY MUTANTS WITH DIFFERENT BEHAVIOUR MODELS
* ARTIFACTS OF INCREDIBLE VALUE AND UNFORGIVING ANOMALIES
Discover the legendary S.T.A.L.K.E.R. universe!
About the Game
The Zone, a place full of unfathomable wonders and sinister threats – former exclusion territory near the Chornobyl Nuclear Power Plant. This most dangerous place on Earth became even more mysterious after an obscure accident in 2006. Anomalies with precious artifacts, starving mutants and greedy thugs have flooded these lands along with stalkers searching for a new life and ways to get rich… Feel as one of them in S.T.A.L.K.E.R.: Shadow of Chernobyl!
SEARCHING
To survive, a true stalker must not stop his search. Valuable trophies, equipment and supplies, new friends, shortcuts or answers to the grimmest riddles of these lands are what give a chance not to perish. So prepare for a foray to find your fate in the Center of the Zone, the most protected place from unwanted guests.
HAZARD
The path of a stalker to his goal is never a walk in the park. A treacherous anomaly, able to mash even the most experienced fighter, the stray of ravenous mutants or jarring betrayal – any of these things can cost your life. Get ready to check your skills and gumption, enduring the superior numbers of rivals and mutants. Stay alert even when you are alone – here at the Zone, everything is rarely what it seems at first glance.
DESOLATION
These desolate lands of eternal autumn are full of hundreds of vagabonds. Though, the stalker is always on his own, facing dangers that are often unseen. Listen carefully, calculate every step and trust no one but yourself and Geiger counter. Only intuition combined with mastery and ice-cold guts can save a free stalker from being Lost to the Zone.
Game Features:
- A mix of action, horror, survival, and RPG elements in a dark Eastern European sci-fiction setting.
- The unique atmosphere of loneliness in a dangerous place where time has stopped forever.
- Locations transferred to the game from the real Chornobyl Exclusion Zone: Pripyat, ChNPP, and many others.
- Smart AI of opponents and NPCs who live their own lives and are capable of reacting to changes.
- A non-linear story in which your choices lead to one of many endings.
- Dynamic changes in the day-night cycle and weather conditions that affect the gameplay.
- Multiplayer modes with up to 32 players on one map.
Поддерживаемые языки: english, french, italian, spanish - spain, german, russian, ukrainian, polish, traditional chinese
Системные требования
Windows
- Supported OS: Microsoft® Windows® XP(Service Pack 2)/Microsoft® Windows® 2000 SP4
- Processor: Intel Pentium 4 2.0 Ghz / AMD XP 2200+
- Graphics: 128 MB DirectX® 8.0 compatible card / nVIDIA® GeForce™ 5700 / ATI Radeon® 9600
- Memory: 512 MB RAM
- Sound: DirectX® 9.0 compatible sound card
- Hard Drive: 6 GB free hard disc space
- Supported OS: Microsoft® Windows® XP/Vista (SP1)
- Processor: Intel Core 2 Duo E6400 / AMD 64 X2 4200+
- Graphics: 256 MB DirectX® 9.0c compatible card* / nVIDIA® GeForce™ 8800 GT / ATI Radeon® HD 2900 XT
- Memory: 2 GB RAM
- Sound: DirectX® 9.0 compatible sound card
- Hard Drive: 10 GB free hard disc space
Отзывы пользователей
I have had this game in my library for years but had been put off by the slow, awkward opening couple hours. With the 4th game in the series, STALKER 2, being released, I decided to finally go give this game a try. I am glad I pushed past the awkward beginning because I honestly had a fun time. This is quite a janky game, don't get me wrong, but the atmosphere is fantastic and it's got a feel that I really haven't experienced since the original F.E.A.R.
In short: play this if you're willing to put up with some jank and some dated decisions.
This game is an, unexpectedly, detailed shooter for its time. The gameplay is great if you enjoy slow, loot-and-shoot type, with some horror aspect to it.
