Poll: S.T.A.L.K.E.R: Is it good?

[zombiejoe]

Ok, a friend recommended this game series to me, but for some reason, I can't bring myself to read about the plot or reviews, don't know why.

So I want you to explain some stuff, nice and simple
1.What is it about?
2.Is it good and why?
3.What makes this better or worse then other apocolypse mutant ect. games?

 

[benafuda]

It's a very atmospheric, deep and interesting game, I'm playing through it at the moment. My advice is to quicksave all day erry day, death will come quickly and without warning.

It also has a great modding community, though I've heard that vanilla is best for your first playthrough, and subsequent playthroughs with mods

 

[Portacaro]

love it or hate it... It's unique and it works...

 

[Infinatex]

It's worth a look. Great atmosphere, though it still feels a bit broken.

 

[octafish]

If you have it, patch the hell out of it. It is monster buggy, but most problems are addressed in official and some unofficial patches. Vanilla, it is a good game, with the Oblivion Lost mod it is one of the main reasons to game on PC. It won't hold your hand though, be prepared.

Edit: Play it vanilla first then try Oblivion Lost.

 

[RedBeta22]

Only if you play with the STALKER Complete 2009 mod.

 

[Starke]

The STALKER games are set after a second disaster at the Chernobyl nuclear reactor in 2006. Reality has become completely warped, and there are anomalies and artifacts and mutants scattered about. Freelance scavengers called stalkers have entered the exclusion zone around Chernobyl in search of these artifacts.

The STALKER games are bleak open world FPSs that border on survival horror. Each one has a slightly different tone:

Shadow of Chernobyl is the most conventional. It's a sort of linear FPS, with some exploration and sandbox elements. It also has one of the most brilliant "fuck you" endings in a modern game, which the game inflicts on you for not paying attention to what your goals are.

Clear Sky is a prequel to Shadow of Chernobyl. It is the most action oriented of the trilogy, with a full blown faction war system. The horror elements take a back seat for most of the game here, as the major focus is blazing your way through hordes of enemies. Clear Sky also has numerous technical (such as DX10 support) and mechanical (such as weapon/armor upgrade systems and repairs) improvements over Shadow of Chernobyl. Clear Sky uses most of the same maps as Shadow of Chernobyl.

Call of Pripyat is the third in the series, both by release date and chronologically. It is far more of a sandbox game, with only four maps in the entire game, each map is huge, encompassing numerous settlements, anomaly fields and abandoned villages. Call of Pripyat supports DX11, and features refinements of most of Clear Sky's mechanical improvements. Of all the games in the franchise, Call of Pripyat feels the most complete.

There are some critical game design choices at work here.

Aside from a handful of onscreen prompts in Shadow of Chernobyl and (I think) two in Clear Sky there is no tutorial system whatsoever. You're dumped into the post-apocalyptic world of The Zone with absolutely no hand-holding.

The game is unrepentantly lethal, wandering about (especially on higher difficulties) can rapidly get you in over your head.

It isn't exactly an RPG, but through the artifact system and item upgrades (in CS and CoP) the game has a kind of RPG feel to it. Digging through inventories or stashes, or talking to people will not pause the game.

The game features weapon and armor degradation, what's more, it's FAST. After each gunfight it isn't unusual to end up scavenging through your enemies gear to see if they have anything worth taking.

Weapons are fairly realistically accurate, which is to say, not very. The mechanics of the game encourage stop and pop gameplay, and you take a serious penalty for firing while moving. That said, if you take the time to line up your shots, almost every weapon in the game can provide surprising accuracy.

The gameworld is bleak. This one could be a pro or a con, honestly. But STALKER has one very bleak post-apocalyptic environment.

Some upsides:

Modding is stupidly easy, all you need is notepad and a decompression utility (which can be easily found online). Additionally there is a strong modding community with a lot of diverse modifications already out there. Mods range from simple weapon mods that remove degradation to complete gameplay overhauls.

The STALKER games are easily some of the most atmospheric shooters games out there.

