S.T.A.L.K.E.R. - most atmospheric series ever. Anything similar?

[Lygus]

This is my rationale speaking: First person view is probably essential for immersion factor (personal op.), the surroundings, dynamic lighting, dark ambient music, etc. STALKER series games had all that + Soviet vibe + much more.

Having tried many different games in different genres on PC, I'm quite convinced that STALKER, especially Shadow of Chernobyl, is one of the most atmospheric games ever created. And such gems doesn't appear in games industry that often (considering the last 5-6 years).

So is there anything similar to STALKER in terms of first person perspective and the atmosphere (horror creatures appreciated)?

P.S. Oh... The Suffering would have been a perfect candidate... but it's TPS.

EDIT1: I'm aware of Metro 2033 and Last Light. Surprise with something else.

 

[Wyes]

I found Metro2033 managed a similar feat, though there's something about SoH...

 

[The Madman]

Honestly not really, no. As mentioned Metro is probably the closest you'll get and plays like a much more linear version of STALKER, but if you're looking for another game that offers anything close to the STALKER experience you're out of luck. STALKER kind of stands on its own, not really much else quite like it.

Call of Pripyat has got to be my favourite, I absolutely love the massive open areas and the open-endedness of it all. Just so much to explore and do. When I get a new computer replaying Pripyat with all the graphics settings turned up and with the MISERY mod installed is one of the first things I'll do, and I'm honestly looking forward to that more than many full new game releases.

 

[Strelok]

Metro 2033 was done by former GSC employees who did the underground sections of S.T.A.L.K.E.R. Shadow of Chernobyl, great game, just shut off all the console hand holding with Ranger mode and it is right under S.T.A.L.K.E.R. series for my all time favorite games. Since GSC shut down cause the owner of the IP no longer wants to make games you will probably have to wait for Survarium, made by the GSC team that was working on S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2. Looks good, but its a MMO, we will have to see. S.T.A.L.K.E.R. is pretty unique though, going to be tough to find something as good.

http://survarium.com/en

 

[Tom Waits' hat]

Probably BioShock series, Fallout series and Condemned: Criminal Origins

 

[Extra-Ordinary]

Probably BioShock series, Fallout series and Condemned: Criminal Origins

These.
I also found the Metroid Prime series, especially the second one, to be very atmospheric.

 

[exxxed]

Completely agreed OP!

The only game, in my books, that even remotely competes with S.T.A.L.K.E.R. (although in a different field) in terms of atmosphere is Vampire: The Masquerade - Bloodlines, but there really isn't anything that touches S.T.A.L.K.E.R..

This explains it perfectly:

Cheers!

 

[IBlackKiteI]

Although very different games to Stalker, Pathologic and the The Void both made by Russian dev Ice Pick Lodge are really twisted, creepy, tense and atmospheric.

Pathologic looks and plays like crap but deals with some deeply weird and disturbing stuff in such a way no game has ever really done. You play as one of three healers (of sorts) and are tasked with curing, or at least preventing the spread of a mysterious plague across a creepy central European town. Things basically continue to get worse and more insane each of the games 12 days, from mysterious creatures showing up when characters die, to looters and vandals attacking everyone and stealing everything, to creepy flamethrower troopers burning stuff. The sheer level of ball kicking this game makes you endure and whacked out weirdness of the situation would be unthinkable to any AAA western dev, which is a big part of why it's so great.
It's quite hard and the English translation is very crappy at times, but if you're willing to put up with it's faults you can pick it up on GoG for 10 bucks.

The Void is sort of similar. It's worlds and characters are insanely weird, unique and fantastic, but overall there isn't really a whole lot to do. You're some sort of spirit attempting to break out of purgatory and return to the living world and to do this you need to harvest Colour, the games form of magic power stuff. Each Colour has different uses and you use it to impact on the world, such as by fighting, growing trees (which act as farms for Colour) and also to keep yourself alive. This game gets incredibly tense as you're roaming around The Void looking for just enough Colour to last just one more day, and it really kicks you in the balls, but keep at it and you might get into a game really like no other.
Seriously, before I played this game I was a Gameplay Must Be > Story - No Exceptions kinda guy. The Void pretty much turned everything I thought about games on the head, in a good way.

I can't promise you'll like either of these games, but I really recommend trying them, as there is seriously nothing else out there like them. While they're quite different to Stalker they pull off the whole tense, creepy, unreal atmosphere vibe just as well.