Since this is a very old game, there are lots of bugs and jank that you will encounter, so I suggest rebind the quick save to f5 , and quick load to f9, or somewhere familiar to press. I'm also glad my friend suggested a "ZRP" community patch to fix most of the common bugs in vanilla, so that there will be less headache later down the main story quest (MSQ). Since there are different progression paths, it's still a good idea to make hard saves every other MSQ completed, or before your quest giver gets himself killed, preventing you from receiving a reward.
Also, double-crouch and peaking buttons saved me from a lot of firefights.
In my opinions one of the best takes on a post apocalyptic world. S.T.A.L.K.E.R.S. world is dark and has many grim qualities that immerse the player into the game and its world along with its great writing and gameplay the only issue i can name is its not fully extensive English translations and its well aged graphics and controls but still worth giving the game a try.
Aged well for an old game. Gets very hard but the world and the story and mystery sells. Franchise is m w a.
I loved this game. My only gripe is I wish it was a little more open world then it claims. Something along the lines of Fall Out but that's just a minor nit picky gripe. Over all the atmosphere and game play was addictive and I loved the surroundings.
An incredible game despite it's age, I loved the story, the gameplay, and the missions, ever since the realise of stalker 2 I've wanted to play the trilogy to get up to date with the story line, and I am very impressed. This game is a masterpiece and you're missing out if you haven't played it before.
Incredibly atmospheric semi-open world shooter game with light sandbox elements and a linear main story.
For anyone who wants to experience it vanilla I would still recommend the zone reclamation project mod as it fixes numerous bugs and crashes with the game, while leaving the visuals and gameplay alone.
Many of the firearms in this game are quite inaccurate and the obscure nature of it's mechanics sometimes make it difficult. Once you get used to that, it is a very enjoyable experience all the way up to it's ending. SSeth was right.
10/10 Первая игра из серии Сталкер, в которую я играл, рос с желанием стать сталкером
By far the best S.T.A.L.K.E.R., completely unmatched in terms of atmosphere and level design.
While not perfect gameplay-wise (it's clunky when compared to modern titles), this game is an unique experience and a masterpiece of immersion that makes the player feel the helplessness of the Zone and a constant sense of dread and anxiety, especially in earlier missions and closed spaces.
The AI is fantastic: since enemies' behaviour vary based on their rank, more experienced enemies will approach fights differently than rookies.
For example, while rookies will randomly shoot the player while standing still and rarely take cover, experienced enemies will always take a more strategic approach to the fight and may even take advantage of chaotic situations by silently flanking you. The best part is that there's no way of knowing which enemy is or isn't experienced at first glance, so you need to approach every fight with caution and leave no room for mistakes.
In the Zone, you will often see roaming NPCs camping or looking for stuff, bandits looking for people to kill and rob, mutants looking for food and fights randomly breaking out between factions. Since most of NPCs activity isn't scripted, the Zone feels alive and makes the player part of it instead of being the catalyst for everything.
Without spoiling, I especially love the way more dangerous mutants are set up in the game when compared to later titles. It makes encountering them a lot scarier.
All in all, this game is a 10/10 despite its age and outdated mechanics.
Saw this discounted on steam and gave it a try over buying the new one. This game rocks, the mechanics are solid, it's fun to play. Graphics are clearly outdated, but for the price I am a huge fan so far.
This 18-year old game was ahead of its time
FPS blended with stealth, survival horror and limited resources, open world, Post-apocalyptic, Inventory & financial management, sandbox-y side quests, decent story...It is everything I ever wanted.
The atmosphere of the game was fantastic to say to least...the gloomy weather and colour tone, rusty old piles of metal junks and abandoned buildings, the bird chirps and howling winds give an uneasy feeling as they conceive the danger of the Zone. The beeping of rad meter and anomaly detector constantly keep the player on the edge. And the underground labs - dark, confined and quiet (hopefully) - are simply nerve-racking.
