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Incredible, an amazing accomplishment.

5 Rating: 5, Useful: 74 / 81
Date: April 01, 2007
Author: Amazon User

This is one heck of a piece of software. Don't think I've seen anything like this before. Nope, not perfect, but pretty incredible. First off, it takes a while to get used to the whole concept. Folks who wrote a review after playing it for only an hour didn't see enough as usual.

Second, looks like you can play this thing for months, and almost never repeat yourself. It is totally open ended, a huge landscape to play in, almost boundless (in the spirit of FarCry, but much much more)

The whole thing takes getting used to. The weapons, the weight system, the health approach, the copious amount of bad guys who just never stop coming. LOTS of subtleties. This is not an overt shooter like HL2, Doom etc. This is a whole world in which to live, breath and survive.

Yep, its a little buggy. But the devs seem on it as the first patch showed up within weeks of release and definitely made a difference. For such an ambitious piece of software, I can see why it took so long to finish and test, and why there would be bugs first time out. There is so much interwoven complexity, I'm blown away. The dynamic interaction between all the elements in the game world are almost real.

The "AI" are pretty awesome, with each one having a strategy it seems. Some are dumb, and just do repetitive things, but others sneak up behind you and blow you away. Really cool!! They also can whack you when you're eating, reloading, or other tasks that most shooters protect you from while mid task.

The people who built this colossus deserve tons of credit, both technical and artistic. This game is no small feat.

Stalker: Chernobyl...A good FPS with some RPG upgrades.

5 Rating: 5, Useful: 39 / 52
Date: April 27, 2007
Author: Amazon User

A well done FPS!.

This game is set in the future, with a plot that begins around the time of the Chernobyl nuclear disaster. It is a game of intense action, atmosphere and involves some strategy and choices.

As with any game there are positives and negatives...let me explain

The Pros:

1.)A great selection of weapons and ammo (with the better ones becoming available as you proceed in the game). Some are better than others and some are quite heavy (you have a limit to how much you can carry).

2.)Different armor is also available at different points in the game.

3.)Realistic "fog of war" occurrences; weapons jam (with increasing frequency as they become worn); your player tires and gets hungry affecting his ability to perform.

4.)Great atmosphere; spooky ambient lighting in dark halls and tunnels, in the outdoors you have rain, lightening and night time; and then there are always the unexpected attacks (anywhere) by an assortment of men, animals and mutants.

5.)Enemy AI that is realistic: their guns need reloading and occasionally jam; they hide behind objects when shot at; they sneak up from the unseen side; animals attack in packs and from behind while one or two distract you from the front. All in all an enemy that appears to "think" about what it's doing instead of just standing there and blasting away at you.

6.)Although the game requires you to the complete main missions to proceed in the game, you can roam around the country side unrestricted. As a bonus, however, there are several side missions that you can do (these are optional and not required to finish the game but may give you substantial rewards in money or items)

7.)Easy save and load feature.

8.)3 different endings, depending on the choices you make near the end of the game.

9.)Some re-playability; you may want to try different endings, side missions and other weapons and armor.

10.)Many hours of intense, hectic game play.

Cons:

1.)You'll need fairly good hardware and lots of RAM to run this game as it was meant to be played.

2.)No vehicles to ride for battle or transportation purposes. (and annoyingly, towards the end, you must walk back almost to the starting point to get an important piece of info) or you can't get into the last 2 endings.

3.)Maybe, just maybe a little too hard even on novice (especially towards the latter part of the game).

4.)You'll need at least 9GB of disc space to load this game.

5.)I found there were occasional crashes or freeze ups after long periods of play.

Suggestions; (SPOILER)

1.)Early on, go to "Dark Valley"; this will give you a chance to
a.)obtain a sniper scope (useful a little later) and
b.)while here, do a side mission that requires you to "rescue a fighter's friend" (here you'll find, in the same building as the "friend" (but in another room), a piece of great armor and many useful and powerful "artifacts".

2.)Take every bandage you find; medkits will heal wounds but do not stop bleeding (and if you don't stop bleeding, well...you bleed to death).

Conclusion:
This was a game that I really enjoyed (even though the novice level could be a real challenge at times); it featured my favorite type of game, that being, a FPS with some RPG upgrades. If you liked such games as Deus Ex, System Shock or Dark Messiah, I'm sure you'll pleased with this game. 5 Stars.

