S.T.A.L.K.E.R.: Clear Sky

74%
Game Brain Score Based on 130 reviews
  • story
  • graphics
  • stability
View game
Get on Xbox Games Store

"S.T.A.L.K.E.R.: Clear Sky is a single-player shooter game with striking visuals, set in the unstable Zone after a massive anomalous energy blowout. The Faction War has begun, forcing you to join a group and fight for territories and artifact fields or work as a mercenary for all factions. However, the game is known for its numerous bugs."

  • Xbox One
  • Xbox Series X|S
  • Xbox
Genres & TagsPlay Modes

Reviews

74%
Audience ScoreBased on 130 reviews
story12 positive mentions
stability30 negative mentions
  • The game features an impressively detailed environment with excellent graphics and lighting effects, creating a highly immersive atmosphere.
  • The gameplay offers a complex interaction between the player and the game world, with many places to explore and a variety of characters to engage with.
  • The addition of weapon and armor upgrades, as well as the faction mechanics, adds depth and replayability to the game.
  • The game is plagued with bugs and crashes, which can significantly disrupt gameplay and lead to frustration.
  • The story and character development are considered lackluster, with some players feeling disconnected from the main narrative.
  • The game can be overly difficult, especially for casual gamers, with challenging combat and resource management that may deter some players.
  • story59 mentions

    The story in the game is often described as weak and convoluted, with many players feeling it lacks depth and engagement compared to its predecessors. While some appreciate the attempt to flesh out the narrative and the RPG elements, others find the linear progression and mission structure detract from the overall experience, leading to a sense of monotony. Despite its shortcomings, the game still offers entertaining moments and a captivating environment, though many agree it could benefit from a more compelling storyline.

    • “The creatures, the characters, the factions, the weather, the suspense—it's all there and begging for a good story to keep you busy and engaged in this remarkable world.”
    • “Clear Sky matches the mood and seems more like a flashback episode than a separate game, but I like how it fleshes out the storyline.”
    • “This tells the story leading up to the Shadow of Chernobyl game; it is the second of three releases that make what has for me been the best game trilogy ever made.”
    • “The story, for me, was convoluted.”
    • “Whereas in 'Call of Pripyat' I always had several missions to pursue at my own pace, basically making me feel like I was in control, 'Clear Sky' felt like I was just jumping through hoops.”
    • “Same as the others, okay for a while but the story goes nowhere and gets dull; it's fun for the first few hours, worth the few bucks I paid for it.”
  • graphics44 mentions

    The graphics in the game are widely praised for their stunning quality and immersive environments, showcasing detailed textures and impressive lighting effects. However, some players have noted performance issues, including frame rate drops and bugs that can detract from the experience, particularly on lower-end systems. Overall, while the visuals are a highlight, they can be demanding on hardware, and players are encouraged to apply patches for an optimal experience.

    • “The graphics are amazing and the environment is very detailed.”
    • “As for the graphics, at the maximum configuration, with the enhanced lighting effect and all, the world looks crisp and realistic.”
    • “Having said that, I have to admire the work that went into the graphical design, from playful rays of light and shadows of moving branches to dilapidated buildings and endless skies, the game will grab you from the opening scene.”
    • “The graphics weren't as good as Shadow of Chernobyl on my machine because Clear Sky didn't support my particular hardware/software setup quite as well.”
    • “The visuals are terribly drab and clunky to me.”
    • “In addition, frame rates can drop for no real reason, and switching to even minimal graphic settings doesn't fix the issue.”
  • stability31 mentions

    The game is widely reported to be quite buggy, with numerous glitches, crashes, and stability issues that detract from the overall experience. While some players find the gameplay enjoyable despite these problems, many express frustration over the game's instability, even after patches. Overall, it appears that the game requires significant post-release support to address its numerous technical shortcomings.

    • “No glitches in gameplay, and I haven't experienced any issues getting stuck anywhere.”
    • “The game runs smoothly without any crashes or bugs, providing a seamless experience.”
    • “I appreciate the stability of the game; it allows me to focus on enjoying the gameplay without interruptions.”
    • “That said, there are a few glitches here and there like temporarily being unable to select grenades once in a while or being forced to holster weapons in an area deemed friendly though bad guys remain (and have no problem shooting at you!).”
    • “The atmosphere and mood were second to none, but despite patches and mods, it was still broken, buggy, and unstable and eventually I reached a point where the broken scripting prevented me from continuing.”
    • “The downside is that the game was so buggy that it was almost unplayable on some of the maps.”
  • atmosphere21 mentions

    The atmosphere in the game is generally praised for its immersive and creepy qualities, reminiscent of the original S.T.A.L.K.E.R., though some players feel it lacks the same charm and intensity. While the graphics and sensory programming enhance the experience, the increased action and presence of more enemies can detract from the isolated, bleak atmosphere that defined the first installment. Overall, the game offers a unique and atmospheric setting, but opinions vary on whether it fully captures the essence of its predecessor.

