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Utterly frustrating with a side order of total disappointment.

2 Rating: 2, Useful: 10 / 18
Date: March 31, 2007
Author: Amazon User

This game was said to have been much more than it is. In concept, it's neat. In application, it utterly failed. It could have been so much more than it actually is and that is the source of my frustration. It has a very neat world, decent atmosphere at times, and kind of a twist on FPS.

The problems are immense.

The graphics engine is out of date and still manages to grind my setup to a halt. My system runs most any FPS in high resolution, with everything turned up -- and barely runs Stalker with everything turned down. Unbelievable.

The quest structure/implementation is completely broken. Utterly. If you can even figure out what to do some of the time you'll be lucky if you don't fail a quest without explanation only to reload, do the same thing, and complete the quest. The scripted events are crucial to your progression through the game, but can easily be derailed by quest failure.

The enemy respawing is just ridiculous. They'll randomly respawn right in front of you. Endless groups of enemies just appear near you. You can clear an area, walk a ways, turn around, and there's another giant group of enemies.

Enemies can hone in on you and fire accurately and incredible ranges, while you can't even see them. Apparently bandits have night vision implanted into their skulls and have entire areas of the land wired with motion sensitive alarms -- because you can't creep three inches if one is within a hundred meters without being seen or heard.

The patch -- for the love of god -- do not install it if you've already started playing. It invalidates all previous save games. It's also a mostly multi-player patch and has almost no value for a single player person.

It's amazing what the software industry gets away with selling for money these days. If you enjoy lots of build up with sudden aggravating let downs then this is the game for you. If you enjoyed Serious Sam but desire the pretense of a tactical shooter, sorta, then this game is for you.

Personally, I'd much rather enjoy just spending my money on a cheese grater to which I could apply liberally to tender parts of my body.

----- UPDATE ------

I wish I could go back and change the star rating for this game. I feel I was a bit rash, but the things I stated above are essentially still valid. I would give the game 4 stars overall, with a 5 star fun rating.

OVERALL: ****
FUN: *****

I don't feel right about the Serious Sam comparison -- that was just such a violently crappy game -- and I apologize to S.T.A.L.K.E.R. :( Please, S.T.A.L.K.E.R., will you take me back?

The first 20% of the game can be very frustrating, but it is worth bearing with. The game really takes off once you reach a certain point, and while it still has problems, is worth the play. The maps get increasingly cooler and complex, the environments are amazing. It's too bad the economy in the game isn't too substantial. They've patched the game a few times since I originally played it and those patches have much improved the entire experience -- tweaks, bug fixes, changes, etc. I've completed the game many times, and each time I enjoy it. The fact that the game has alternative endings is also a plus.

Overall, a good game of considerable length and depth, and while it has it's share of irritations and problems, is worth the journey.

Plays like Fallout in a FPS format

5 Rating: 5, Useful: 5 / 6
Date: April 09, 2007
Author: Amazon User

Dark gritty atmosphere... It initially took some getting used to. My first impression was not a big deal. However, after playing it for a while it has really grown on me big time. It doesn't flow as smooth as Farcry did; more like HL2 in many ways on graphics. However, the gritty atmosphere and the AI make it gripping and an edge of your seat game.

I was really enjoying the way the game world seems alive. I was by a wrecked train on a hill as a storm rolled in and the wind picked up and moved through the trees and foliage. Then came the crack of thunder and the lightning soon followed. The rain, wind, thunder and lightning effects were by far the best to date on any game I've played. Those features, and many others,more than make up for the fact that the graphics tech is ~2004-2005ish. Actually, we should be glad they are a bit dated.... if not then there would be no one with a system able to run this game. The power it takes to make the world come alive is a lot of work, and requires a ton of code. These folks have really pulled off something revolutionary.

I'm running Vista on a 5200+ AMD x2 with a 7950 GT OC GPU and 2 megs of RAM. I patched it(the game as well as all my drivers) before playing and have had no problems at all.

It does take some getting used to, but if you keep at it, you will find yourself immersed in an awesome story with a lot of freedom to choose how you want to do things. It is a hard game, so as others have said, save often.