R. Nicholson

Diamond in the rough

5 Rating: 5, Useful: 8 / 9
Date: March 27, 2007
Author: Amazon User

Where to begin..., normally I don't write reviews but after reading some of the 1 and 2 star reviews, I decided to do my own since I feel the game deserves better, much better. For you Vista beta testers (that's what you'll be for the next 12 months or so) Read the recommendation on the box, at the developers web site or on a reputable game site such as IGN, Gamespot etc. All have said that the game does not support Vista but that a patch will be forthwith.. Also, for a direct x9 game, it can really tax even a high end system. I'm sporting a core2 duo 6600 oc'd to 3.5ghz, SLI 7900gtx's with 2 gigs of ram. Fortunately I can run the game with everything cranked, but judging from other comments, if you have anything less than a 7800 with a decent cpu, be prepared to ditch the high end resolutions and other eye candy.
And yes the graphics are a little dated. I remember thinking the same thing when I first loaded System Shock 2 only to emerge from my den 2 days later recovering from one of my most cherished game experiences. Note I said dated, ...not bad. Overall, the graphics are very good by today's standards. Let me tell you some areas where the graphics engine is superlative; dynamic lighting, weather effects, indoor locations and the weapons rendering/physics.
The gameplay and atmosphere is everything I could ask for in a game box. Lots of gritty gameplay, gunplay, looting, trading, collecting, hoarding, side missions as well as spending alot of time scratching my noodle as what to carry and what to drop due to weight limitations. As newer weapons became available, I had a tough time dropping to the ground a trusty weapon that just, got me through the last skirmish. Anyway, the gameplay from my perspective is fresh and innovative for a 1st person shooter. I'm appreciative of the effort and perseverance the developers
had in bringing us this game. If you're a person who has to have 'stellar graphics' in a shooter that funnels you unidirectionally through the game like crap through a goose, this game is probably not for you.
As for stability, in 20+ hours of play I've had one hard lock where I had to reboot and that could've been secondary to aggressive overclocking. I do notice an occaisional hitch in outdoor scenes as the cards try to catch up on rendering. In a nutshell, pretty stable on Win XP. I guess my biggest gripes so far is that the story line is a little hard to follow, especially using the pda as a reference. And the initial load times... last night I clicked on load game, then took a leak, went to the kitchen, got a couple of cookies, a glass of milk and then went to the office to sit down just as the game finished loading. Oh well, small potatoes for a satisfying game experience.
There are few bugs, but thats to be expected in a game of this size and scope. I never ran into anything that was other than a minor 'meh', the overall world is just too immersive to get snagged on some minor bugs.
In the end, I highly recommend this game if you'd love an open-ended, role-playing game dressed as a 1st person shooter. Hey, I liked it so much, I bought a copy for my friend, who by the way ... loves it too.

Masterpiece of Immersion

5 Rating: 5, Useful: 7 / 9
Date: March 28, 2007
Author: Amazon User

Having played likely every type of game software available, across PC's and consoles, since the very first plastic overlay sheet on the TV screen in the early 70's ...and done programming across many platforms as well, I can very much appreciate the developers' efforts in this exquisite piece of work!

The game engine is a bit taxing on even newer technology PC systems, but is it ever worth it! There's a lot to load for each area involved, but a bit of patience is well rewarded. Most of the latest graphics technologies, as described already in previous reviews, enables a great real-world experience.

It is, truly, one of those rare games that draws you around every corner, just to 'see the sights' of this graphical wonderland. The detail, especially in the localities of towns or other buildings in this world is quite enjoyable, even in areas which are likely to never be seen during play. Take a few moments and climb, crawl or jump to almost any position and look around. The rich detail exists even on top of the tallest buildings, which will only be seen by the exploring gamer. Oh, you'll have to fend off crafty enemies, who may decide to split up and catch you in a crossfire, or hide behind a pillar until you're close, then jump out and challenge you in mêlée from a few feet away, or maybe group and attack you relentlessly, taxing your ammo and reflexes. Some of the best AI today can be found here. Most gratefully, I found that the designers included the courtesy of a 'save anywhere' quicksave, in addition to choosing arbitrary multiple fallback points, so that you have a genuine opportunity to try a dozen different tactical approaches ...the true reward for your complete immersion.

The complaints of micro-management are the result of the ability to adjust your personal belongings in semi-RPG style, but this just allows you the option of many, many play styles, from "Deus Ex" type of careful stepping to full-blown "Call Of Duty" action!

Once you get your own PC system synchronized with gameplay options for the best combination and allow a bit more time for all graphics features to load, you're in for a myriad of experiences with military grunts, zombies, mutant creatures ...surprises above and below ground that will eat away at most of your free time. Don't be surprised at four to six hour sessions you have to force yourself away from.

