S.t.a.l.k.e.r.: Shadow of Chernobyl (impressions video inside)

[Diamond]

Well, BSOD is a driver problem. Tried downgrading or getting different drivers?

[Slowtrain]

Did you guys try the official forums for solutions?

[Slowtrain]

Wild Territory is awesome. Lots of cool stuff to find. I've managed to put together a scoped silenced battle rifle plus I've got a REALLY big pistol.

 

This game is so sweet. I'm going to cry when it's all over.

[Kaftan Barlast]

I had a crash problem prior to installing the patch, I solved it by reloading from a savegame earlier than when the crashes started. You could try the same

[Cantousent]

Sold.

 

Assuming I can get it at D2D, I'll get it today. If I cannot make an online purchase, it will wait until tomorrow.

 

EDIT: Okay, did Direct2Drive go out of business? I used it to buy Hitman last year and now the site won't load.

Edited April 1, 2007 by Cantousent

[Slowtrain]

I found some much awesome stuff in Wild Territory, its totally insane.

 

Then I went into Yantar and got totally pwned. I went in with alomst 30 magazines of 5.56 ammo and just before I finally got killed I was down to three. Those zombies are hardy! If I had known I would have brought shotgun ammo and a lot more grenades.

 

 

*reloads*

[Morgoth]

Now that I finally have installed my new hardware (X1950 Pro, X-Fi XtremeMusic), I'm prepared for Stalker. Tomorrow I'm gonna buy it. Man I hope it doesn't suck.....

[Bokishi]

I don't really like it that much to be honest.

[Setzer]

I don't really like it that much to be honest.

 

Same here. I finally got the game running thanks to someone on the official game forum. It required having to edit/add a couple of registry keys. Now no more freezes or BSOD.

[Slowtrain]

I, otoh, think STALKER is the best game I've played in the last 3-4 years, and probably my second favorite FPS of all time, behind only the venerable System Shock 1.

 

SUre I wish a couple things were better implemented: the whole trading/market system could have been done better, the way in which the missions are handed out could have been more interesting (although I am not through yet, so maybe this will improve or at least change a bit). And STALKER stills falls into the trap common to most computer games of having most of the story occur as test on a screen rather than action in the gameworld.

 

But still, almost everything about what was implement in game design of STALKER are the aspects I love most in computer gaming.

 

ymmv, of course.

[Slowtrain]

An example of why I like this game so much:

 

I came back to the rookie camp for no reason other than I was in the area and thought I would pop in. Some time past I had noticed that Wolf was gone from his spot and figure it was a bug or something, so I ignored it. But this time there was new leader where Wolf had been, and when he saw me he waved me over. And I got this little quest to help protect the rookie camp from some badass merc group, and in getting the quest it was admitted that I was now pretty badass myself. So I agreed to help and we kicked the snot out of the mercs and everybody at the rookie camp became my friend! It was awesome, helping out the n00bs where I spent so much time as a n00b myself.

 

Anyway, it was this little quest that made no difference in the big story of the game, nobody told me to come and get the quest, but finding it and getting the result was a neat little special gaming moment.

 

That's really cool.

 

Anyway, here are a before and after screenie.

Edited April 2, 2007 by CrashGirl

[Cantousent]

Okay, Crashgirl, you've convinced me. I'm downloading it now as I type this. Direct2Drive decided it wanted to work after all.

[Pop]

That was cool, but as generally good as the English translations are, the responses tend to be pretty dull, ie "Yup, something like that." How does that even make sense in context?

[Cantousent]

Aw, it's not so bad. I'll just make up my own dialogue as I go along. I do that half the time anyhow. In Oblivion, I had to supply the whole backstory as I played.

[Slowtrain]

That was cool, but as generally good as the English translations are, the responses tend to be pretty dull, ie "Yup, something like that." How does that even make sense in context?

 

 

I hear what you're saying, Pop, but eh, what are you going to do, without being native speakers of the language the game was written in, we are in a tough position as regards to things like dialogue responses. Maybe it was better in the original. Then again, maybe not.

[Slowtrain]

Okay, Crashgirl, you've convinced me. I'm downloading it now as I type this. Direct2Drive decided it wanted to work after all.

 

 

Being somewhat familiar with your taste in games, I'm not sure you'll like it. But who knows.

 

Just remember its not a crpg, because if you judge it against that standard you are sure to come up disappointed. I'm not sure how to categorize it really, FPS/survival horror with some other stuff thrown in?

 

And remember, it is HARD early. That's what made the rookie camp defense so cool: I spent so long there trying despertaely to surivive long enough to kill a single wimpy bandit with a pistol that to come back and defend it against some pretty tough mercs and save all the rookies from certain death was a cool reminder of how much my character has developed over the course of the game.

[Slowtrain]

On a related note, I finally found the former leader of the rookie camp, Wolf. He was dead in a barrel in one of the nothern zones, with his crappy little submachine gun which seemed so awesome once upon a time on the ground at his feet. I don't know what he was doing so far north but he was terribly out of his league. Once again, another impressive moment of detail and consistency in this game. I wouldn't be at all surprised if in another game I found him alive and well somewhere else. We would have such things to talk about!

