Ok, I get it. I finally get it. S.T.A.L.K.E.R. is a hidden gem. I have attempted to start this game twice on earlier occassions, but got board with the **** guns and lack of armor that your character begins with. Some advice for those of you who haven't started it yet: aim for the head with your pistol, and grab an enemy's shotgun the moment it's safe.

I am probably only about 20-30% of the way through the game, but already I am loving it. One of the things that has immediately made this game better is through the use of mods. I tried the Float 32 mod, but didn't see enough of a difference. Then I tried the 2009 total conversion mod. Hoo boy.

and here's a shot of the game with the total conversion mod. To see the difference, check out the sky, clouds, trees, and my character's hand (at the bottom). Note the different UI too.

Today, I encountered two warring factions of Stalkers. I agreed to help one group attack another, and off I went. In truth, I accepted the quest but wasn't sure if I wanted to alienate myself from another group of Stalkers. But the moment I approached the enemy's base, a sniper took a shot at me. **** that. They're going down. So after the battle ended, I had a virtual playground of loot to gather: guns, ammo, artifacts, you name it...

My Playground

The fools that I sold my stash to

I spent all day today (vacation) playing this game, and I can't wait to get back to it tomorrow.