The S.T.A.L.K.E.R. series are commonly compared with the Metro or the Fallout Series in the "survival in a post-apocalyptic setting" sense. But another true appeal of this game lies in the inventory management and the open-world exploration. Another game play element of interest is that there are unique variants of some standard weapons for players to find. This is a very motivating factor as they have improved characteristics compared to the standard ones, but are also extremely rare, requiring the player to obtain them through specific means (special missions, hard to reach places, hidden stashes and unique enemy) In these regards, I would like to mention another game (apart from Fallout) that I thoroughly enjoyed: Galaxy on Fire 2 by Fishlabs, the inventory, trading and looting mechanism are spiritually similar in the two games.
Bear in mind SoC is an old game - so it might feel a bit rough on the edge in terms of graphics and GUI, but all in all it truly provides the purest old-school gaming vibe and pleasure: raw and unforgiving, down-to-earth and solid game play.
If you would like a cherry on top - get the Zone Reclamation Project (ZRP) mod. It fixes various notorious bugs and add convenience to the game play, while keeping it authentic.
the cheeki breeki hardcore survival anyone could not to mention very modable and worth the price
This game has been released in 2007 and it definitely deserves soo much praise. This one was the first one in series and it was primarily focused to be fun, instead of being too survival like clear sky. I had a blast coming back to this since i played this game last time when i was a little kid, and was pretty much confused about the story.
The S.T.A.L.K.E.R. series is one that I have really gotten into, over the past year. It's excellent, honestly, I can't gush enough about the atmosphere and strange allure of the Zone. From an outsider's perspective, it looks like your standard FPS, but with a skin of eastern Europe and mutants.
In that regard, their assessment is totally fair. However, the games hold a captivating presence that I just can't put down accurately into words. It's a mixture of vibes, atmosphere, tense environments, deadly combat, and compact but well designed world-building that all culminates into a compelling and unique series.
I would highly recommend checking it out, the studio has worked themselves tirelessly through many trials to bring these games to us. It would be a shame for their work to be looked over.
Now, the games are not perfect by any means, bugs and technical issues litter the franchise. Though these typically are not too invasive towards your experience, and criticism of these issues is completely valid. Though, I would suggest accounting for their experience as a smaller dev team, when addressing the technical issues with the games.
Great single player sandbox shooter with hardcore elements. Once you get past the jank, it is a very enjoyable experience.
A fun Game which takes some Time getting used to, but after that its an fun and rewarding Experience and definitely worth playing.
Game is amazing, very old , therefore you need a little bit of patience with it.
Story is epic, IF you take the time and effort to explore it, since there are multiple endings, and only one is canon and it requires exploration.
This game is very dated, but it's also very good. Get a couple of mods to improve the weapon models and graphics and you're good to go.
Once upon a time, the settlement in Pripyat was very nice until C.N.P.P exploded...
Replayed it in 2025.
Phenomenal game.
Engaging story, great gunplay, and an immersive world.
I played it vanilla and it holds up almost 20 years after its release.
great game but can be a bit buggy
I played Stalker 2 for 30 minutes, i just went and reinstalled this and played for bunch of hours, game is good and its going to stay good for the rest of time, Stalker 2 i am not so sure.
Absolute cult classic of the amazing stalker franchise, truly the only of its kind. I find it hard to explain in a good way, but its exactly what a survival rpg should be, it absolutely nails the world building, and the survival elements are great as well. Despite how good it is, its old and buggy, which is something to consider, but its not bad enough to ruin this awesome game.
this game is pretty good but i'd recommend watching a playthrough or getting stability mods. my save got messed up in many different ways and the engine is very badly optimized. i'm glad i played it because it offered a very different shooter experience to me and i thought the lore was pretty interesting. also the game had very funny moments to me because of it's age. VERY HARD GAME THOUGH like the hardest i have ever played lol
6 or 7/10 game though it fun
It's old. It's clunky. But holy moly it's good. Love me some Roadside Picnic
I really wish I could have played this in period, this game must have been absolutely mind-blowing when it released. As it stands today, it's fun, and it's worth playing for the story. The gun play is frustrating at times but it's palatable.