An amazing adventure

5 Rating: 5, Useful: 7 / 8
Date: March 31, 2007
Author: Amazon User

I was skeptical when this game first came out because of the six year development process. Games in development for that long are usually cancelled. AS it turns out, those six years produced one of the finest games I have played since the original half-life or better yet, System Shock 2. The enemy variety is excellent. With zombies, mutants, animals and men, The game never seems to get old. I recently forgot to do an important sidequest I had forgotten in a military complex that I had once cleaned out. I returned to the base expecting the level to be empty. When I returned, bandits were roving the countryside and the underground parts of the base had become a mutant nest. Like doom, different enemies will interact with eachother. Nothing felt better in a gunfight I had with mercenaries than the time a Snork (froglike mutant) group attacked them from the side. This game had alot of detail and love coded into it and it shows. Bugs and loadtimes aside, it is more than playable. Each level feels fresh and the developers travelled into the Chernobyl zone to research their level design. Some people compain about the load times but if I have to wait 2 minutes for my computer to render a level (which are huge by the way), I can go to the fridge and grab a snack. You will not be unhappy with this game, especially with its lowered price.

awsome

5 Rating: 5, Useful: 7 / 9
Date: May 01, 2007
Author: Amazon User

First of this is my first review. Im totally aw stuck at Stalker. I have played prey, doom 3 and reserection of evil, Quake 4, Tomb rader indiana jones. im a hudge fan of FPS and my take on this is it will take a lot to top it. The story line goes forever, The sights sounds are unexpected. you jump at a storm coming up from behind you and hear all sort of creatures that your sure are right beside you but arnt. You must complete some quests that take you through a dead land with many bandits killers strange animals and severe radiation. Radiation is my biggest problem it eats your health and you Die. your given radiation health pills but if u run out or dont eat fast enough you Die. many things kill you but the radiation hazards on roads and little wirly storms get you the most. you can play as a rookie or more advanced and depending on what you choose to do will change the end. you can go striengt for the radiation outlet or go and get Artifacts. It a game that takes a Long time y have to save alot. on a totally great scale 90 percent. it can get a little buggy at times which is the other 10. however, if you enjoy Great Entertainment that takes a lot of brain power and stealth this is it. just the landscaping alone is worth the walk.....

Best Game of 2007!!!

5 Rating: 5, Useful: 6 / 7
Date: March 28, 2007
Author: Amazon User

In short this game was nothing but amazing. I thought the AI was brilliant for the most part(considering there are hundreds of other stalkers in the game very seldom did the AI not impress me). Next the graphics were amazing as well, especially the lighting and shadows. Finally the gameplay and story were also very good, being able to roam free in a 30km area and basically choose your own destiny added to the overall gameplay.

Lastly I just wanted to touch on the bugs that other reviewers say they are having. I am running Windows Vista 64x edition and never a single problem at all. My quick saves and loads were fine and never once saw a glitch.

**The patch was released today and it was a huge file. Anyone waiting on that to purchase should do so now**

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

Fantastic!

5 Rating: 5, Useful: 5 / 5
Date: April 16, 2007
Author: Amazon User

This game was origionaly slated to hit store shelves in 2003 but kept getting pushed back. All I can say now is I'm glad the developer took their time and made sure they did this game right. This game has few bugs for a new game and the couple it did have have already been patched. The graphics are beautiful and the gameplay is a blast. All of the maps in this game are directly mapped off of the actual terrain around Chernobyl. The game has a nice blend of a first person shooter and a role playing game in a huge open ended environment. With the many different choices and plot directions available to you, this game has great replay potential. The game does have some AI problems but they rarely effect the overall game play. I would highly recommend this game to anybody.

Fun and Challenging.

5 Rating: 5, Useful: 5 / 5
Date: April 18, 2007
Author: Amazon User

I read several of the reviews before I baught this game. And even after that I waited until a friend of mine actually played the game, which I watched for some time.
Once I installed the game and started playing I had no issues with bugs or lag (frames). I run this game on a Intel® CoreTM 2 Duo T7600 (2.33GHz, 4MB L2 Cache, 667 MHz FSB) with 2GB of RAM, and a GForce 7950 Graphics Card, Windows VISTA OS.
With that out of the way, as has already been stated befor this game takes place around the city outside of Cherynobyl. The game itself is very challenging and the AI of your opponents can be very clever at times. Its not your average run and gun, with no worry of imminent death. Much like a real fire fight, in this game you can die very quickly if you don't think stratecially and make the most of cover and crossfire (if you have NPC team members with you). I believe this game was well worth the wait, and while the graphics may be a bit dated... they still look phenomenal with all effects cranked up.
People tend to give this game a lower rating because they feel its to difficult. In all honesty whats the point of playing a game if you just waltz through it in 4hrs blasting everything in your EXO-suit with your BFG?? Fun, perhaps... but it gets old fast. I liked this game very much, I found myself dead several times after fighting an opponent head on... Then looking around the same corner to see if my opponent is still there, when in fact he has snuck up behind me and blasted me in the back with a shotgun. Sneaky, I like that.
This game obviously isn't for everyone... with the majority of people wanting clones of H A L O or similair gameplay its no wonder FPS's are few and far between with truly challenging gameplay.
I give this game a 5!!!

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