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

S.T.A.L.K.E.R. is one of those series that you keep hearing good things about, even from your non-gamer friends. So, naturally, I picked up the first game, 15 years later, and yeah... boy was I disappointed... The first thing to note is that the base game (vanilla) is hardly playable. Ridden with bugs and filled with a lot of technical and balance issues. This is such a big issue because when someone is talking about this game, they are probably talking about a highly modded version or a "total conversion", which makes the overall rating system pointless. SoC is not a typical FPS by any means. It's specifically engineered to give the player a bad time. For example: - weapons have an accuracy rating, influenced by a lot of factors, which makes shooting feel like a total lottery - damage is totally inconsistent across the game, raging from one-shot kills to unloading a full shotgun at point-blank and still having the enemy walking. The same can be said about your armor. - there is a carry limit which drastically limits your inventory. This is paired with a stamina system which makes going from A to B, a total nightmare if encumbered. - ammo weighs a lot - stealth is almost nonexistent with the sole exception of using a "stealth" head-shot. Anything beyond that will be impossible as loading a save will load all enemies in a alert state, basically knowing your every move. - enemies respawn after a few hours and sometimes they spawn right near you The list goes on and on but there's a character limit to this review. There are two positive aspects though: the ladder climbing mechanic (which is probably the best up to that period of time) and the music, and especially the guitar songs. In order to have a somewhat good time, playing this game with gameplay mods is essential. Going vanilla (or ZRP mod) up to a point would let you better appreciate various community tweaks. My rating is for the vanilla version, so your experience may vary wildly based on your mod choice.

S.T.A.L.K.E.R.: Shadow of Chernobyl is a classic for a reason! With a start reminiscent of Fallout: NV that's quick to get you on the road and gameplay that allows for interesting combat encounters! Progression is also totally based on equipment rather than leveling, so the strength you gain is super palpable and not just numbers based, which is always really cool! Highly recommend

Like a 1999 toyota camry, she still drives like a dream

Despite the games age it still offers a unique experience that not many games have been able to re-capture. The closest we got has been the metro series which is also a fantastic series. That said... It is not without it's flaws, with tasks/jobs sometimes bugging out (not game breaking so far), a few terrain collision problems (also not game breaking). And it can have a bit of a learning curve for your average player. Things also fell apart for me a bit towards the later parts of the story (no spoilers) when you're forced into more linear combat segments. That said even with these issues, it is very much a solid experience that holds up even by todays standards, mainly when it comes to the atmosphere and how the world feels. Some gameplay aspects will inevitably feel outdated though And with stalker 2 out as well, now's a great time to invest into the whole franchise.

A game that still can hold it's on despite it's age, still has good graphics and a big world to explore with many mechanics, for me it's on par with Fallout New Vegas which came 3 years later.