EDIT: and a con I forgot, yes, the games do tend to be pretty buggy. If that's a serious concern for you, I'd say stay away, if it isn't then you'll find a very unique FPS experience.

 

[Bullfrog1983]

The game as whole is fun, but the combat is great.

 

[Murlo]

Edit: Got Ninja'd.


STALKER is set in Ukraine, being an "alternate history" (Whatever you call it) where there was a second NPP (Nuclear Power Plant) explosion that caused a "zone" of radiation known handily as "the Zone". The area of radiation spreads out from the NPP itself, making the NPP the ultimate center and radiation area. The Zone is populated with supernatural anomalies and artifacts. Artifacts being the main reason anyone came to the Zone, since they give supernatural benefits and are worth tons of money because of their rarity, especially to scientists. There's also mutants due to radiation, affecting people, animals. Here's some examples.

Mutants

Large Image D;

Artifacts

And so people it's populated for a variety of reasons: people want money i.e. artifacts, people are criminals want to escape world, people can't get out because the Ukrainian Military sectioned it off so no one leaves and no one enters. (Larges sums of roubles work as good entry tickets, though) STALKER's, as they're known,(Scavengers, Trespassers, Adventurers, Loners, Killers, Explorers and Robbers) are the "common" people who inhabit the Zone and they sometimes form groups, the two largest being DUTY, and Freedom, one wants to section off and destroy the Zone (DUTY) and the other wants to make it free for everyone to come in and "share the riches". (Freedom, they're kind of populated by crazy people)

And that's the main idea you need to know. I own the first one (Shadows of Chernoybl) and have yet to finish it, but am about half of the way there or so and I can tell you it's a nice game. Older and the graphics aren't the best but with some of the newer mods the graphics become insanely amazing and they still preserve the game's vanilla story, etc. Other's can give faction mods. And overall I would say it's a nice game if you like RPG's with immersive atmosphere/story.

 

[zombiejoe]

The STALKER games are set after a second disaster at the Chernobyl nuclear reactor in 2006. Reality has become completely warped, and there are anomalies and artifacts and mutants scattered about. Freelance scavengers called stalkers have entered the exclusion zone around Chernobyl in search of these artifacts.

The STALKER games are bleak open world FPSs that border on survival horror. Each one has a slightly different tone:

Shadow of Chernobyl is the most conventional. It's a sort of linear FPS, with some exploration and sandbox elements. It also has one of the most brilliant "fuck you" endings in a modern game, which the game inflicts on you for not paying attention to what your goals are.

Clear Sky is a prequel to Shadow of Chernobyl. It is the most action oriented of the trilogy, with a full blown faction war system. The horror elements take a back seat for most of the game here, as the major focus is blazing your way through hordes of enemies. Clear Sky also has numerous technical (such as DX10 support) and mechanical (such as weapon/armor upgrade systems and repairs) improvements over Shadow of Chernobyl. Clear Sky uses most of the same maps as Shadow of Chernobyl.

Call of Pripyat is the third in the series, both by release date and chronologically. It is far more of a sandbox game, with only four maps in the entire game, each map is huge, encompassing numerous settlements, anomaly fields and abandoned villages. Call of Pripyat supports DX11, and features refinements of most of Clear Sky's mechanical improvements. Of all the games in the franchise, Call of Pripyat feels the most complete.

There are some critical game design choices at work here.

Aside from a handful of onscreen prompts in Shadow of Chernobyl and (I think) two in Clear Sky there is no tutorial system whatsoever. You're dumped into the post-apocalyptic world of The Zone with absolutely no hand-holding.

The game is unrepentantly lethal, wandering about (especially on higher difficulties) can rapidly get you in over your head.

It isn't exactly an RPG, but through the artifact system and item upgrades (in CS and CoP) the game has a kind of RPG feel to it. Digging through inventories or stashes, or talking to people will not pause the game.

The game features weapon and armor degradation, what's more, it's FAST. After each gunfight it isn't unusual to end up scavenging through your enemies gear to see if they have anything worth taking.

