Install. Grey screen. CTD. I have a somewhat upper-end rig but nothing out of the ordinary. I tried lots of tricks to get this working but no luck. Had to refund. Perhaps the game will be patched to a better state.
I have played Stalker 2 for about 40 hours now: enough to form an opinion. This is from the perspective of a high-end machine (7800X3D, rtx 4090, 4TB SSD); I understand that other combinations have more issues so expect mileage to vary. I have encountered no game stopping bugs. The game looks great and runs smoothly on epic settings. I played all of the other Stalker games and Stalker Anomaly when new and this game has a similar feel. The locations are a mix of the familiar and unfamiliar making exploration fun. The map is quite large. I do agree that many aspects of the game need work. However hundreds of mods are already available and they address many concerns regarding A-life, economy, balance, etc. Adding mods is easy and allows one to tailor the game extensively. The Stalker team is responsive and have produced several patches. Bottom line: I found the base game felt... off at release. For example I tended to spend more on ammunition and repairs than I was making. However, I have been running it with 12 mods and it is a completely different experience. So much fun! I am satisfied with the game right now and expect it to improve.
I am having so much fun with this game! Feels a bit like Fallout 2 with a more complex set of skills and better engine and story line. About 50 hours in. Nice to have an old-fashioned CRPG where I need to use a whole variety of skills and combat isn’t the overwhelming focus. I’ve snuck around, picked locks, hacked terminals, fixed reactors, crafted all sorts of goodies (what looks like junk is not when you get into this), cooked meals, talked a lot, solved puzzles, laughed at Easter eggs…. I just had a weird-ass conversation with a bunch of people who had been driven insane and got them to give me the artifact I needed because I could speak their lingo. Well, and I’ve killed a few things too. Combat is not the main strength of this game, and I suspect you will find it unsatisfying if you approach it that way. The difficulty level can also make a huge difference. At the second lowest level I find it fairly easy and can focus on the story and atmosphere. At higher levels there is more difficulty and micromanagement. I recommend starting low and then moving up if you find it too easy.
For me, the bottom line is always: "Am I having fun?" Yes, yes I am. This game is beautiful, exciting, and deep. The opening sequence reminded me of the beginning of KOTOR, where I felt a real sense of urgency and awe while learning the ropes. I've encountered more companions than I can have in my party at one time. Each provided a different set of skills and an interesting story line. The world is rich, with many objects both useful and/or colorful (heh, portrait of Lohse). Voice acting and cutscenes are very well done. I have found that I need to use thought and tactics to succeed in battle (I've had my posterior handed to me a couple of times when I didn't). I am running this at 4K on a high end machine without having encountered any visual problems or obvious bugs; I don't know about other platforms so take that for what it is. About 7 hours in. I didn't go into this with a lot of expectations, certainly not that it should be like BG2. Someone else wrote that it feels between classic Baldur's Gate and Divinity Original Sin 2, and I agree. I loved both games, so not a bad thing. This works very well! The character creation is versatile but takes some learning and experimentation to use effectively. I at first created a male with breasts above and, um, junk below before I learned to change the body type. The game does allow quite a range of biological types but doesn't prevent your avatar from being what you want, and I'm fine with that. Recommended!
Many people compare this to Baldur's Gate 2, but I find it feels more like an updated Neverwinter Nights 2 without depressing story lines and falling rocks. It has a lot of cut scenes for advancing the story line. These are well done, and sometimes quite funny. I have encountered no noticeable bugs, The game is quite customizable. I have played with dice everywhere, and then again with a more streamlined and faster version. Both work well. You can save anywhere, any time. I like the graphics at 4K, maximum quality. The small touches are well done. For example, shadows are cast by the characters, and armor changes are pictured both in portraits and in game. Locations are spectacular. Many have a big vertical component, and I find they handle the third dimension better than other isometric CRPGs. It feels effortless. The combat is turn based, with all that entails. If you are used to real time you might find it slow. Strategy is different, as is the tension. I'm often thinking and adjusting each turn. You have a plan, and then your ranger botches all of her attacks. What will your wizard do now? Fun. Character customization is excellent. Classes and backgrounds affect skills, quests, and conversations. This game plays a little differently from classic tank/killer/healer/mage. Each character can benefit from skill in both melee and ranged attacks. I played with two rangers, a healing cleric, and a wizard, and had no problem successfully completing the main campaign. The game provides a powerful framework for mods, and I have found multiple fan-made quests and campaigns online. You can easily extend your gaming to four or five times the length of the main campaign. Minor negative points: The characters you create can be, well, ugly. DLCs addressed that to some extent. As others have pointed out, there are not enough voices available. A DLC with a few more choices would be nice. I would buy more DLCs and another game from these developers. Highly recommend.
