S.T.A.L.K.E.R.: Shadow of Chernobyl
- March 20, 2007
- GSC Game World
- 10h median play time
Get on SteamS.T.A.L.K.E.R.: Shadow of Chernobyl is a horror open-world game with single-player and multiplayer modes, offering a stunning story, diverse gameplay, and a sensational soundtrack. The game is set in a post-apocalyptic Zone near the Chernobyl Nuclear Power Plant, filled with dangerous mutants, valuable artifacts, and various weapons. Despite being very grinding, buggy, and emotionally intense, the game boasts good graphics, wonderful mechanics, and high replayability, inviting you to uncover its Truth.
Nintendo Switch
PC
Playstation 4
Windows
Xbox One
PlayStation
Xbox
Reviews
- story2,640 mentions
- 31 % positive mentions
- 64 % neutral mentions
- 5 % negative mentions
The story of "S.T.A.L.K.E.R.: Shadow of Chernobyl" is often described as intriguing and atmospheric, drawing players into a post-apocalyptic world filled with mystery and danger. While the main narrative follows the amnesiac protagonist, known as the Marked One, on a quest to uncover his identity and confront a figure named Strelok, many players find the storytelling to be somewhat disjointed and reliant on environmental cues rather than direct exposition. Side quests are frequently criticized for being repetitive and lacking depth, but the game's rich lore and multiple endings provide a compelling reason for exploration and replayability. Overall, the story is appreciated for its unique setting and the emotional weight it carries, despite some players finding it challenging to follow at times.
“Stalker has a way of drawing you in with its atmosphere, the richness of its world, and the engaging storyline. If for some reason you still haven't had the chance to play this game, I highly recommend it; you definitely won't regret it!”
“The story is interesting, and the atmosphere is captivating. It has a unique blend of horror and action that keeps you engaged throughout the gameplay.”
“The story is superbly written, and keeps you guessing throughout most of the game on who you are. The characters, however insignificant, are fun to interact with, and the entire setting is well done.”
“All in all, it's not worth it in this day and age, I would have saved a lot of grief just watching a 'the story of stalker' on YouTube or something.”
“The story itself is serviceable if not a touch cliché.”
“The quest and main story can be a bit underwhelming, but it gives you an excuse to explore and shoot stuff, which is endlessly fun.”
- atmosphere1,931 mentions
- 65 % positive mentions
- 34 % neutral mentions
- 1 % negative mentions
The atmosphere in "S.T.A.L.K.E.R.: Shadow of Chernobyl" is widely praised as one of its standout features, characterized by a haunting, immersive, and oppressive environment that effectively captures the desolation of the Chernobyl Exclusion Zone. Players frequently highlight the game's ability to evoke feelings of dread and tension through its sound design, weather effects, and the eerie presence of mutants and anomalies, making exploration both thrilling and terrifying. Despite some criticisms regarding gameplay mechanics and dated graphics, the game's atmosphere remains unmatched, drawing players into a uniquely atmospheric experience that few other titles can replicate.
“The atmosphere in this game is absolutely fantastic.”
“The atmosphere is incredible and sucks you right in.”
“The atmosphere is dark and eerie and the action is intense and tactical.”
“The atmosphere is dark and oppressive.”
“The atmosphere of this game is very intense and it gets pretty freakin' scary at some parts too.”
“The atmosphere is so thick that you can extend your arm and touch it.”
- gameplay1,257 mentions
- 34 % positive mentions
- 59 % neutral mentions
- 7 % negative mentions
The gameplay of "S.T.A.L.K.E.R.: Shadow of Chernobyl" is characterized by its challenging mechanics, immersive atmosphere, and a blend of survival horror and first-person shooter elements. While many players appreciate the game's unique setting and engaging narrative, they often note that the mechanics feel dated, with clunky gunplay and frustrating AI behavior. Despite these issues, the game remains highly regarded for its depth, replayability, and the extensive modding community that enhances the overall experience.
“The game's non-linear gameplay, coupled with its vast open world and challenging survival mechanics, offers countless hours of replayability.”
“But anyway... it's insanely immersive, one of the best atmospheres, highly enjoyable gameplay with my favorite part being how much your experience matters, you can optimize your completion so well, targeting most of the game content, and not rushing towards the final mission.”
“The gameplay is fantastic, the atmosphere is tense and immersive, and the graphics hold up - they are old, but clean.”
“The atmosphere in the game is awesome, though the gunplay, the map, PDA, missions, and the main gameplay just ruin the rest of the game.”