Weapons are fairly realistically accurate, which is to say, not very. The mechanics of the game encourage stop and pop gameplay, and you take a serious penalty for firing while moving. That said, if you take the time to line up your shots, almost every weapon in the game can provide surprising accuracy.

The gameworld is bleak. This one could be a pro or a con, honestly. But STALKER has one very bleak post-apocalyptic environment.

Some upsides:

Modding is stupidly easy, all you need is notepad and a decompression utility (which can be easily found online). Additionally there is a strong modding community with a lot of diverse modifications already out there. Mods range from simple weapon mods that remove degradation to complete gameplay overhauls.

The STALKER games are easily some of the most atmospheric shooters games out there.

EDIT: and a con I forgot, yes, the games do tend to be pretty buggy. If that's a serious concern for you, I'd say stay away, if it isn't then you'll find a very unique FPS experience.

Wow, thanks for all this info

 

[zombiejoe]

Edit: Got Ninja'd.


STALKER is set in Ukraine, being an "alternate history" (Whatever you call it) where there was a second NPP (Nuclear Power Plant) explosion that caused a "zone" of radiation known handily as "the Zone". The area of radiation spreads out from the NPP itself, making the NPP the ultimate center and radiation area. The Zone is populated with supernatural anomalies and artifacts. Artifacts being the main reason anyone came to the Zone, since they give supernatural benefits and are worth tons of money because of their rarity, especially to scientists. There's also mutants due to radiation, affecting people, animals. Here's some examples.

Mutants

Large Image D;

Artifacts

And so people it's populated for a variety of reasons: people want money i.e. artifacts, people are criminals want to escape world, people can't get out because the Ukrainian Military sectioned it off so no one leaves and no one enters. (Larges sums of roubles work as good entry tickets, though) STALKER's, as they're known,(Scavengers, Trespassers, Adventurers, Loners, Killers, Explorers and Robbers) are the "common" people who inhabit the Zone and they sometimes form groups, the two largest being DUTY, and Freedom, one wants to section off and destroy the Zone (DUTY) and the other wants to make it free for everyone to come in and "share the riches". (Freedom, they're kind of populated by crazy people)

And that's the main idea you need to know. I own the first one (Shadows of Chernoybl) and have yet to finish it, but am about half of the way there or so and I can tell you it's a nice game. Older and the graphics aren't the best but with some of the newer mods the graphics become insanely amazing and they still preserve the game's vanilla story, etc. Other's can give faction mods. And overall I would say it's a nice game if you like RPG's with immersive atmosphere/story.

SO MUCH STORY
[img/]http://knowyourmeme.com/i/000/035/523/original/awesomesomuch.png?1263435203[/img]

Thanks for the post

 

[octafish]

I forgot to mention, it is loosely based on the film "Stalker" by Andrei Tarkovsky, the Russian filmmaker and also the novel that the film is based on, "Roadside Picnic" by Boris and Arkady Strugatsky.

 

[thethingthatlurks]

I doubt I'll be able to add anything substantial after the above post, aside from obvious fanboyism. Yes, STALKER is an amazing game, beautifully atmospheric, but also quite difficult. Shadow of Chernobyl is my favourite of the trilogy, but they are all solid. Clear Sky is by far the most difficult, so just a head's up there.
I suppose you can think of it as Fallout3, just as a fully functional shooter, and no black humour.

Edit: Oh yeah, you can find Gordon Freeman in the game, although he's seen better days...

 

[The Madman]

Extremely atmospheric game with some of the best outdoor environmental effects I have ever seen in a game. The feeling of dread and anticipation is nearly palpable, and the sheer adrenaline that courses through you during certain sequences is unmatched by any other game on the market today. Generally it takes a slow pace, with more tactical and realistic combat compared to most games, but when it *does* pick up then strap down tightly because you're in for one helluva ride.

I've told this short story before last time someone was asking this question, but I'll tell it again.

