S.T.A.L.K.E.R: Shadow of Chernobyl

This game is excellent. While the graphics may not be top notch, the gameplay is something to be praised. Yes, it's a difficult game even on the lower settings. Yes, you're going to die...a lot...at first.

The game takes place in the year 2012 (maybe later, but from the manual, that's what I get), many years after that sad, horrible, worst human created disaster ever in history: The Chernobyl Meltdown. People now enter into the zone in order to get the twisted remains of whatever they can in order to eek out a living for themselves. Animals and humans alike have been mutated into new life forms and there are strange anomalies in the environment ranging from gravitational distortions to wind that seems to have a life of its own.

The main story (thus far for me) is a bit weak, but it's the gameplay and drive to find new information that keeps you going. Also, the AI is top notch. In this game there is something called A-Life. For those of you who don't know the difference in AI and AL, basically AI is based off of psychology while AL is based on biology. Blending these two into the characters, the NPC's have incredible pathfinding, incredible reactions to the environment, and will give themselves their own routines. How is this different than Oblivion? Unlike Oblivion where odd conversations are often had, it never is an issue in this game. Characters react realistically to each other, the environment, friends, and threats.

The audio is top notch and does a great job setting the mood for the player. If you have surround sound, even better. Each sound comes across clear and learning what makes which sounds will save your ass more than a few times.

Weapons degrade, armour becomes less usefull, and there's the ever present threat of getting radiation sickness, bleeding to death, and chemical burns that will continue to eat away at your flesh. Sounds complicated? Trust me, sounds worse than it actually is.

What this game sets out to do, it does excellent. Does it have some flaws? Yes. The weapons handle REALISTICALLY, which means that shooting something at more than fifty yards with a pistol is pointless and wastes ammo. Also, Vista does not play well with this game. However, the shortcommings are far drowned out by the great things this game has to offer.

Another great thing about this game is that it takes a true event, makes a storyline out of it, gives it a future, but does not take away from the nature of what Chernobyl was and what it did to those poor people. I highly recommend this game.