TheForgetfulBrain Posted January 1, 2011 Report Share Posted January 1, 2011 I bought Shadow of Chernobyl on the last Xmas sale for something crazy like $2.50, installed it, found the 'Stalker Complete' mod, loaded that, played the game for about ten minutes, got killed trying to storm the bandit camp a few times in a row and gave up. It wasn't until last month, when someone on Kotaku in an Off-Topic post (the one that had the clip for the Stalker TV series) mentioned that the games were based off a film and novel. Curiosity piqued, I decided to rent the movie (filmed at the end of the 70's, and directed by Andrey Tarkovskiy). I was told his movies were very slow, so to be prepared -and they weren't wrong. Nearly three hours and devoid of any action (except for a moment in the opening) and focusing almost entirely on three people the entire film, it is indeed a strange one. Honestly, I fell asleep at one point. Yet, at the same time... it's one of those movies that keeps tugging at the back of my mind. The more I think about it, the more I love it. And so, in that state, I finally get a chance to play the game again, weeks later. And oh man. That gun fight I couldn't get past, before? You can have the NPCs help you, but I stubbornly continued to refuse and storm the camp on my own. I replayed that part, where all you have is a pistol against some fifteen men (and you can die in a few shots), maybe more than thirty times before I got past it. And it was honestly the most satisfying gunfight in a game in the past few years. I felt like I was in the middle of a Western or something - it was that intense and entertaining. Past that, the atmosphere of the game is stunning, and beyond immersive. Now, mind you, my experience is all with the incredible Stalker Complete Mod. If you're going to play this game, you need to go here and install this - it makes the game what it should have been, and that is a masterpiece. If you have the first game, grab it here: http://www.moddb.com/mods/stalker-complete-2009 The team has one for Clear Sky, is working on an updated version for Chernobyl and also working on one for Pripyat. Also, if you don't have the games and didn't buy the first and third bundle for $5 today in the Steam sale, WHYNOT. I highly recommend, if you wake up in time from your New Year's hangovers, grabbing this pack RIGHT now, then watching the film, installing the mod and playing the game. Because - really. It is an experience. Annnd... Stalker discussion commence! 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
toxicitizen Posted January 1, 2011 Report Share Posted January 1, 2011 Yeah that first gunfight can be a bitch. That's the thing that always bugged me with in game. How easy it is to die. It feels more like a survival game than a shooter on that aspect, yet you get into huge gunfights all the freaking time I really liked the game but I never finished it. Think I must've started over three times so far. I keep hearing people saying how great it gets later on or how fucking scary it is when you reach Lab X something or whatever, but I never got that far. I played Metro 2033 recently though, and while Metro is a more standard game that follows a linear, scripted narrative, both games have a similar setting and it kinda made me want to give Shadow of Chernobyl another shot soon. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mal Posted January 1, 2011 Report Share Posted January 1, 2011 (edited) That gunfight is tough on the first time you play. I almost give up... I think I did the same thing as you. Now on my second go... I did it solo no problem. Good omen I think. Mind you... its only on Stalker difficulty... Now to see the true majesty of this game. Edited January 1, 2011 by MaliciousH Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
deanb Posted January 1, 2011 Report Share Posted January 1, 2011 I'm currently debating giving this game another blast. Got it in the sales few months back. And I did actually get past the first gunfight, but something went wrong, and it turned out I'd forgotten to save (fucking years of autosave) so I ragequit Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheForgetfulBrain Posted January 1, 2011 Author Report Share Posted January 1, 2011 I'm currently debating giving this game another blast. Got it in the sales few months back. And I did actually get past the first gunfight, but something went wrong, and it turned out I'd forgotten to save (fucking years of autosave) so I ragequit Do it! Just make sure you have the Complete mod. It's worth it just to walk around and stare at the weather patterns, wildlife and decrepit buildings. Also, save constantly - the game seems to only autosave very rarely, usually when zoning between maps (which can be hours apart). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
deanb Posted January 1, 2011 Report Share Posted January 1, 2011 Yeah as I said the other day I go the game n installed the complete mod right away. The saving is the only main thing I'd have to remember to do on a constant basis. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheForgetfulBrain Posted January 1, 2011 Author Report Share Posted January 1, 2011 Yeah as I said the other day I go the game n installed the complete mod right away. The saving is the only main thing I'd have to remember to do on a constant basis. Ohh, gotcha. My brain, you know, low retention rate. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
docsfox Posted January 3, 2011 Report Share Posted January 3, 2011 I cannot stand STALKER: Shadow of Chernobyl. I want my $2.50 back. That first gunfight? Intense? No. Boring. The world worth looking at? No. Boring. No mod can save this game for me. I'm ok with the save system though. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