zomg you guys its eurojank Fallout!
a jank as fuck game with a throwaway story that sells itself on incredibly tense combat encounters and vibes vibes vibes. straight up horror at times as well.
great game
A very unique FPS. Incredibly atmospheric. Though there's a lack of general polish in terms of art, animations and game play, let this game seduce you. It is a very unique experience that I highly recommend. Nobody does these kinds of games anymore. So go for it!
wow! i seriously enjoyed this. my first stalker experience was STALKER 2 and it really is quite neat to see what it's based off.
i haven't played through many "old" games but this was a really cool experience, the atmosphere is top notch.
i did a run on pretty much pure vanilla (removed viewbob with a mod) and ran into minimal crashes so yay!
also heard cheeki breeki twice through my playthrough (should've been more)
A radioactive diamond in the rough. It still has rough parts to it, being an older game; facial models can look wonky, gunplay a smidge unresponsive, and pistols exceptionally weak ... but if you look past that to the neat story, great environments, and funky critters found within? You'll find yourself a wonderful romp.
damned good game, bought it on sale for ~$5 would have definitely buy it for its $20 price tag if i had too
Best, buggiest game you'll ever play. Easier to fix than New Vegas, at least.
"Come to me. You will get what you deserve."
- The Wishgranter
This is a mixed Review.
For starters, the acronym for S.T.A.L.K.E.R. stands for "Scavengers, Trespassers, Adventurers, Loners, Killers, Explorers, Robbers". These are the kind of figures you'll find in and near the mysterious Zone, looking for fortune and opportunity alike, and nigh indistinguishable in look. Hence, if you're here, you're taken as one of such S.T.A.L.K.E.R.s, and as such, you're also welcome to get out.
Ambitiously dropping in 2007, this game righteously gathered a cult following; a pseudo open-world with some RPG elements, S.T.A.L.K.E.R. Shadow of Chernobyl (STALKER SOC) landed with a very strong art direction and loaded with several mechanics to take into consideration. However, ambitious as it was, SOC is a prodigy child that may as well have been dropped on its head - It does a lot of technical things, but none of them particularly well. And back in the day, when doing anything at all was considered a lot, it's safe to say this game earned its place as a classic.
This will be an overview of the Vanilla experience, so I urge you to come in. Don't just stand there.
Gameplay
STALKER: SOC stands tall as a classic by its mysteriously daunting experience. Many of its fans never understood, or bothered to understand, its difficulty system. That is because the staple sentiment of the SOC's gameplay pertains to being continuously heeled in the face; by the non playable characters (NPCs), by the environment, by your equipment, by the narrative, by your luck. This frankly happens in any difficulty, as environmental anomalies are deadly and enemies are bullet sponges no matter what; most weapons are pea shooters and any non-headshot damage is almost negligible. The biggest modifier for difficulty is in fact the loot drop table, and I have not noticed any further enjoyment from having this culled in the more difficult modes, so I recommend the easier ones for the first playthrough.
You do not level up in this game, but rather acquire or scavenge new equipment, and come across anomalous artifacts which are, well, anomalously produced by the Zone as you explore it. These give you different stats when equipped. If you perform side quests, it's usually for the money, which quite frankly doesn't have much of a use. Even on lower difficulties, you won't be able to afford anything interesting without grinding, and if still you do, its durability will deteriorate much faster than you can afford to buy a new one of whatever it is; you can't ordinarily repair anything.
As an RPG, the game features a continuously running open-world "simulation" where NPCs go around being their S.T.A.L.K.E.R. selves; that is, looting, wandering, killing each other, ganging up, profiteering, all without your observation or input. I believe SOC invented the concept of "radiant quests", where traders and NPCs will continuously produce fetch and elimination quests for you to farm with. That is, if farming was a good idea in a game with equipment condition and no level ups.