 

[MysticSlayer]

While I agree that S.T.A.L.K.E.R. is easily the most atmospheric post-apocalypse/dystopian game I've ever played, I just can't really say you can declare it as the most atmospheric game of all time, because different games approach atmosphere a different way. Sure, when we say "atmospheric" we are almost always talking about survival horror (early Resident Evil and Silent Hill) or dystopian (BioShock, Fallout) styled atmospheres, but what makes them any more atmospheric than a game that designs an incredible world that remains more lighthearted, such as The Legend of Zelda games? I'm not saying I dislike the darker, bleaker, more horrifying atmospheres of games like S.T.A.L.K.E.R. (I absolutely love them!), but I also don't see why I can't put Hyrule or Bionis/Mechonis on the same level as The Zone simply because they are third person and in a less bleak setting.

Then again, I also never got why third-person was always considered "more immersive". Maybe for horror, but otherwise, it seems no better than third-person to me.

 

[Wilbot666]

As stated by others, Vampire the Masquerade: Bloodlines would be the closest thing I can think of. Definitely worth playing if you haven't already.

 

[Tom_green_day]

Played Fallout 3? I found that super atmospheric, both in the creepy end-of-the-world way and in the world's own weird but charming sense of humour

 

[DSK-]

Although I'm basing this on my very limited Clear Sky experiences, STALKER for me was pretty forgetable :/

I agree with Tom_green_day. Fallout 3 was incredibly atmospheric, with the shitty yellow hue of the sky, the dystopian nightmarish civilian clutter akin to the Normandy evacuation, the slight sound cues here and there, the odd bits of music and of course, the first time you step out of the vault.

Honestly, I can't say any one game is the most atmospheric. To each their own.

 

[BloatedGuppy]

Certainly not in the same milieu. I really enjoyed FO3 and New Vegas, but neither of them is close to STALKER in terms of atmosphere, and I consider "atmosphere" to be a strength of both games.

Metro 2033 isn't a patch on STALKER. Rubbish game.

 

[Mark Hardigan]

I love the S.T.A.L.K.E.R. series, but I consider Metro 2033 to be the superior game, both in terms of player experience and overall quality. What killed the S.T.A.L.K.E.R. series for me (especially the first game) is how much detail is lacking in the world. I think they were far too ambitious with the world design, because the world itself is very boring and bland to travel through, mostly because of how large it is for a game with as small of a budget as they had. The mechanics, lore and atmosphere, for the most part, are top notch, but the world itself is so bland, that it becomes an utter chore to keep back tracking.

Call of Pripyat improved upon Shadow of Chernobyl, but it still shot far higher than it was able to hit. If GSC Game World had access to the kind of resources that much larger studios, like Bethesda, have access to, I think they would have had a much better chance of achieving the inherent atmosphere and experience that they were clearly going for with the world design. Unfortunately, they didn't have the resources to create the type of living, breathing world that developers like Bethesda specialize in, and that's what ultimately made the S.T.A.L.K.E.R. games stumble.

I think if GSC Game World had been smarter with how they allocated their resources, and been more mindful of their shortfalls, they could have made the S.T.A.L.K.R. series far better, and the games would have probably sold far better than they did. GSC Game World might have not gone under in that case, and S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2 wouldn't be in development hell.

Meanwhile, Metro 2033 knew its limitations exactly, and not only worked within them, but turned those limitations into strengths -- similar to what System Shock 2 did back when it was developed. And that's why I personally hold Metro 2033 above the S.T.A.L.K.E.R. series in terms of both overall quality and player experience.

 

[Seydaman]

The Thief games.

Atmosphere that's out of this world.

 

[Irridium]

The Witcher games are really atmospheric. Hell, damn near every game from Eastern-European developers are caked with atmosphere.

 

[Weatherking]

The Thief games.

Atmosphere that's out of this world.

Totally this. Shalebridge Cradle in 3 is always cited when talking about atmospheric games and it really is one of the greatest levels ever in that sense. And of course 1 and 2 are totally solid too. Available on both steam and Gog if I don't misremember.

And for another quirky atmospheric eastern european game: Cryostasis is really awesome, technically a bit fucked up, but crazy weird and unique feel to it. Just tried to look it up on steam to link it, but it appears it has been removed form there? If that's the case it's too bad but I'm sure you could get your hands on it somewhere else.

 

[the December King]

Although I'm basing this on my very limited Clear Sky experiences, STALKER for me was pretty forgetable :/

I agree with Tom_green_day. Fallout 3 was incredibly atmospheric, with the shitty yellow hue of the sky, the dystopian nightmarish civilian clutter akin to the Normandy evacuation, the slight sound cues here and there, the odd bits of music and of course, the first time you step out of the vault.

Honestly, I can't say any one game is the most atmospheric. To each their own.

It's up to you, but I think personally you played the wrong S.T.A.L.K.E.R game - it was the weakest game of the series.

On topic, i still find it (the S.T.A.L.K.E.R series) the most unique and captivating FPS series.

I remember once saying "Boy, I love half Life. I would love to keep exploring beyond the coast and see what a whole country looked like in this wierd world with it's creepy abandoned houses and haunted offices."

And then I played S.T.A.L.K.E.R.