Imagine you're carrying something very valuable through a very hostile wasteland, only to be betrayed by someone you trusted and left for dead. Now imagine that you wake up and start on a quest for revenge only to end up being a kingmaker. Sounds like Fallout: New Vegas, right? That's the basic premise this game shares with that one. But far from being an imitation of New Vegas, STALKER 2 does what STALKER games do: give you a vast and weird world to survive and thrive in while allowing you to do the right (or wrong) thing or take a third option. VISUALS Outstanding but not without issues. Nanite comes into its own, allowing literally billions of polygons to be displayed at once though instancing. This is the same developer that boasted of a million polygons being displayed in the originals. However, the current version of the game uses software raytracing through Lumen, so you need a strong CPU to run it until hardware raytracing is added in a future patch. The game will also compile shaders every time you start, which gets annoying. The game also lacks optimization, but for now, there are several mods to fix this. SOUND Most of the sounds have been ported from the previous STALKER games, but I can't complain. GAMEPLAY Here is where I I have the most criticisms. Using quick-access items isn't intuitive - you 2 keys for 4 items; press x once to use item 1, hold for 2, press z for 3 and hold for 4. This is easily forgotten and I have used medkits instead of bandages by accident. There is a selector wheel which is more straightforward, but it's not as good as the old games. The menu doesn't make clear that you can rebind keys - you can by pressing the word "keyboard" above the myriad of hold-or-toggle options. Combat is like an ArmA game with controls for things like holding your breath while aiming. Actions such as using medkits take time, so you can't press the heal button in a gunfight. VERDICT Recommended, but be prepared to use mods or wait for patches.
Imagine you're carrying something very valuable through a very hostile wasteland, only to be betrayed by someone you trusted and left for dead. Now imagine that you wake up and start on a quest for revenge only to end up being a kingmaker. Sounds like Fallout: New Vegas, right? That's the basic premise this game shares with that one. But far from being an imitation of New Vegas, this STALKER game does what STALKER games do: give you a vast and weird world to survive and thrive in while allowing you to do the right (or wrong) thing or take a third option. VISUALS Outstanding but not without issues. Nanite comes into its own, allowing literally billions of polygons to be displayed at once though instancing. This is the same developer that boasted of a million polygons being displayed in the originals. However, the current version of the game uses software raytracing through Lumen, so you need a strong CPU to run it until hardware raytracing is added in a future patch. The game will also compile shaders every time you start, which gets annoying. The game also lacks optimization, but for now, there are several mods to fix this. SOUND Most of the sounds have been ported from the previous STALKER games, but I can't complain. GAMEPLAY Here is where I have some criticisms. Using quick-access items isn't intuitive - you 2 keys for 4 items; press x once to use item 1, hold for 2, press z for 3 and hold for 4. This is easily forgotten and I have used medkits instead of bandages by accident. There is a also selector wheel which is more straightforward. The menu doesn't make clear that you can rebind keys - you can by pressing the word "keyboard" in the menu above the myriad of hold-or-toggle options. Combat is similar to an ArmA game with controls for things like holding your breath while aiming. Actions such as using medkits take time, so you can't press the heal button in a gunfight. VERDICT Recommended, but be prepared to use mods or wait for patches.
Nymphomaniac is part sex game, part horror game, part origin story. Vydija is a Super Lovable Uninhibited Thirtysomething who needs to pay the rent. Each client/hookup has a chance of being a killer (even those who have been with you before). Some signs of a killer are obvious and others are subtle, and this makes arranging hookups unsettling (until you know what to look for; I hope the devs add more risk in the future). You also need to read each client's profile and chat with them to find out what they like or don't like. While Vydija spreads her legs for fun and profit, she is also given tasks to lower her stress level (though I highly recommend allowing it to reach max for the secret cutscene) and you can sell underwear and videotapes (and jars of piss) for extra money, and use that money to buy new toys and outfits. At any time, you may leave your apartment to get to the first floor. Every time you go down a floor, random changes can occur - some are subtle, others are obvious, and can make reaching the first floor an interesting journey in its own right, but it is by doing this that you learn about Vydija's history and find collectables. That said, the game is quite incomplete - the game was intended to be an early access title, but the developers were not allowed to sell it under that label on Steam. The developers recently released a development roadmap on their Discord and Steam pages and are welcoming of suggestions. Praises 90s-inspired retro visual style (being a spinoff of Paranoid) with great lighting Element of risk makes it more realistic New model of Vydija with boob and penetration physics Exercise animations are good Anomaly/corridor puzzle is surprisingly addictive Cutscene when sleeping at max stress level Criticisms Small number of clients (for now) No stamina/climax system (ejaculations are coming in the November update)
Visuals: 9 This is one of the few erotic games with AAA graphics. The lighting, color, and art style are phenomenal. A few characters' eyes look kind of... weird, but that's nitpicking. The animations are smooth, and that includes (most of) the sex animations. Sound: 9 The sounds are as rich and detailed as the visuals. Story: 8 Playing the predecessor game, Lust for Darkness, is not necessary but does help to give understanding of the motivations of two major characters, Amanda and Johnathan. The game starts like a cheesy horror movie, complete with the protagonist making decisions that make you want to beat him over the head with how stupid he is, but evolves into an an engaging plot (though if you've played Lust for Darkness, you will know where it's going) rich with lore for those who like to explore. Gameplay: 6 The game is mostly a walking simulator with an emphasis on exploration and evasion. Inside Lustghaa, you can unlock various upgrades for character stats that will help you survive. The puzzles start easy and get rather difficult later on. You unlock the game's lore by picking up objects in Lustghaa and notes in the human world. Combat is clunky, but there is not much of it. Sex: 8 The story actually portrays sex in an unflattering light, though the developers recognize that it would not be erotic horror without eroticism and have provided optional sex scenes through side content called "Chambers of Pleasure" that's unlocked as you progress through the story. Most of the sex in the game is cold and loveless to fit the game's theme, but there is a romantic sex scene with a character called Mabel that you will get by making the right dialogue decisions (hint: don't tell her what she wants to hear... or just check the Steam Guides). Overall: 8.5 The game is a labor of love and it shows. A rare case of the sequel being better than the original.
2 years 950 hours later, can safely say that while this game is far from perfect, it is still enjoyable. I do feel the game world is lacking in the variety of activities (I wish there was more racing, more boxing, and other types of mini-games) but the characters make going through it worth it even after you have done it all before: every character is incredibly varied and lifelike and I never get tired of hearing what they have to say. The facial animations and voice acting is top notch. Additional replay value comes from character build variety, especially after Patch 1.5 fixed and readjusted the perks. Mods also help a lot. If you have a PC, do yourself a favor and get the PC version. The graphics are excellent, but if you are going to use raytracing, I highly recommend an RTX card because DLSS offers better quality than FSR and you can control the sharpening (as of patch 1.5). Sound is rich and detailed and the music ranges from "meh" to "so awesome you need to add it to your device." Overall, I recommend you buy on sale.
...none of the microtransactions!