Good luck and happy hunting =D

An Incredible Accomplishment

5 Rating: 5, Useful: 5 / 6
Date: June 05, 2007
Author: Amazon User

The game Stalker is loosely based on a Russian science fiction novel. It is not surprising, therefore, that the game was also developed by a Ukrainian company. To me, Stalker is easily one of the best first person shooter games I have played. I would put it up there with Deus Ex and Half-life 2. It has an incredibly engrossing atmosphere, a world where you can go anywhere you like and do whatever you whish besides following the main quest. Playing the game I feel like I'm really there in the zone around the Chernobyl area, which is an amazing feeling because I'm really from Ukraine, Kiev, about 100 kilometers from Chernobyl. I have lived in Ukraine at the time that Chernobyl exploded and I do know quite a bit about the incident that the game depicts. The game never stopped amazing me just how much everything looks like it is taken straight from photographs. The buildings, cars, environments combined together created a genuine Soviet era environments.

Though Stalker is made primarily with English speakers in mind this game contains many instances where knowledge of Russian language is a big plus. It's definitely not required to know Russian to play, but there just so many outright funny moments where knowing the language is helpful. Most conversations that are not vital to the plot are carried out in Russian. For example, you character can sit by the camp fire with other Stalkers and listen to the jokes that they tell each other as well as comments they make about how funny all the jokes are. And some jokes really are funny! Many Stalkers in the game when reacting towards your actions will resort to using Russian slang and swear words that are simply hilarious!

The game itself is fun. The models for weapons are really well done and feel incredibly real. Unlike other FPS this game emphasizes the fact that in real life even an accurate gun is not perfect and will not always hit 100% exactly where crosshairs point. Distance, gravity, bullet caliber, weapon properties and customizations all play significant roles. In fact the weapon might outright jam in the middle of the firefight. Because weapons are not perfect and the main character is not an unstoppable superhuman the player has to account for these problems and be smart about engaging in firefights. The game rewards a creative, intelligent and stealthy player. If you rush into the firefight head on be prepared to reload the game over and over.

The game is not perfect of course. Throughout the game you get a lot of money from looting and quest accomplishments, but there are few things to buy that you can't easily find on a dead body.

For someone who has finished the game I have to say that the ending to Stalker is one of the best, most rewarding endings I have ever seen. I've played it and I'm going to play it again because nothing happens the same way in the game and there is multitude of things I did not do the first time through.

Amazing

4 Rating: 4, Useful: 5 / 6
Date: June 15, 2007
Author: Amazon User

To begin, let me say that even though my copy of S.T.A.L.K.E.R. installed perfectly it absolutely would not launch at first. Needless to say, I was pretty upset. I sent an email to THQ support and received a reply in about two working days asking for more information about my system (DXDIAG). After I sent the requested information, they replied in one day with several things to try. The problem turned out to be that my soundcard drivers (X-FI) needed to be updated. A simple process that completely fixed the problem. THQ support turned out to be excellent (as long as you take the time to register the game).

S.T.A.L.K.E.R. has since run almost perfectly with only a couple of bugs (i.e. some stuttering on certain missions and the door to the first "trader" which can only be forced open after a certain point in the game.) The graphics are excellent, but I'm not sure they're on par with HL2 or Oblivion as some other reviewers have stated (it's probably just my machine). The overall atmosphere is absolutely incredible (something like Fallout 2 translated to a FPS format).

I especially like the strobe lightning effects during nighttime thunder storms and the often angry skies filled with dark clouds. There are radioactive "anomolies" everywhere. Occasionally you'll see careless people, mutants or animals shot high into the air by these effects and then explode into a cloud of blood (or otherwise die badly). Be very careful where you walk in the "zone" (on top of everything else)!! Sometimes it gets too dark to even see three feet ahead at night without NV or a flashlight. You quickly get the impression that you're not in a friendly place.