“Immersive atmosphere and an interesting storyline only held back by dated gameplay systems.”
“The gameplay is incredibly clunky.”
- graphics933 mentions
- 27 % positive mentions
- 61 % neutral mentions
- 12 % negative mentions
The graphics of "S.T.A.L.K.E.R.: Shadow of Chernobyl," released in 2007, are generally considered dated but still acceptable for their time, with many players noting that they contribute to the game's immersive atmosphere. While some reviews highlight the game's unique aesthetic and effective use of lighting, others point out that the character models and animations have not aged well. The modding community has created numerous enhancements, such as the "Complete" mod, which significantly improves graphics and fixes bugs, allowing players to enjoy a more polished experience.
“The visuals and ambiance elevate the overall atmosphere to the next level.”
“For a game that came out in 2007, it has really good graphics.”
“Despite its age, the visuals still hold their own because of high-quality art direction and intelligent use of lighting.”
“The graphics are outdated, pinched mechanics, and some bugs.”
“The graphics are bad in comparison to modern games, but this one has a crazy atmosphere.”
“The graphics are terrible, the combat is clunky, and the game at times feels fundamentally broken.”
- stability442 mentions
- 3 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 97 % negative mentions
The game's stability is widely criticized, with many players reporting numerous bugs, glitches, and crashes that can significantly disrupt gameplay. While some find charm in its janky nature, others describe it as frustrating and tedious, particularly in the vanilla version. However, the strong modding community offers various patches, such as the Zone Reclamation Project, which can alleviate many of these issues and enhance the overall experience.
“Dope game, my settings just a tad low but still runs great.”
“Game is not that buggy like some people say.”
“Nice mix between RPG/post-apocalyptic/survival horror, interesting missions, good storyline, and runs great in Linux.”
“The game is riddled with glitches and bugs and just all around weird programming quirks, but has some of the deepest and most satisfying and truly suspenseful gunfights and exploration.”
“The biggest issue many people agree on are glitches and a lack of stability.”
“The game is also notoriously unstable and buggy and the performance is very inconsistent, especially on modern hardware.”
- music192 mentions
- 36 % positive mentions
- 60 % neutral mentions
- 4 % negative mentions
The music in the game is widely praised for its ability to enhance the immersive atmosphere, with many players highlighting the haunting ambient tracks and the soothing guitar songs played by NPCs around campfires. While some reviews note a desire for a more extensive soundtrack, the minimalistic approach is often seen as beneficial, allowing the environmental sounds to contribute to the game's eerie ambiance. Overall, the music effectively captures the game's themes of desolation and nostalgia, making it a standout feature for many players.
“The atmosphere, music, sense of mystery, and story are incredible.”
“The soundtrack blends perfectly to convey the haunting beauty of the zone, whether it's the game's own menu music or even the ambiance of fellow stalkers playing the guitar around a campfire.”
“Apart from the exciting gunplay and terrifying enemies, what stands out most in Stalker is its incredible ambience, which paired with its masterfully made soundtrack gives a result that is probably the most immersive game out there.”
“Other than that, I actually felt like the zone music kind of took me out of the immersion and I was close to turning it off.”
“Just listening to the opening music gives me PTSD.”
“The lack of background music makes it all the more intense when you know something's in the room with you, but you can't see it, and there is absolutely no sound except for your small footsteps.”
- humor134 mentions
- 98 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 2 % negative mentions
The humor in the game is often described as a mix of intentional and unintentional comedy, with players finding amusement in quirky character interactions, absurd bugs, and the darkly humorous atmosphere. Many reviews highlight the hilarity of NPC dialogue, particularly from bandits, and the amusing glitches that add a layer of charm to the gameplay. Overall, the humor is seen as a unique aspect that enhances the experience, despite the game's bleak setting and challenging mechanics.
“It's bleak, creepy, oppressive (even a bit dated), and the world seems so alive, even if the NPCs act funny at times.”
“A bandit yelled 'cheeki breeki' at me while I was in the middle of gunning him down; it was pretty funny.”
“I found it humorous that the bandit gopniks were wearing Adidas and shooting at me while screaming 'cheeki breeki.'”
“Insert unfunny meme.”
“Like actually buggy, not funny haha buggy but game design and progression breaking buggy.”
“A few but very funny bugs.”
- replayability104 mentions
- 46 % positive mentions
- 51 % neutral mentions
- 3 % negative mentions
The game boasts high replayability due to its non-linear gameplay, multiple endings, and a vibrant modding community that significantly enhances the experience. Players can explore various paths, factions, and side quests, ensuring that each playthrough feels unique. While some reviews note limited replay value in the base game, the extensive mod options provide nearly limitless opportunities for replay.