 

His ignoble end made me very sad.

[Cantousent]

I've managed to do a few missions around the beginning area. The open feel of the game is quite astounding. it has aspects of a CRPG, but the gameplay is FPS all the way. In a lot of ways, it's clunky and dated with dialogue that ranges between bad to outright silly to utterly perplexing. Still, I've been having fun. It won't break into my favorite games list at this rate, but I've enjoyed the experience. For less than $40 bought and paid for, I'm not complaining in the least.

 

BTW: This is my second Direct2Drive title and I have to say I'm quite happy with it. No packaging cluttering the house.

[blue]

I agree with Spider on the respawn issue. Its really not annoying. Respawns have bothered me in other games, but no this one.

How does the respawning compare to that seen in System Shock 2? (And how could you not be bothered by SS2's respawn rate? It was a game-breaker for me. An infinite crew on an isolated ship? What better way to destroy the illusion and have me laughing more than afraid!)

 

Also, how would you compare Stalker to Deus Ex? I've very little experience w/FPS, but DEx was a fine game--the best I've ever played for under a buck. (Oh, and hi CG!)

[Slowtrain]

I agree with Spider on the respawn issue. Its really not annoying. Respawns have bothered me in other games, but no this one.

How does the respawning compare to that seen in System Shock 2? (And how could you not be bothered by SS2's respawn rate? It was a game-breaker for me. An infinite crew on an isolated ship? What better way to destroy the illusion and have me laughing more than afraid!)

 

 

Its really not annoying at all since you can simply sprint past, through, or around every single combat zone in the game, taking little or no damage, as long as you are not encumbered with too much junk. Obviously you have to fight some enemies in the required missions, but even in those, once you know where you are going you can simply run by the enemies as long as you are not so close they can shoot you in the head with a shotgun, which is pretty much instant death.

 

respawning is everywhere and constant, so if you are obessive about wanting to clear an area to fill good about yourself and make it neat and tidy and have it stay cleared, I can't recommend the game. This is not a game for ocd types, its more a game for people who thrive amid chaos and disorder.

 

Also, how would you compare Stalker to Deus Ex? I've very little experience w/FPS, but DEx was a fine game--the best I've ever played for under a buck. (Oh, and hi CG!)

 

Its less structured then DX. Its much more a shooter and much less (not at all) a crpg. Combat and enemy AI and weapon implementation are all far superior to DX.

 

Don't expect any deep convos with npcs along the lines of Deus Ex.

 

 

(Oh and Wherefore art thou, blue?!?)

Edited April 4, 2007 by CrashGirl

[blue]

Thx, CG. Your enthusiasm for this game is infectious.

 

Have you played F.E.A.R.? Do enemies respawn? How does it compare to Stalker?

 

This is not a game for ocd types, its more a game for people who thrive amid chaos and disorder.

I reserve chaos for RL. I want my fantasy slaughter manageable and neat.

 

Ocd. You crack me up.

 

 

(Yonder.)

[Spider]

FEAR is about equal to Stalker when it comes to athmosphere, it is far more linear (as in completely), has a better story, AI on a similar level and good combat.

 

But I may not be the best person to ask, since I absolutely adore FEAR. It's pretty much my favorite shooter ever, along with the original Unreal. Stalker is a different beast altogether, but is also a really good game (although I personally like FEAR better, but I still think Stalker is awesome).

[blue]

FEAR is about equal to Stalker when it comes to athmosphere, it is far more linear (as in completely), has a better story, AI on a similar level and good combat.

 

But I may not be the best person to ask, since I absolutely adore FEAR. It's pretty much my favorite shooter ever, along with the original Unreal. Stalker is a different beast altogether, but is also a really good game (although I personally like FEAR better, but I still think Stalker is awesome).

Thanks. That's high praise. I'll check out the demo.

 

Fyi, there's also one for the FEAR expansion pack. No demo for Stalker.

[mkreku]

OK, time for an alternative view on FEAR: It's an absolutely monotonous experience with really cheesy horror elements thrown in at regular intervals. You spend the entire game trudging through the same extremely linear, greyish office levels, shooting at the same generic-looking soldiers, using the same time slowing tricks over.. and over.. and over.

 

It does, however, have some of the most fantastic special effects going on when there's combat (which is 90% of the time) and it also has really superb (and highly aggressive) AI that actually manages to surprise you from time to time. I love how they seem so ferocious (why is explained in the story)!

 

Basically it's a Doom-like shooter done very well. No brains required.

[Morgoth]

FEAR != Doom. Doom was a dumb and superficial experience, FEAR at least had intense combat and slow pace "crawl through the corridors" gameplay. I thought the atmosphere was cool anyway.

 

As for Stalker. I played about a few hours and so far it's really fantastic. Met my first invisible Mutant down in the basement.... Nice. And as opposed to Gothic 3, the A-Life stuff actually works (mostly). I just wish I'd get better armour, those Army dudes really kick my arse very quickly.