The single player AI is among the most realistic I've found in any FPS. You really have to effectively use cover, constantly move, strafe, lean and correctly plan your actions -- or you're "dead". The NPC's are eagle-eyed dead shots with a decent bag of tricks who never run out of ammo. It's also very important what kind of firearm and ammo you choose to carry. The AK74 rifles (5.45 x 39mm -- even AP) don't seem all that effective IMHO. As soon as I was able to acquire an assault rifle with a built-in 4x scope shooting the more powerful 5.56 x 45mm AP, things improved greatly (no trouble at all putting down enemies with headshots -- keeping the rifle strictly on semi-auto). Using a scope made all the difference -- at least for me. Trading in the ridiculous little inaccurate 9mm pistol you're given at the beginning for a .45 ACP (or finding an even better pistol that shoots rifle ammo) helps too. There are many interesting real-world weapons and ammo available in S.T.A.L.K.E.R. (for sale, on dead bodies, in marked "stashes", laying on the ground, as payment for jobs, etc.), and the game tries to reproduce their characteristics/effects accurately. You'll find everything from .30 caliber sniper rifles to assault rifles to semi-auto shotguns to revolver type grenade launchers -- not to mention various pistols. I even found a couple of RPG's (way too heavy to carry around but good for specific jobs). The Vintar 9x39mm sniper rifle has got to be my favorite (I'd never heard of the 9x39mm cartridge before S.T.A.L.K.E.R., but it's very effective). Be sure to USE your binoculars to scope out all areas before you visit. They will make a big difference (like showing you exactly where friends, neutrals and enemies are). If you find you're in over your head use the "sprint" key and just run away. You'll take surprisingly little damage (hitting a moving target is difficult for NPC's too).

Also, this is the first FPS I've played where you can often seriously wound your enemies rather than only kill them. As they lay there moaning on the ground, you can walk up and finish them off with a knife, bullet or whatever. Same thing with NPC's fighting on your "side." If they're wounded and you can give them a first aid kit, you'll have a new "friend" and an increased reputation (this can be very important).

S.T.A.L.K.E.R. is a hybrid FPS and RPG game that requires interacting with NPC's and making decisions (at least if you want to get the most out of it). Do you take that side mission for Duty General Veronin, Freedom Leader Lukash or the barkeep? Do you help a particular faction, etc.? Many people have agendas and are willing to hire you, and each side (except for bandits, mercs, etc.) can (and will) give you a good story about why you should help them. But you always must remember both the up and down sides of any decision. The wrong choice can turn out to be a real bummer in terms of the game. (Enemies will actually come looking for you!)

All in all, this game is truly an experience in another, if very depressing world. I wish that there were small things like more subtitles to the frequent Russian that is spoken (the Russian sometimes seems to go on and on). It doesn't help very much that I can't understand any of it, but I guess it does add to the overall atmosphere of the game. A truly great game, or rather game experience. Well worth the wait.

[Edit: ***SPOILER ALERT*** The guy above who felt that finding the "wishgranter" machine near the end of the game finishes everything is completely wrong. This is only a "false" ending meant to throw you off. Instead of going to the machine, you should, if you've played the game correctly, ignore it and instead use the lab door decoder to continue on and find the "real" (and very satisfying) ending(s) to the game where everything is finally explained. There are up to seven possible endings in S.T.A.L.K.E.R, but only the two that don't involve the "wishgranter" machine can be considered "real". (The best way of all IMO is to do a full save right when you enter the actual Chernobyl building near the end. Then you can go back and try the ending BOTH ways.)]

Overall, I feel S.T.A.L.K.E.R. is in most respects better than the follow-the-dots, linear type shooters like HL2, F.E.A.R., or just about any FPS/RPG I've played in recent memory. There are no "bullet-time", slow motion, "gravity" guns or other gimmicks which give the player an edge. Just hard straight-up fighting against NPC's who are as equal to you (equipment, weapons, skill) as possible through computer AI. The game maps are completely open except for the main quest objectives (think Oblivion). There are no "bosses" as such; the fighting just gets harder and harder (with better equipment) as the game progresses -- especially near the end. It's all challenging as hell for a true FPS fan ("casual" type gamers will probably have trouble with the difficulty -- which of course they'll blame on the game rather than themselves). For me, S.T.A.L.K.E.R. often brought back memories of the great Deus Ex when that game was set on its highest (most realistic) A.I. settings. That's the highest recommendation I can give any game. [Wow, this "review" is long. Sorry]

