Great ride while it lasted.
It is not every day where you see games like S.T.A.L.K.E.R. Not only is it unique, but it is challenging and it adds a new depth to the same old first person shooter we have been playing for years. To put it in the simplest of terms: if you are a FPS fan and have a decent rig you should definitely get it. It delivers in so many levels; it is just unreal how much fun it is to be had.
THE STORY:
You are placed in a contemporary universe where the disaster of Chernobyl back in 1986 evolved into something more as the years passed; this place is ultimately known as the Zone. After a tragic accident you are left with amnesia and all you have as a link to your past is a PDA, in it there is a note that says: "Kill Strelok". For the most part, you are a Stalker (an adventurer of the zone) and you must travel the territory to unravel its many secrets.
THE GOOD:
The mechanics of the game is what makes it so unique; they are a combination of an RPG and FPS. There is an inventory system and a set of stats that are raised by the items that you will obtain during your adventure, anomalies and suits are some of the items you will be collecting. There is also a huge assortment of weapons, from pistols to grenade launchers. The game also offers quite a nice story line, which is decent enough if you are able to reach the real ending out of the 7 that there are. If you seek a challenge, this game has plenty of it, the engine features very realistic ballistics therefore you will not be landing head shots all the time for afar.
THE BAD:
Now, lets not get confused here, this is the same game we have been waiting for over 4 years now and many of the things that we were promised are nowhere to be seen. I seriously do not want to spoil it to those who have never heard of the game, so just enjoy what you have… Some of its shortcomings include its (now dated) graphics engine and high system requirements for smooth game play (ironic, isn't it?). The game looks decent, but it is not the DOOM3 of 2007. There are also a few glitches with the PDA system, often resulting in not being able to complete certain tasks. Another big annoyance is how much you are able to carry, considering the large amount of items that are in the game, it restraints you on what you want to use.
CONCLUSION:
Great game. If you are a fan: you should play it; however if you are not: this game will not change your mind about fps. Like many games out there it has its annoyances and glitches, but it is not really something that should completely ruin the experience. You will get at least some good 20 hours out of the game, and with this I would like to end my first review ever. Thanks for reading.