While its simulation aspect is interesting, it is the epitome of jank; often NPCs will complete elimination quests for you by the sheer fact they are trying to stay alive in the affected area, or story critical NPCs roaming about will be Lost to the Zone by random crap happening, locking you out of your own story and forcing you to reload a save. The biggest advice veteran stalkers will give you for this game, is indeed to save often and load again.
As a FPS, the game provides some enjoyment with a large arsenal, binocular scouting identification system, multiple movement options, special weapon mods, ammo types, and NPC tactics. Unfortunately the detection mechanics are often janked which make most of these redundant, so in Vanilla you're playing a linear hallway shooter for half the game. SOC's hallways will intensify and comically turn into a monolithic experience the deeper you get in the Zone, as its RPG open world design falls completely apart. It is not its selling point in the slightest.
Some suggest there are also countless bugs; my most recent playthrough only had up to 2 crashes. But I also saved a lot, and often loaded on reaction, so if something really bad happened, then well it didn't happen!
Art Direction
It's safe to say STALKER: SOC only became a cult classic because of its presentation and atmosphere. Mechanics are not the selling point of SOC but are merely there to complement the gritty, eerie, overwhelming feeling it is going for. This is all made clear by its narrative inspiration, Roadside Picnic and Tarkovsky's 2 hour Stalker film based off the book, which has very strong industrial, existential, and human themes to it.
Presenting night and day mechanics alongside impressive shaders that still hold up in 2024, grainy UI, visual overlay effects, and outsanding use of audio samples, SOC is at its best when you take a moment and allow it to speak through its environment.
https://youtu.be/cSNNuE2eiUQ?si=ASehUJ5xpntjUQNB&t=3422
CGI cutscenes for important narrative events also are mesmerizing and look artistically pleasing, specially for the time, and produce themselves only when appropriate for the theme.
Conclusion
STALKER: SOC is an extremely rough diamond eager to scratch you relentlessly if you grip it the wrong way. Regardless, many contemporary games and artwork have since been inspired by its first shine.
While things tend to be more polished nowadays, STALKER:SOC produced an anomalous impact in gaming culture, so experiencing it first hand is honestly a must if you'd ever like to develop critical outlook for this sort of media. It has good things, it has bad things. It's absolutely not for everyone; many have become lost and crashed in its jank Zone, but those that make it back will understand and appreciate everything they do get to have a little bit more.
As an addendum; the community for this game is still vibrant, there are many full overhaul mods available that tweak, add, or remove mechanics, and there are DRM free versions of this software at GOG.
With all that said you could really play this forever, but is that really what you'd wish for?
The only single player game that feels like a multiplayer game.
Its okay. Between recommend or no, i think it sits in a gray area. Is it interesting? yes. Is the story and gameplay intriguing? yes. Is it fun? not so clear.
It has a lot of that 2000s era jank, kinda similar to f:nv, but in a much less charming way. Also, the guns are FARRRRR too inaccurate, to an absurd and completely unreasonable extent.
disappointed to say the most. i found myself typing a lot more than i wanted to proof read about this game. weapons you get are peashooters. the weapons the enemy's get (same ones you get) will completely shred your health to zero in just 3 or 4 shots. hopefully the new one doesn't play this bad and a headshot from a round of a 7.62 will put someone down... MAYBE.. hopefully, jesus this game sucks
We thank you, oh Monolith, for revealing the cunning plans of your enemies to us.
May your light shine down on the souls of the brave soldiers who gave their lives in service to your will.
Onward, warriors of The Monolith.
Avenge your fallen brothers.
Blessed, as they are, in their eternal union with The Monolith.
Bring death to those who've spurned the holy power of The Monolith.
M O N O L I T H
M O N O L I T H
M O N O L I T H
Great game really, but the port can be very iffy at times. Haven't been able to rekindle my love for it and finish a playthrough going back to it after all these years. When I finished it on my old account though, it is just phenomenal really. Just be prepared for some very dated mechanics in some areas.
As a zoomer playing this game for the first time, it was really enjoyable.
