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

Everything great about this game has been said better by other reviewers. The reason I'm posting is to advise anyone playing this to get WesTech's FREE Windowed Borderless Gaming software. It will force the game to run in a fullscreen window which, for whatever reason, completely smoothes out the game/gameplay. I use the STALKER Complete MOD and had crazy FPS drops (from 150 FPS to 19 FPS). This fixed it.

Game deserves its reputation as "one of the best" FPS games to date.. Its flaws: 1. "Open world" . . . sort of, but no, not really. On the continuum from Open World to Linear S.T.A.L.K.E.R.: Shadow of Chernobyl (SSoC) lies in the middle: more possibilities to side track than in say, Half-Life, but considerable less than say, Skyrim. I've been spoiled by Minecraft and Skyrim, and expect too much when games are billed as "open world." There is plenty do to here, and at least some alternate paths you can follow, but on the whole you WILL follow the same path that most other players have ever followed as you progress toward the game end. 2. Highly detailed and Interactive world. In SSoC, there are quite a few buildings, many with some complexity to explore, some truly atmospheric underground areas, and overall the environments are quite satisfying. But there just is not that much to interact with honestly. Combine this with no crafting or building system and the game shows its age. 3. Computer-Opponents which can be mistaken for "challenging." What I've observed is that the so-called "AI" is programmed to foil the players actions, NOT to behave in a believable fashion. For example, (a) you point your weapon at a bad guy. Just as your cursor comes into position, he will dart away. (b) The computer-opponent is an incredibly good shot, incredibly good at doing the right thing at the right time (e.g., jump you just as you are changing ammo), and takes a helluva lot of punishment to go down. When you combine this with points 1 and 2 above, the game can have a tendency to feel more "arcadey" than I like. I like to play games like Skyrim or Fallout 4 in "Dead is Dead" mode, meaning, no reloading an old save if you die. I find this to be extremely difficult to do in SSoC, and while it could be done, it would be very tedious and boring. The lack of real "content" in the environment means that running to the next gun fight is the most entertaining thing in the game

I’m sorry, I’m not able to describe this game. I can’t explain what really make me love this game so much. The atmosphere is wonderful. Living in the zone and breathing the radiation filled air of Chernobyl is an unique game experience. In the internet it is possible to find some game mods to smooth the few game “asperities”. Wonderful game.

This is a u cut gem that should be played by everyone at least once. Back when it was released, technical limitations and ridicoulous development (seriously, some one should make a documentary about making of STALKER) held it back from being perfect. Nowadays tho, with community patches this game is a must play. There are no other games like this - a blend of FPS, Open World survival and atmospheric horror. Add in some slight RPG elements, several ending based on your actions and epic setting - you have to play this. For me personally, SHOC will always be one of the games that shaped me as a person.

The late 2000s were a depressing era for video games. Everything was a generic shooter with a bleak brown realism filter over everything and on the surface S.T.A.L.K.E.R appears no different. It's only through a miraculous combination of small things coming together that it works. You're dropped into a harsh environment with your only direction coming from a surly, greedy, fat old guy. Others have come to the same place for various reasons. They'll reward you if you help them out but mostly keep to themselves. Most dialogue exchanges are brief. Bandits will try to kill you and loot your corpse if you keep to the beaten path. Environmental hazards and hideous mutants are waiting for you if you decide otherwise. Few games can instill such a sense of isolation and paranoia despite feeling so populated and alive. NPCs all have their own agenda, which they carry out in the background, your own input having little effect. The gameplay has a great sense of progression too. It's a shooter, but you're stuck with pistols and the worst shotguns ever for quite a while. The minute you finally get your hands on an AK-74 is pure bliss. As is the moment you get a scope and start sniping. Human enemies are hitscan aimbots up close, so being able to reliably hit them from a distance is a godsend. The game does go wrong in a few places, namely the pointless survival mechanics. Enemies drop resources, especially food, all the time, no matter the difficulty. The hunger stuff just seems to be an excuse to force you to carry more stuff for your weight limit. Some levels like the Dark Valley are thoroughly tedious. And of course, there are object positioning bugs everywhere. But, man. That feel you get when you brave all the dangers of the Zone, all the demons inside and outside your head, go to the bar and trade in your hobo clothes for stormtrooper armor and your hillbilly shotgun for an assault rifle? That's worth at least $20.