Some New Things in This Game

4 Rating: 4, Useful: 4 / 4
Date: June 07, 2007
Author: Amazon User

I really like STALKER, but I cannot give it 5 stars because of several items. But first the good news: I have never seen such cool weather and sky formations in a FPS, it can change from a nice sunny day to dark and stormy in a matter of minutes, then clear up, just like real weather. The scenery is also very nice, at least on par with HL2 if not better in certain places. The water is great with a nice dirty effect to it.
Now the cons: the story is kinda thin, the area is huge and thus it gets annoying walking all the way from one spot to another to complete a mission then walking all the way back to get the reward. The enemy AI is a little overkilled. They can destroy you with ease but are very hard to kill, even with heavier weapons, though the game does reward head shots if you get them just right.
From reading these reviews it seems as if some people are having issues running this game. I will say that it runs fine on my system(3GHZ Pent. D with 1GIG Ram, and 256MEG graphics card). I will also say I believe it needs at least a 256 card to run the graphics correctly. I have watched a friend try to play it on a system that is not up to speed either on the processor or the graphics card and it had all the problems people have been talking about. Newer games require better equipment, this should be understood by anybody who has done PC gaming for any length of time.

Good Game

4 Rating: 4, Useful: 4 / 4
Date: June 28, 2007
Author: Amazon User

The graphics is on par with Halflife. The sound is usually great, but sometimes the weapons seem a little too loud. I'm a big fan of FPSs, but don't like that most of them are so linear. This game isn't linear at all. It almost feels like an RPG in some ways; open world, there are tons of side quests, the inventory is very RPGish, there are friendly characters that you interact with, you can buy and sell items, etc. The only thing not like an RPG is that your character doesn't level up, but you do get better equipment as you progress through the game. The overall atmosphere of the game really sets a cool mood. It is set around the nuclear facility in Chernobyl. The closer you get to the facility, the stranger things get including mutant animals, zombies, and strange anomalies. Most of the non-mission essential dialog in the game is in Russian which also adds to the overall feel of this post-apocolyptic world. There are some downfalls to the game. Many times, you'll be wishing for faster transportation than your legs. Also, when you first start playing, the battles seem very difficult. It stays difficult until you start getting some decent equipment. I got frustrated a few times because the pistol you start off with is EXTREMELY inaccurate, but it seems the enemy doesn't have any trouble shooting you. This is a minor downfall as you will quickly get used to the difficulty and obtain better equipment. Well, I've said enough. I'd give this game an 8.5 out of 10 and would recommend it to most anyone.

S.T.A.L.K.E.R. - The good and the bad

4 Rating: 4, Useful: 4 / 4
Date: September 03, 2007
Author: Amazon User

I bought this game having low expectations. P.C. gaming has been on a downward spiral thanks to gaming companies taking more interest in the new generation of consoles. I was surprised to find the game quite entertaining. The story is decent, but nothing to write home about. What makes it fun is the freedom to go where you please and complete missions without being forced along. Graphics are very good and the games controls are easy to follow. As you progress through the game, you will receive armor, gun and ammo upgrades. The one downside to all the equipment is that your character can only carry so much. This means you will have to be careful about what you pick up and what you choose to discard. You can receive missions from several characters in the game. Completing them will earn you reputation, money and other goodies. What is really impressive is the enemy AI. These are perhaps the smartest enemies I have ever played in a game. The game does falter in certain areas. Like I said earlier, the story was disappointing overall. Audio in the game was not that impressive. Some of the characters I walked by would say the same thing over and over again. A lot of the sounds like cats howling and the anomaly space distortion get annoying after awhile. The inventory menu leaves much to be desired. It could be more user friendly and easier to manage. All in all, the game gets 4 out of 5. Entertaining and addicting.

THIS is why I still play first person shooters!

5 Rating: 5, Useful: 4 / 4
Date: November 24, 2007
Author: Amazon User

I loved Doom. It was one of first games I ever played on the computer. It set the standard for the FPS genre. Over a decade later, how has the genre evolved? For the most part, it hasn't. Graphics have improved tremendously. Some games make an effort to include a "story." Half Life 2, for example, is glorified as the new standard for the FPS. While it was enjoyable, I can barely recall what happened in the game. Sure, there was a story, but I didn't have any part in it. All I did was point my crosshair at the enemies and move through essentially a very pretty maze. Not much different than Doom.
The first person perspective offers the greatest level of immersion in gaming, if done correctly. There is so much potential for unforgettable gaming. There have been a few games that have raised my expectations for what a FPS can deliver. Two, that I can quickly name: System Shock 2 and Deus Ex. These games are worshipped by what must be a minority of gamers. What else can explain the fact that in seven years there has been no attempt to emulate their perfect blend of gun wielding with an immersive player-driven story and deep customization. Deus Ex 2 was a dumbed-down shadow of the original. I have yet to play Bioshock, the closest thing to a SS2 heir, but feedback has been mixed so I'm not holding my breath.