Another longtime role-playing gamer: I also remember Ultima IV (fondly)... and Ultima I. I enjoyed this game a lot. Play time for me was about 57 hours. The only bug I encountered was a minor inventory bug in the finale - nothing which would impact finishing. Graphics, atmosphere, and music were well done, and the story was fine. The world was original. Early combat was pretty easy, but by the end I needed to manage the battles carefully. I can think of some potential improvements: more development of companion characters, some interface streamlining, etc. However, I would consider these minor points. Heh, I had more complaints when some of the "classics" first came out. In the end, I had fun playing the game, and I would buy another from these developers.
I played all of the Wasteland and Fallout games, and helped fund this game. I'm not disappointed. I've played about 47 hours, and I am not yet near the end. In the 47 hours I've had one CTD and a few minor bugs. I would rate the single-player stability on my system as very good. Loading times have been under 20 seconds; I haven't experienced the very long times of which others have complained. Updates seem to have improved performance and allow the camera to zoom out a little further. On release, the camera was similar to the early days of Wasteland 2 where I was admiring the hairs on the heads of my characters while some unseen enemy was shooting them from 20 feet away. The structure of the missions resembles Wasteland 2. If you liked Wasteland 2, you should also like this game. This game involves a LOT of decisions, inviting experimentation and adding replay value. Most missions can be accomplished in multiple ways, and not all need to involve dispensing great gobs of death (though feel free). I'm already thinking of another play-through with a different approach. Generally, this game doesn't sit clearly in the good vs. evil camp, and many decisions will leave you thinking about your own morality and choices between shades of gray. The weird-o-meter of this game sits closer to the original Wasteland than Wasteland 2. Expect lots of humor and odd characters. Be warned, it is as politically correct as Monty Python. In the end, the bottom line for me has to be: Is the game fun? Yes, yes it is. I have to tear myself away late each night. I find myself thinking of the game when I'm not playing. I will play it again, and likely fund the next in the series.
I really, really wanted to like this game. It has a lot going for it, especially great visuals, audio, and atmosphere. I found the game world and story very interesting. Perhaps too interesting... I wanted to explore and experience more, but I couldn't. I wanted to talk to people and find out how they fit into the fascinating history. I wanted to read books and learn more of that history. Instead, I found Bioshock Infinite to be very linear, and I felt like the game and interface were forcing me into a mold rather than adapting to what I wanted to do. I could not simply immerse myself; I was always a little uncomfortable and restricted. I might have enjoyed this more as, say, an open world role-playing game. The killer for me was the use of checkpoint saves. Twenty years ago I was able to play for long periods of time without interruption, but no more. I need "save anywhere" to play a game. If these things don't bother you, then this might very well be your five star game.
I Kickstarted this game, and have no regrets in this case. I certainly can't say that about every game. I've played the entire game from beginning to end in my other versions, and my next play through will use the GOG version (now that I have it). My first play through took more than 90 hours. I was expecting a successor to Fallout 1 and 2, and that's what I got. Not a clone, something very similar but different enough to stand alone. It is a little clunky in places, the AI can be a little stupid, and the game could really use a tutorial. Made me feel right at home. It is also funny, exotic, and complex. I would not advise a pure combat build for this game; you will need to use other skills. I found a lot of depth when I really explored. The developers are actually listening to feedback and suggestions, and putting out updates to improve the game. I would recommend Atom RPG to anyone with a classic CRPG itch.
I am enjoying this game immensely. If you liked Pillars of Eternity I, then you should like this game even more. If you're looking for another action RPG, or loot-driven RPG, this probably isn't it. Pillars II is complicated. You must put some time and thought into choices in character development and conversations and branches in the plot. Feels old-school, in a good way. While combat is an integral (and sometimes challenging - I've had my backside handed to me a couple of times when I didn't manage battles well) part of Pillars II, it implements non-violent options extremely well. In one encounter, I found at least 4 ways to get at and kill my enemy, ways to blackmail him, humiliate and blackmail him, join him, double-cross him... I'm sure there are more. None of these paths led to "worse" outcomes, but rather, different outcomes. I do hate games where I get rewarded more for killing an opponent (e.g. through unique loot) than for using an alternate and more difficult method. The graphics and music are great. I've encountered no major bugs (PC). The story is excellent. I have not gotten lost in the plot at all, but this is a huge and well packed game world to explore. Plan on spending some time there. I find Pillars to have that magic "just need to do one more thing before I stop" quality.