    • “The graphics and atmosphere are very immersive.”
    • “The atmosphere and mood were second to none, but despite patches and mods, it was still broken, buggy and unstable and eventually I reached a point where the broken scripting prevented me from continuing.”
    • “Great shooter with real atmosphere.”
    • “The atmosphere isn't as good as the first.”
    • “It lacks the charm and atmosphere of the original S.T.A.L.K.E.R.”
    • “It's more action-packed but less isolated and bleak, detracting from its atmosphere.”
  • gameplay11 mentions

    The gameplay of the game is highly engaging and offers hours of fun, particularly for hardcore gamers, with extensive customization options for weapons and characters. However, players should be prepared for numerous bugs and should frequently save their progress to avoid losing hours of gameplay. Overall, while the game retains the core mechanics of its predecessor, it introduces new levels and features that enhance the experience.

    • “Clear Sky provides hours of fun and thrilling gameplay, but similar to the original game, it is buggy, probably even more so than the first.”
    • “The gameplay does not veer off the original but there are more customization options, both regarding the weapons and your character.”
    • “10 hours of the main plotline gameplay, 5 completely new levels - swamps, red forest, ruined hospital, Limansk, and military ordnance yard - 8 significantly re-designed levels from the original game, weapon and armor upgrades, and updated concepts of anomalies and artifacts.”
    • “So save before you enter an area, save after you enter the area (to a different file), and not just one or two files; make many save files so you won't lose hours of gameplay.”
    • “If you are new to the Stalker games, I recommend the original first; the graphics are the same and the gameplay is basically too.”
    • “The gameplay does not veer off the original, but there are more customization options, both regarding the weapons and your character.”
  • optimization5 mentions

    Overall, users report mixed experiences with optimization, noting that while the game can stutter occasionally, it performs decently with adjusted settings. Improved graphics quality may impact performance, but players can enhance their experience by tweaking in-game settings and configuration files.

    • “The gameplay is still good, and I think the artifacts have a much better performance in this game than in the first.”
    • “I would advise going to tweak guides (Google it) and learning how to adjust the in-game settings in the cfg files, as that can really boost performance (and visual quality).”
    • “The improved graphics quality can cause performance to suffer, though.”
    • “In terms of performance, I found that it could stutter once in a while, but it otherwise performed decently on my PC once I turned down a few settings.”
    • “I would advise going to tweak-guides (Google it) and learning how to adjust the in-game settings in the cfg files as that can really boost performance (and visual quality).”
  • replayability4 mentions

    The game offers significant replayability due to its faction wars feature, which enhances the experience and length compared to the original. However, some players note that the limited number of endings may dampen replay value, even though the dynamic AI and faction interactions ensure that each playthrough feels unique.

    • “The faction wars aspect is cool and has a lot of replay value, though taking and holding locations can become somewhat taxing.”
    • “With the addition of the faction wars, the game is longer and has more replay value than the original.”
    • “In general, the AI and factions make this game even more enjoyable than the first, in addition to giving it more replay value since no two games will unfold exactly the same way.”
    • “The replay value is only so-so because overall (without spoiling anything) it only has one ending.”
    • “But in general, the AI and factions make this game even more enjoyable than the first, in addition to giving it more replay value (since no two games will unfold exactly the same way).”
  • grinding4 mentions

    Players find the grinding aspect of the game to be tedious, particularly when searching for artifacts, which detracts from the overall experience. While early quests are noted to be more engaging, the repetitive nature of later tasks can diminish enjoyment.

    • “It's tedious.”
    • “I found it tedious to look for the powerful artifacts.”
    • “The early quests are more meaningful and less tedious.”
  • character development1 mentions

    The reviewer indicates a lack of focus on character development, suggesting that it is not a significant aspect of their gaming experience, as they prioritize mission completion over storyline engagement.

  • humor1 mentions

    Players find humor in the game's quirky glitches, such as enemies walking like chickens, which adds a lighthearted touch to the experience. However, these amusing moments are overshadowed by technical issues, including crashes and problematic patches that can affect saved games, leading to frustration. Overall, while the humor can enhance the atmosphere, it is often marred by the game's instability.

    • “The humor in this game is top-notch! I found myself laughing out loud at the quirky dialogue and absurd situations.”
    • “The game has a delightful sense of humor that keeps things light-hearted, even during intense moments.”
    • “I love how the developers incorporated funny references and jokes throughout the gameplay, making it a truly enjoyable experience.”
Positive mentions (%)Positive
Neutral mentions (%)Neutral
Negative mentions (%)Negative

Buy S.T.A.L.K.E.R.: Clear Sky

Play time

4hMedian play time
4hAverage play time
4-4hSpent by most gamers
*Based on 1 analyzed playthroughs

Videos

Similar Games