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

Came a long while ago, still amazing

Yes it's an old game, yes it has some jank but... I have not ran into that much issues, honestly it's a good game to play.

I first played S.T.A.L.K.E.R. shortly after it came out, around 15 years ago. It was an experience that stayed with me. With STALKER 2's release, I decided to give it another go, as I haven't played it in forever. It was a very interesting experience. The world design is fantastic. It's a great setting that pulls you in and the atmosphere is brilliant throughout the entire game. Hearing the people joke and sing in their own native language, playing the guitar as they sit around a campfire in an otherwise dreary setting, it's just fantastic. Wandering the world is fun, you never know just what you're going to run into. One moment you might be wandering in peace, then get swarmed by a pack of vicious, blind dogs. Or caught in a firefight between bandits and other Stalkers. The story is good. I don't think it's anything amazing, but it's good enough to keep me invested and wanting to learn what happens next. The voice acting is great, and I love listening to the native tongue, even though I don't speak it. The accents are great. It's good stuff. This is all well and good, and the reason why the game stands out! However, it is a first person shooter and, well, there's some issues here. The game starts out brutal. You take almost no hits before dying, and your guns are absolute trash that couldn't hit the broad side of a barn if you were point blank. It gets better in the middle. You've got decent weapons and you feel like you're gaining control. Then comes the final act. Good lord, this is where the game makes it very clear it hates you and wants you to suffer. It is agonizing. You will die over and over and over again, reloading constantly just to progress. While I enjoyed my journey, I was SO glad when it was over. For all its flaws, the original STALKER is still a fascinating experience. I recommend giving it a try, and try to get past the very rough start. Feel free to quit when you reach Pripyat though. It's all pain from there.

old but still a great game. having a lot of fun playing

Definetely gonna worth check it out if you like survival/shooters