But finally, another shooter for players who like to think before they shoot!
Along comes S.T.A.L.K.E.R. (that's annoying to type), an unexpected gem that puts the players in the driver's seat and sets them free to roam a hauntingly beautiful landscape full of hidden and not-so-hidden death. You can create join factions, buy and sell weapons and artifacts, complete quests, and explore a radiated and battle-scarred land whose dangers are overshadowed only by its secrets.
The visuals are stunning. In heavily radiated areas, the screen becomes grainy and washed out. Strange energy anomolies pulsate from the ground and packs of mutated dogs run through the fields and patrol the woods. The sights are complimented by a moody ambient soundtrack. The sounds of laughing and the strumming of guitars carry on the wind, as do the sounds of battle. Battles occur whether you are present or not. Time passes in the shadow of Chernobyl regardless of what you do. I healed a badly wounded stalker one day, using up a precious medkit but gaining a friend in a lonely place. Days later I passed his corpse, killed either by animals or bandits. If that had been a scripted event, it wouldn't have had the same effect.
The story is very interesting and involves the player's past as well as the Chernobyl power plant. The search for answers will take you to some of scariest places in recent memory. If you explore and take advantage of what the game offers, it will give many more hours of gameplay than conventional shooters.
Everything about this game feels unique. It exudes atmosphere and provides a memorable break from the simplistic gameplay of the more celebrated first person shooters.

Great concept -- HORRIBLE delivery

1 Rating: 1, Useful: 9 / 16
Date: July 22, 2007
Author: Amazon User

The free-flowing, non-linear gameplay is hamstrung by the fact the game forces you through timed, linear missions, where you will save, restore, restore, restore, restore, kill another mob, repeat the save/restore process, over and over.

I have been playing FPS titles since Wolfenstein, and was one of the first people to play Doom while it was still sharewear, and this one is perhaps the most frustrating one I have found--even on novice it is too hard. Part of this is because the maps have bottlenecks where, sadly, you are the one entering into a tight killzone where 5-7 mobs are well hidden and shooting at you. Part of this is becase the mobs are too hard to kill.

Maybe the programmers think it is cool to make human opponents that can be shot point-blank in the face with a shotgun--twice--and recover before you can reload your shotgun (which hold two rounds) and shoot you dead. Personally, I don't enjoy fighting AI controlled opponents with infinite ammo and superhuman resilience.

Oh, and just to make things even more fun, the mobs you are assisting on the missions tend to all die within the first 3 seconds of battle.

Also, I have seen people talk about the RPG-aspects of this game. There are none. If you play all the way through to the end, your character will have the same skills as when you started. And, he will still only be able to carry 50 pounds. While 50 pounds may not sound too bad, remember, you carry loot back to your home base and sell it to make money. Well, since you have to carry around first aid kits, and ammo, and food, and bandages, and 3-4 weps, what that means is if you carry around enough of those items to use on a mission, you are coming back with no loot.

Do yourself a favor, borrow a copy from a friend before you buy it. If you like it after trying it, buy a copy. Otherwise, save your money.

It's great to be a stalker

5 Rating: 5, Useful: 5 / 7
Date: September 15, 2007
Author: Amazon User

I loved being a stalker. Sure it's dangerous and sometimes the guys with guns come after you, but there's so much to see and so much stuff you can bring along with, it's just so much fun. For only $40 you can be a stalker too. I like to bring a couple of different guns, not too much food, some of the better artifacts, and lots of ammo and spend long times out and about as a stalker and getting into all the different places. So in the end I highly highly recommend playing stalker, fun fun fun...one of the best times I've had and especially late at night after I come home from work, rest a bit and don't have anything else to do.

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