The gun play was super tight, and it actaully felt difficult which I really liked and don't often see. However strangely enough, after switching from the second hardest to the hardest difficulty, the game strangely felt easier than before and I felt as though I did a lot more damage than before, reminded me a lot of CSGO and the game in general gave a lot of source engine vibes.
Speaking of which, the vibes in this game are incredible, it's so bleak and it fills you in dread just as if you're in Romania or something. Honestly probably my favourite part of the game, I feel that even the jank adds in to that vibe in some way.
Story wise it's ok, I'm not that much of a story person so I didn't really read all the little diaries and notes, but I did like the setting very much, I found it to be unique and interesting. However I do feel as though the ending was quite unsatisfying, and also sometimes enemies can just shoot through walls which is inconvinient.
We thank you, oh Monolith, for revealing the cunning plans of your enemies to us.
May your light shine down on the souls of the brave soldiers who gave their lives in service to your will.
Onward warriors of the Monolith, avenge your fallen brothers, blessed as they are in their eternal union with the Monolith.
Bring death to those who spurned the holy power of the Monolith
A masterpiece of immersion:
17 years after its release, this game still manages to capture the atmosphere of an irradiated wasteland filled with hidden dangers and secrets. S.T.A.L.K.E.R.: Shadow of Chernobyl has many moments of brilliance when it comes to its environments, its weapon design, sound design, its anomalies, its mutants and npcs. I have to talk about the locations, because they are fascinating to behold, what stands out to me in particular is the design of the Chernobyl NPP. The game has you exploring the ruins of the old nuclear power station, and you cannot help but be fascinated at the environment. I am not sure how accurate Chernobyl NPP is to real life, but it feels realistic. The game will have you walking to each location and navigating the environment using binoculars and bolts, this enables you to both locate enemies but also root out anomalies. The guns you use seem well designed and satisfying to use. The game is partly of the horror genre, as there will be many locations where you will go into tunnels and fight mutants as you progress further. Sometimes, I would dread going into a tunnel as I knew that bloodsuckers and controllers would be lurking within. The sound of these environments are really eerie, and you will often be looking over your shoulder. The lore behind the game is there, but it is never in your face. It makes me want to find more about the zone and its inhabitants. The story is quite hard to follow, but is fascinating nevertheless. It leaves the player a bit confused, but wanting more from the game.
There are some issues with the game or "anomalies" that can affect enjoyment of the game. First of all, the game is really grindy. There are several aspects of the game that contribute to this feeling: the fact that you have to walk to every location in the game with some backtracking (later addressed in Clear Sky), and some sections of the game are really difficult with thousands of NPC's to battle through (especially in the sarcophagus). It is a really difficult game with survival management. You will die plenty of times, make sure you are stocked up with medikits and anti-rads. Some of this is by design, as the zone is a harsh, unforgiving environment, but for me they felt a little tedious. There are some aspects of the game that I wished were also more developed. The faction hubs and pockets on the map where Stalkers group together are interesting spaces of potential, but there just isn't anything to do in these places. The sky is always grey and overcast, which Clear Sky also improves on. That being said, it never took away from the experience and the immersion for me.
I think what S.T.A.L.K.E.R. Shadow of Chernobyl offers is really unique, and I can wholeheartedly recommend it on the basis of its masterfully created zone and atmosphere. I have never played a game set in a post-apocalyptic scenario so immersive and realistically designed and thought out. Partly the draw is also thanks to its setting in Chernobyl which is an equally fascinating topic in real life. The game is not an easy one, and there are many bugs, glitches, in addition to the difficult game-play, and the graphical stuttering. But, I find it leaves you intrigued by its concept and makes you appreciate the environments it puts the players in. Play this game, and lose yourself in its world.
great game, honestly wish we had more games like this that were PVE coop games and not just PVP zero effort slop
Played with Autumn Aurora 2 but you can still feel the brilliance of the base game shine underneath, Great atmosphere, difficult and can't wait to quicksave quickload in future games
Иди ко мне, Иди ко мне my ass
I'am just trying to find the wishgranter, while fighting the monolith with a half broken gun and armor
now seriously, this game is beautiful. The gameplay and everything is just pure stalker game, which is perfect
Before I begin, don't get me wrong- this game's atmosphere and world is absolutely amazing and I love it to pieces. I get why it has such a thriving, active community. Props to the developers for making such a desolate and beautiful world so long ago!