deanb Posted January 3, 2011 Report Share Posted January 3, 2011 I don't think a game set in ukraine is meant to be interesting n pretty looking. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheForgetfulBrain Posted January 3, 2011 Author Report Share Posted January 3, 2011 I cannot stand STALKER: Shadow of Chernobyl. I want my $2.50 back. That first gunfight? Intense? No. Boring. The world worth looking at? No. Boring. No mod can save this game for me. I'm ok with the save system though. Pfft. That's what I thought a year ago, but I guess it depends on the individual. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Akuam4n Posted January 3, 2011 Report Share Posted January 3, 2011 I cannot stand STALKER: Shadow of Chernobyl. I want my $2.50 back. That first gunfight? Intense? No. Boring. The world worth looking at? No. Boring. No mod can save this game for me. I'm ok with the save system though. Haha, dismissing it early are we? I'm guessing if it is going to get interesting for me, it will be once I get to the Zone. If I'm already in it, all hope is lost. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheForgetfulBrain Posted January 3, 2011 Author Report Share Posted January 3, 2011 (edited) I think the entire thing is the zone, but the areas get more intense as you go. I don't know - it's not your typical game. Love it or hate it affair, I guess, just like the movie. Pretty sure most people would absolutely loathe that film. If Doc was playing without the Complete mod though, then he was missing out. AI, visuals, sound and atmosphere are all drastically improved, as well as loads of bugs being squashed. Edited January 3, 2011 by TheForgetfulBrain Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Harri Posted January 16, 2011 Report Share Posted January 16, 2011 I installed the Stalker Complete Mod, and it really adds to the atmosphere to the game. Too bad the game overheats my computer, so FML. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NeoStarr Posted January 18, 2011 Report Share Posted January 18, 2011 I bought Call of Pripyat when it was on sale on Steam and I only really gave it a single attempt so far, but I was wondering; did they get rid of anomalies? Everybody in this thread is talking about how they dealt with the first gunfight but I remember my first experience with the game involved me unexpectedly dying 50 times and screaming at the screen wondering what the fuck was going on. When I finally realized that it was strange, subtle energy charges that were killing me I was suddenly a lot more interested. As cheap as they are I thought they made some pretty cool traps out of them. Also; why the fuck did the Steam collection come with the first game and the third game but not Clear Sky? Now there's like a big gap in my collection. Full Disclosure: I tried Stalker Complete and hated it, went back to vanilla Stalker. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheForgetfulBrain Posted January 18, 2011 Author Report Share Posted January 18, 2011 Yeahh, I was raging about that in the Steam sale thread. I don't know why they did that - someone thought it might be due to publisher conflicts, or because Pripyat is supposed to be a direct sequel to Chernobyl. Gonna have to wait for it to hit a sale now, who knows when. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Enervation Posted January 19, 2011 Report Share Posted January 19, 2011 (edited) Ironically enough, I never finished the first game, but I definitely enjoyed CoP. Edited January 19, 2011 by Enervation Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
deanb Posted April 9, 2012 Report Share Posted April 9, 2012 http://www.gameranx.com/updates/id/6068/article/s-t-a-l-k-e-r-2-animation-video-leaks-out/ Not much to it. Doesn't look much like ass like STALKER 1 does though. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Yantelope V2 Posted April 9, 2012 Report Share Posted April 9, 2012 I played the first game for about 10 hours or so IIRC. I didn't really like it that much. It had some good ideas but was too rough around the edges and I don't think they ever got that sorted from the reviews of the other games I read. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
deanb Posted April 9, 2012 Report Share Posted April 9, 2012 You play with the Complete mod? I will agree it's pretty rough around the edges though. Though to such a degree it can be hard to work out what's rough around the edges and what's just part of the game play. (like is the lack of auto-save a gameplay feature, or an oversight). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Yantelope V2 Posted April 9, 2012 Report Share Posted April 9, 2012 Yeah, I tried some complete mod but I don't remember what it was called. When I mean rough it was more the gameplay and presentation than anything. I know it's going for that open feel and some people love that but it was almost too open and directionless for my tastes. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sixrocket Posted April 30, 2012 Report Share Posted April 30, 2012 Stalker is dead. Yep. Show's over. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DocSeuss Posted April 30, 2012 Report Share Posted April 30, 2012 (edited) Couple things: First, play Complete with AMK. Much better experience with lots of new things, like sleeping, eating, and so forth. Second, stop relying on Autosave and start quicksaving. Third, rebind the keys so that sprint is in a more friendly place, and memorize where quickbandage and quickfirstaid are. Fourth: pick up the stalker suit located in the attic of the house in the starting area. It's hard to get to, but so worth it. Fifth: turn down headbobbing (with AMK iirc) Sixth: travel light. Don't carry all the ammo you think you want--just carry around sixty to a hundred rounds a weapon (more for automatics). Carry one shotgun and one assault rifle with a scope. A sniper rifle's good if you're not dealing with mutants, but it's not a necessity. Edited April 30, 2012 by DocSeuss Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
deanb Posted July 31, 2012 Report Share Posted July 31, 2012 So rumour on the grapevine is that bethesda have picked up STALKER. Which is good n bad news. Good in that it means the project lives, bad in that it may just end up as russian fallout 4. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Maritan Posted July 31, 2012 Report Share Posted July 31, 2012 Strange. russian fallout 4 I think you mean "russian fallout 4 made by bethesda". Now THAT is bad. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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