The game is an obvious interpretation/iteration of the STALKER franchise. Therefore, temper your expectations and keep an open mind. Similarities: * Chernobyl location: landmarks, musty bunkers, shady tunnels, secret labs and Soviet posters * The essence of the stalker profession/mentality/behavior/'gopnikhood' * Atmosphere: better than STALKER due to being much more recent, realistic and impressive graphically * FPS, inventory management & weapon customization Differences: * Day-based exporation over several smaller maps instead of the free-roam in STALKER * Better storytelling: no exposition! * Murky morality: NPCs are presented from several biased viewpoints, obscuring the villains and saints. The player can also act like a psycho * Well-defined NPCs: each has a decent backstory and a set of opinions * Heavy branching with consequences and revisiting of prior decisions * Team morale management: much more impactful and time consuming than one could think! * Base building: lots of manufacturing machines, air/radiation/electricity generators * No humor - everybody is goal-oriented. No guitars, campfires or atrocious jokes * No bugs or crashes Unique points: * Innovative editing of story decisions: enables building an alternate reality with desired outcomes * Realistic representation of chunks of contemporary Chernobyl - detailed and nostalgic * A separate stat for mental stress caused by killing - such a simple idea! * Color commentary from the NPCs is quite interesting Negatives: * The game's AA grade is clearly visible if one becomes bored and starts poking at things * The English voiceovers are hit-or-miss: the main character is voiced like a funny British professor (aka Monty Python), which stands out like a sore thumb in this depressing world * Combat is uninspiring. Wonky stealth, certain superpowered tactics * Horror is superfluous in this game - it is dark as it is In total, I enjoyed the experience and would recommend it