During my last playthrough my mission was to sneak into and steal something from a military base. It was dark out, raining, and I could barely see more than a few meters infront of me. Slowly advancing forward though I continued through the wilderness, avoiding the main roads for fear of stumbling blindly into a military patrol. It was in conditions like this when I first heard it; a growl and howling from nearby. In panic I looked around, trying to spot the source, but the storm was too heavy and I could see nothing. Then, suddenly, a flash of lightning illuminated the area and I saw them. A whole pack of mutated wolves, slowly closing in around me.

In fear I fired off my gun, but without the lightning to show the way it was blind firing and I don't even think I hit anything. Howling broke out as they closed in around me, and in desperation I turned to run. Sprinting as fast as I could towards the road nearby, where I knew the military had a presence. With the wolves nipping at my heels I made it, nearly stumbling into a patrol who'd been doing their rounds. They fired off a few shots as I ran by, but with the storm their vision was as impaired as my own so they didn't pursue. I can only imagine what they'd have been thinking, seeing this bedraggled man run from the wilderness across the road only to vanish, might've even gotten a laugh from the sight... then the howling broke out again, and I could hear gunfire in the distance as I continued to sprint away.

Later on, sun out bright, I passed by that area again and saw no signs of conflict. It was only as I wandered further I found the bodies of the military soldiers where they'd been dragged away by the ravenous pack. I stripped the bodies of any useful resources and moved on.

THAT is Stalker. No other game quite like it! Is it perfect? God no. But I love it!

I'd also highly recommend the STALKER Complete Mod, which improves the visuals as well as environmental effects and acts like the 'ultimate' fan patch, also fixing every last bug so that the game plays perfectly smooth and looks great doing it. Doesn't change anything, just fixes it up and improves it so you're getting the best possible experience just as the games developers intended it!

 

[zombiejoe]

Extremely atmospheric game with some of the best outdoor environmental effects I have ever seen in a game. The feeling of dread and anticipation is nearly palpable, and the sheer adrenaline that courses through you during certain sequences is unmatched by any other game on the market today. Generally it takes a slow pace, with more tactical and realistic combat compared to most games, but when it *does* pick up then strap down tightly because you're in for one helluva ride.

I've told this short story before last time someone was asking this question, but I'll tell it again.

During my last playthrough my mission was to sneak into and steal something from a military base. It was dark out, raining, and I could barely see more than a few meters infront of me. Slowly advancing forward though I continued through the wilderness, avoiding the main roads for fear of stumbling blindly into a military patrol. It was in conditions like this when I first heard it; a growl and howling from nearby. In panic I looked around, trying to spot the source, but the storm was too heavy and I could see nothing. Then, suddenly, a flash of lightning illuminated the area and I saw them. A whole pack of mutated wolves, slowly closing in around me.

In fear I fired off my gun, but without the lightning to show the way it was blind firing and I don't even think I hit anything. Howling broke out as they closed in around me, and in desperation I turned to run. Sprinting as fast as I could towards the road nearby, where I knew the military had a presence. With the wolves nipping at my heels I made it, nearly stumbling into a patrol who'd been doing their rounds. They fired off a few shots as I ran by, but with the storm their vision was as impaired as my own so they didn't pursue. I can only imagine what they'd have been thinking, seeing this bedraggled man run from the wilderness across the road only to vanish, might've even gotten a laugh from the sight... then the howling broke out again, and I could hear gunfire in the distance as I continued to sprint away.

Later on, sun out bright, I passed by that area again and saw no signs of conflict. It was only as I wandered further I found the bodies of the military soldiers where they'd been dragged away by the ravenous pack. I stripped the bodies of any useful resources and moved on.

THAT is Stalker. No other game quite like it! Is it perfect? God no. But I love it!

I'd also highly recommend the STALKER Complete Mod, which improves the visuals as well as environmental effects and acts like the 'ultimate' fan patch, also fixing every last bug so that the game plays perfectly smooth and looks great doing it. Doesn't change anything, just fixes it up and improves it so you're getting the best possible experience just as the games developers intended it!

epic story man