...The gunplay though, accuracy specifically, makes me want to punch something. I don't think that it's fun at all and completely devastates the experience for me personally. It feels like the worst parts of Payday 2 in terms of bullets going wherever they feel randomly. It's not fun- it's stress inducing.
Shots that I've dead-eyed on a scope shouldn't whizz by an enemy like it's a comedy bit where they draw the outline of the enemy- but that's just how it feels half the time. I can excuse it a tad since it's very RPG-like from what i hear? but eh,, I guess it's a bit of a hit and miss for some people :(
Will give the other games a go though and hope that they aren't as agonising in that department.. :)
Frustrating early game, even more frustrating end game. But pretty enjoyable overall. Most notably, it has amazing atmosphere and a pretty fascinating world and lore to explore. This is my first stalker game and i plan on playing the rest 7/10
A True Masterpiece
As a devoted fan of the S.T.A.L.K.E.R. series, having explored every installment (except for the highly anticipated *S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2*), I can confidently say that *Shadow of Chernobyl* is nothing short of legendary. It’s not just a game—it’s an experience that has set an unparalleled standard in atmospheric storytelling and immersive gameplay.
The atmosphere is nothing less than breathtaking. From the haunting beauty of the Chernobyl Exclusion Zone to the constant feeling of danger lurking around every corner, the game pulls you into its world and never lets go. Every sound, shadow, and abandoned building tells a story, painting a vivid picture of a world ravaged by both disaster and human ambition.
What sets this game apart is the depth of its narrative and characters. Every stalker you meet has their own story to tell, their own motivations, and their own struggles. This human element makes the Zone feel alive, with each encounter contributing to a larger tapestry of survival, greed, and, above all, resilience. The creators didn’t just build a game; they built a world with heart and soul, deserving of recognition far beyond the russian-speaking community.
The attention to detail is astounding. From the realistic weapon mechanics to the dynamic weather and AI behavior, it’s clear that every aspect of the game was crafted with care and precision. But what truly stands out is the moral core of the story. The game doesn’t just entertain; it challenges you to think, to question, and to reflect on the choices you make. It’s a rare example of gaming as an art form, where the lines between right and wrong are deliberately blurred, forcing players to confront their own sense of ethics.
S.T.A.L.K.E.R. is more than just a game; it’s a cultural phenomenon and a benchmark in the gaming industry. It has earned the respect and admiration of fans worldwide, and for good reason. Few games achieve this level of brilliance, and even fewer leave a lasting legacy like this one.
If you haven’t experienced the Zone yet, do yourself a favor—take the plunge. You won’t just play it; you’ll live it.
Stability
Like any STALKER game, it tends to be unstable (although some people never have problems, lucky them).
Of course, on my end it crashed after about 2 hours, so I decided to installed ZRP, a well known vanilla like mod that fixes most crashes/bugs, and it works really well, now I only crash every 6-8 hours, and I could even finish the game while doing most of the side quests, yay!
ZRP allows you to create a new save with ESCAPE + S, just for that you should install it because you'll probably have to load an older save from time to time. If you keep crashing, your best bet is to load a save before entering your current area, otherwise, 0 game breaking bug on my end
Story
The story is great, if you don't spoil yourself it's honestly pretty good
Atmosphere
The atmosphere is excellent (although nostalgia may be a factor). It's "light horror", there are places that have many explicit materials (like dismembered corpses and such), some jumpscares (if you're not careful), which contrasts with a cozy fire where a stalker is playing guitar. As you progress through the story and go further toward the center, the areas will feel less safe, have better geared enemies, nasty mutants, less safe zones etc.
