|
|
 |
|
|
|
S.T.A.L.K.E.R.: Shadow of Chernobyl Review (continued)
More User Submitted S.T.A.L.K.E.R.: Shadow of Chernobyl Reviews
Date: 2007-12-20
S.T.A.L.K.E.R. = Citizen Kane of Video Games
A must have for the PC. If you were a huge fan of HL2, F.E.A.R and Oblivion - then this is a must have. You need to play it to hear, feel and believe it yourself.
Date: 2007-12-17
Another un-optimized game for 2007
2007 has got to be the worst year for games. Two words for STALKER. "Junk Code". Typically I'm very much against reviewing a game based on how well it runs because the technical shortcomings of one's own system should not define the quality of the game itself. All-to-often we see reviewers on Amazon rate a game badly simply because they don't know a thing about Gaming or PC's in general. We all know and loathe these types because they unfairly give a game a bad rating, when the actual problem is them - not the game.
Anyway, with that out of the way, I have to say STALKER demonstrates a discouraging trend in current game development. Games are becoming so dependent on API's and "Canned Code" that programmers no longer have to be programmers. Game engines like Bioshock and STALKER make this all too evident. I've seen these games run on some of the best systems out there and what people don't realize is they still don't run the way they should.
STALKER - like Bioshock - has the feel of a badly mod'ed engine. No matter how good your system is, you WILL experience problems... and strange ones at that because what you have here, are game engines that are mod'ed beyond their capabilities. It's almost as if these companies said, "hey, let's take Doom3 or HL2, shove as much of the latest and greatest API's into it, give it a storyline, and sell it".
By the way for those who don't know what an API is, it's essentially huge junks of pre-written code. A lot of the lighting effects and physics in these games are API's.
Even if the API's are well written, a team who relays to heavily on them brings to question their technical prowess. All the bugs in the finished game reveal the lack thereof. Do you recall Bioshock's constant BSOD, STALKER does it too. There are also memory leaks in FDL. The problems are documented and the company actually suggests using community mods to fix the problem as well as installing 3rd party, freeware, OpenAL drivers. Wow.
To describe the game itself... movement is chunky, the environments looked tinselly and 'floaty', and the character animations are not fluid or natural looking at all even with a high FPS.
The story seemed cool... but who cares really. I want good optimized code. Story is tertiary no matter what people try to sell me on. GIVE ME GOOD CODE!!!
The future of game development is here and it does indeed look bleak.
Date: 2007-12-04
A Brilliant Gaming Achievement
This is without doubt one of the best computer games ever devised . Based upon a film , even a novel , it sends you right in the heart of the infamous Chernobyl and its residential area , so that even a degree of reality is present !It is still a mystery to me whether the city itself has been realistically recreated , but you even get to operate ,i.e. shoot the living hell out of the opponents , right under the statue of Stalin ! It is basically one of the fastest and bloodiest shoot'em up games that will even scare the living daylights out of you as you are doing certain missions in the underground tunnels , accompanied with the eerie sounds and screeching , coming from the belly of the beast ! And this is , briefly , the proper name of the game ! A game of Jordanesque proportions ! Not for the minors though !
Date: 2007-11-28
Radiation isn't always bad.............
This game is a must play for FPS fans. Be prepared to devote many hours in front of the screen attempting to conquer this one. The playing areas are immense, the AI is superb, and the story line is very good. No two "saved game" reloads are the same, which keeps you on your toes. I would have given it five stars, but the inventory access and the incessant walking was annoying at times. That being said, it's abosultely one of the best and toughest games I've ever played.
Date: 2007-11-24
THIS is why I still play first person shooters!
I loved Doom. It was one of first games I ever played on the computer. It set the standard for the FPS genre. Over a decade later, how has the genre evolved? For the most part, it hasn't. Graphics have improved tremendously. Some games make an effort to include a "story." Half Life 2, for example, is glorified as the new standard for the FPS. While it was enjoyable, I can barely recall what happened in the game. Sure, there was a story, but I didn't have any part in it. All I did was point my crosshair at the enemies and move through essentially a very pretty maze. Not much different than Doom.
The first person perspective offers the greatest level of immersion in gaming, if done correctly. There is so much potential for unforgettable gaming. There have been a few games that have raised my expectations for what a FPS can deliver. Two, that I can quickly name: System Shock 2 and Deus Ex. These games are worshipped by what must be a minority of gamers. What else can explain the fact that in seven years there has been no attempt to emulate their perfect blend of gun wielding with an immersive player-driven story and deep customization. Deus Ex 2 was a dumbed-down shadow of the original. I have yet to play Bioshock, the closest thing to a SS2 heir, but feedback has been mixed so I'm not holding my breath.
But finally, another shooter for players who like to think before they shoot!
Along comes S.T.A.L.K.E.R. (that's annoying to type), an unexpected gem that puts the players in the driver's seat and sets them free to roam a hauntingly beautiful landscape full of hidden and not-so-hidden death. You can create join factions, buy and sell weapons and artifacts, complete quests, and explore a radiated and battle-scarred land whose dangers are overshadowed only by its secrets.
The visuals are stunning. In heavily radiated areas, the screen becomes grainy and washed out. Strange energy anomolies pulsate from the ground and packs of mutated dogs run through the fields and patrol the woods. The sights are complimented by a moody ambient soundtrack. The sounds of laughing and the strumming of guitars carry on the wind, as do the sounds of battle. Battles occur whether you are present or not. Time passes in the shadow of Chernobyl regardless of what you do. I healed a badly wounded stalker one day, using up a precious medkit but gaining a friend in a lonely place. Days later I passed his corpse, killed either by animals or bandits. If that had been a scripted event, it wouldn't have had the same effect.
The story is very interesting and involves the player's past as well as the Chernobyl power plant. The search for answers will take you to some of scariest places in recent memory. If you explore and take advantage of what the game offers, it will give many more hours of gameplay than conventional shooters.
Everything about this game feels unique. It exudes atmosphere and provides a memorable break from the simplistic gameplay of the more celebrated first person shooters.
|
|
|
|
