Name: S.T.A.L.K.E.R - Shadows of Chernobyl
Developers: GSC Game World
Publishers: THQ
Genre: FPS
Release Dates: Out now
Platforms: PC
Ok fair enough, this isn't exactly a new game either. It was originally released back in 2007 by the Ukranian boys over at GSC, also famous for bringing us Cossacks and Codename: Outbreak, and has since had two games following it, a prequel and a sequel, sub-titled 'Clear Sky' and 'Call of Pripyat' respectivly. Even as I write this, a S.T.A.L.K.E.R 2 is being made, and the following review will tell you why. Because if any series needs more games, it's this one. And this is not meant as an insult, because the more we get of the Zone, the happier I get. And hopefully, you too.
Story:
The story of STALKER is originally inspired (note, not based) by the book Roadside Picnic, both of which centre around "The Zone", an area around the Chernobyl reactor. The game takes place in a slightly alternate reality where the Chernobyl reactor had another meltdown in the year 2006, by an unknown cause. What is known though, is that the area is once again plauged by radiation, and with it, horrible mutants and so-called anomalies, dangerous unexplainable things that generally are there to make your life a living hell, but that is basically what the Zone is anyway; a hell on earth. You take the role of a newly-awoken and amnesia-struck man called "The Marked One", and all that was found on your body was your PDA, a type of datapad, with the objective "Kill Strelok." You soon find yourself stuck in the everyday happenings in the Zone which includes lethal gunfights with both monsters and other humans alike, with different views on what is what.
Basically, you are a 'Stalker', a title which encompasses several jobs: mercenary, scavenger, freedom fighter, you name it. You are not alone though, for there are many Stalkers in the Zone, and most wants you dead in some sort of manner. There's Duty, one of the larger groups, who fights to preserve the Zone and all the mutants in it, to protect the outside world from the Zone's influence. Their archenemies are Freedom, who want quite the opposite, to open up the Zone so the outside world can get their hands on the many mysterious artifacts spread around in the Zone. Who of these are right is up for you to decide. Ignoring that, you can always go your own way, the game never forces you to really take any side at all unless you want to.
Gameplay:
The game handles basically like a typical shooter in most cases; you've got your guns, a healthbar, ammo, and so on. But there are some things that bring an almost RPG-like aspect to it all; the aforementioned artifacts found throughout the Zone can not only be sold for a nice piece of cash (perhaps to save up to that next gun, or perhaps you need more ammo? Perhaps you are running low on bandages?), but you can also put them on and use them, taking advantage of the pros (and cons) they give you. Some might give you better stamina while giving you a higher rate of radioactivity, others may cause you to take bullets better. Most often the use of artifacts cause you to in some way suffer more from radioactivity, a large and lethal part of the gameplay.
Radioactivity being what it is, there are certain areas that contain higher amounts of radioactivity, which a geiger-counter, implemented in your suit, will tell you of when you get too close, crackling like mad when you are in places you really shouldn't be in, with or without proper protection. No, a simple gasmask will not help. Besides this, there's also the anomalies to think of, most being invisible or at least harder to spot, and will kill in such creative ways such as; throwing you into a tornado and imploding once you're dragged in, or electrocuting you if you get too close. A handy little device you carry with you will also warn of this, but let me tell you, I've accidentically ran into one or two, too quick to hear the blaring warnings in my ears.
Radioactivity and anomalies are not the only things that will kill you in this game though. With the two factions mentioned earlier, there are also bandits almost everywhere, who simply wants to kill you for having a nicer gun or somesuch. There's also the military to worry about, who keeps the border to the Zone secure, by any means neccesary. And let's not forget about the mutants.
Mutants come in various forms and shapes, ranging from the everyday "blind dog" which essentially looks like a flayed dog, who hunt in packs and in themselves are pretty lethal when confronted all at once, as they will try to surround and flank you and tear you down with teamwork. Nothing a sturdy AK-47 can't handle, of course. But these are just some of them. There's also the crawling Snorks, who look like they were once humans, but now roam around like feral animals with gasmask imprinted over their heads. And of course one of the most lethal, as pictured above, the infamous Bloodsucker. You won't often see these coming, because frankly, they can turn invisible. And they can also eat your entire face.
Conclusion:
This, like the previous review, is considered a Hardcore game, and not for the faint of heart. This game can be hard, but not in a cheap way, although the AI can sometimes spot you from a kilometre away and shoot you through the lens of your rifle before you can react, but with the recent patches, the newest being 1.005, most issues of such are seen to. It is not perfect, but it is unique, and most likely unlike anything you've seen to this point in day, well, unless you tried it already. If you haven't, I strongly recommend you do so, and not because of the slowly developing epic that is the story, but because the game feel itself. It's quite immersive on its own, and with the modding community it can be drawn yet further, but the original stands strong on its own. You will care in this game, because you soon realise that run-and-gun tactics rarely work, and you will probably find yourself in problems more than once that you need to run from. So take my advice, grab your AK, put on your kevlar, strap on that gasmask, and load up on some nuts and bolts, and start exploring the radioactive wasteland that is The Zone.
Available on Steam
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