But the areas that you already visited will also change depending on your progress in the story, what you did in this area, if a group of stalkers traveled here or not, so you may be surprised from time to time even in those area.
Well, TLDR, it's a strong point of the game.
Gunplay
The gunplay is awful, they made this weird decision of bullets doing whatever the f they want when you shoot. You pinpoint your enemy's head, pray, and after about 10 shot 1 will probably hit his head, it's that bad. And you also have to account for bullet drop if you shoot from far enough.
So you either have to be somewhat close to your enemy, or always go for the highest accuracy weapon you can get so you can reliably headshot (but still stay somewhat close to your enemy to ease your pain)
Example: the Vintar BC, which I used for most of the mid to end game with Master difficulty, is pretty f*cking good, because it's so accurate that it tends to shoot where you're aiming, which just feels magical in this game. Like, you aim for the head at mid range, shoot, the guy is dead with the first shot, and you just wonder "wow, wtf happened, am I still playing SOC??"
Oh, and bodyshot don't do much, maybe 10% damages? It's awful. You really have to go for the head, even for mutants.
Balance
But wait, if the gunplay is awful, then the balance can't be good no? No, not at all. On Master difficulty, the balance is fine. The early game might be a bit rough (a shotgun with slugs is decent!), but past that, if you remember to crouch at your lowest (with the 2 keys), aim for the head, use a somewhat high caliber, a scope, and be at a reasonable distance, it's not so bad.
And if your aim is bad, nothing is stopping you to always bring hundreds of ammo for each trip, they are not that heavy. A shotgun with buckshot for mutants works wonders. A scoped rifle/sniper for NPCs, and you're set.
Making tons of money is really easy (mainly grab all artifacts you can and stockpile them for quests, selling those that are not used for quests), so you can always have top notch gear, at least as good as your enemies.
Some artifacts are very powerful (eg: 2 moonlights and 2 crystals give you unlimited sprint and nullify radiations for most of the game), it just takes some thought to combine them.
Some mutants are kind of "tough" (bullet sponges), but they won't 1 hit you, and they die reasonably fast especially if you aim for the head (did I tell you to always aim for the head?), so they feel fair to fight. Also, once you realize almost all mutants don't have range attack, and a shotgun with buckshot will shred any of them... (you get the idea).
There's a great stealth system too. I won't make this review too long, but crouching and taking potshots with a silenced weapon in the dark with nightvision works as it should, meaning enemies will have trouble seeing you/hitting you, so playing safe and being silent is rewarding.
TLDR: early game is the worst, don't let it discourage you
Conclusion
I recommend this game for the superb atmosphere, great story, good balance, fun game loop, despite the strange but manageable gunplay
i cry when i play this but like in a good way also it makes me feel like there is nothing left for me and i like the pain cause i..... yea sin faction is pretty cool
Coming from an OG jewel case owner of STALKER, I can most definitely say with the utmost confidence that this game pioneered that idea of a wasteland in an open 3D world with high fidelity graphics. Most could say Fallout 3 did that but it wasn't out until 2008 and STALKER came out originally in 2007. I had gotten an 8800GT because of STALKER and in turn had one of the BEST gaming experiences I had ever had as a young adult. Regardless of the age of this game, it is worth owning and playing. I recently played it again because of STALKER 2 and found myself playing it again. I am going to be coming back to this after I complete STALKER 2.
As a gamer dad, I plan on introducing classics like these to my son for the appreciation of gaming and the progress game development has made. I can only hope he takes interest as much as I did.
The story was super interesting and the atmosphere was astounding !
#fuckthemonolith
Игры похожие на S.T.A.L.K.E.R.: Shadow of Chernobyl
Дополнительная информация
| Разработчик | GSC Game World |
| Платформы | Windows |
| Ограничение возраста | Нет |
| Дата релиза | 17.01.2025 |
| Metacritic | 82 |
| Отзывы пользователей | 95% положительных (14356) |