STALKER: Shadows of Chernobyl for PC released and reviewed
By Jonathan Schlaffer
STALKER (aka STALKER: Shadows of Chernobyl) was released last week and the reviews are pouring in. When all is said and done what we have here is an excellent first person shooter that blends elements of role playing games and adds immersive environments. These elements are unique considering it is a first person shooter.
Much like Half Life and Half Life 2, STALKER features a silent main character. You play as the Marked One, a scavenger living outside the exclusion zone. The Exclusion zone is an area that extends around the Chernobyl nuclear plant, the same one that exploded in 1986 and in the game’s fiction, again in 1989. This created a radiation zone that affected every form of life in the immediate area; it also destabilized space-time and the fabric of reality.
STALKER is a first person shooter first, second it is a survival game and third it is a first person shooter role playing game. I like to think of it as an all-in-one. You can go anywhere or do anything in the game as long as you can live with the consequences. Depending on which path(s) you take, there are several endings to the game where some end in failure so there is plenty of replay value here.
Unlike other games that let you carry every weapon, rocket launcher and ammunition with you, STALKER does not do that. There are limits to what and how much you can carry based on the class of weapon. Carry a pistol, lots of ammunition; carry a rifle, less ammunition or do you go for more med kits. The choice is yours. That’s right, depending on the type of weapon you have, the correct ammunition for that weapon must be in inventory. It really pays to know what you are carrying before heading out into the Zone.
Weird things happen in the Zone. For instance, energy pockets appear out of nowhere, some give increased health or endurance, some cause damage. I’m guessing there is a way to tell the difference but for now you will just have to learn that on your own.
The AI in the game is second to none. Human enemies will take cover and attempt to surround you or flank your position depending on the lay of the land and will change their behavior accordingly. If you are in a hidden position at night, the muzzle flash of your gun will give away your position so it pays to stay on the move.
Wild animals behave exactly like you would expect them to, only these are more vicious and violent because most of them are mutants due to the high levels of radiation. Who knows what they might do in any given situation.
Other Stalkers are present in the game, some will be alone and some will be part of a faction which you can join and leave at your discretion. Leaving is harder than joining but I will let you figure that part out for yourself.
The main plot in the game will take about 10 hours to get through but there are plenty of side quests to go on. I’ve played games with side quests before and after a time I usually just get tired of them and move on. This hasn’t happened with STALKER yet but I have a feeling it is coming. Side Quests usually end up with a cash reward but there isn’t anything worth buying in the game. If you are up for a little exploration everything that can be purchased in the game can be found lying in the Zone for free.
STALKER has been a few years in coming and as such is slightly dated. The graphics are on par with Half Life 2 if only slightly improved but it offers up a much more open ended environment with more dynamic characters and enemies.
Visual effects in the game are second to none. The flashlight doesn’t have a limited battery life unlike in most other first person shooters but, like with other first person shooters (FEAR, for example), using the flashlight will give away your position in dark environments so use it sparingly and if they see you, turn it off and move quickly.
Audio is on par with the visual effects. Mechanical sounds are right on the money, as are the cracks and pops made by gun shots, you’ll know just from the sound what type of enemy lies ahead or at least what type of weapon they have. The game even features both written and spoken broken English, you are in a foreign country what would you expect?
The game has a lot to offer but it also ships with a few bugs in it. Most of these bugs will only affect Vista users and I can count myself among those unlucky few in this respect. Quick loads may or may not work depending on what “mood” the game is in. It will crash or restart at random points in the game but it can also be at the same point. The only way around that is to start over from your last save and move beyond that point. That doesn’t change my recommendation one bit about this game, it is worth purchasing.
The developer is working on a patch to fix some of the ills, especially for Vista users but the game is more than playable as it stands now. There are almost no issues under XP, that’s not to say it couldn’t have used a few more weeks or months in testing but I’d rather have a slightly flawed game with excellent game play than wait more time for it.
Most stores are charging $39.99 for STALKER but for one week only, Circuit City has STALKER for $29.99 the cheapest price of any retailer.
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