“The game's non-linear gameplay, coupled with its vast open world and challenging survival mechanics, offers countless hours of replayability.”
“Multiple endings: the multiple endings based on player choices were well-received, encouraging replayability as players could experience different outcomes by making different decisions throughout the game.”
“The mods released for this game can completely change the experience and make it feel like you're playing the game for the first time again, and mods like ZOA, AMK, and LURK can extend the replayability to ridiculous levels, into the range of multiple thousand hours.”
“The lack of any meaningful choices to make (specifically in reference to factions) makes it so that there is honestly little replayability in this game, as every playthrough will more or less play out the same way, and despite how many endings there are, almost every ending can be achieved in a single playthrough if you really go out of your way to do so and know what to do.”
“Single player hurts its replayability.”
“Replayability is iffy; there are multiple endings (which are actually determined by what you do in the game, instead of a choice at the end of the game), but I think honestly playing different mods is really the only way to get some solid replay value out of this title.”
- optimization85 mentions
- 14 % positive mentions
- 56 % neutral mentions
- 29 % negative mentions
The game's optimization is widely criticized, with many players reporting frequent crashes, stuttering, and performance issues, particularly on modern hardware. While some users found success running the game smoothly on low-end PCs or with specific mods like the Zone Reclamation Project, the overall consensus is that the base game suffers from significant technical shortcomings and requires modding for an improved experience. Despite its age, the game can still be enjoyable, but players should be prepared to navigate its numerous bugs and optimization challenges.
“Performance-wise, I had no issues, especially running on Linux without any mods; I just installed and pressed play.”
“Given its age, it's now easy to run on low-spec hardware with no performance issues and still looks pretty good.”
“Incredibly well done environments, good and balanced combat system, lovely ambience, music and sound effects, very intriguing concept and story, and very well optimized.”
“The game is also notoriously unstable and buggy, and the performance is very inconsistent, especially on modern hardware.”
“It is the worst optimized piece of garbage that I have ever played.”
“Back then it was so horribly buggy and unoptimized at launch, that even while playing on the lowest settings it still chugged at 15 fps and the load times were god-awful.”
- grinding83 mentions
- 1 % positive mentions
- 13 % neutral mentions
- 86 % negative mentions
The grinding aspect of the game is frequently described as tedious and time-consuming, with many players expressing frustration over backtracking, inventory management, and the slow pace of progression. While some find the immersion and challenge rewarding, others feel that the repetitive nature of tasks and lack of fast travel detracts from the overall experience, making it feel more like a chore than enjoyable gameplay. Despite these criticisms, a few players appreciate the grind as part of the game's charm and atmosphere.
“Isn't tedious at all and very tense at times - remember that you press L to turn on your flashlight.”
“The end game basically just felt like a tedious slog compared to what came before as you go through areas fighting the soldier (and snipers) and later even helicopter as a timer counts down.”
“It's overall very tedious and time-consuming to get certain things done in the game while others are lightning fast.”
“Decent enjoyable game only let down by the lack of a fast travel system, meaning there's a lot of tedious trudging back and forth - and this gets irritating over time.”
- emotional43 mentions
- 93 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 7 % negative mentions
The emotional aspect of the game is highlighted by its powerful atmosphere, haunting soundtracks, and the sense of dread and despair it evokes in players. Many reviewers express feelings of nostalgia, helplessness, and emotional attachment, with some describing the experience as an emotional rollercoaster that can lead to tears. However, there are mixed opinions on the game's storytelling and emotional connections, with some finding it lacking in depth despite its impactful moments.
“Such an interesting story, the mysteries of the dangerous but beautiful zone, with the plot twists of the protagonist's identity, mixed with the emotional soundtracks, like 'Dirge for the Planet', makes this game the best FPS single-player experience, beating Half-Life 2 and others from the same category in the 2000s tremendously. Can't wait to play the sequel!”
“It's so heartfelt and close... the game is also a horror game.”
“It's depressing-looking, and I don't think a video game has ever made me feel as lonely as this one in my life.”
“I don't like Fallout's open world RPG; I love Metro 2033, but Stalker has a boring story and weird gameplay. Also, you must save the game manually to avoid losing progress. I lost to some electric tunnel, and the game didn't auto-save. I hate saving manually.”
“R was just some old game that crashes all the time and has a boring story, but that changed very quickly.”
“Rather boring story.”
- monetization15 mentions
- 13 % positive mentions
- 7 % neutral mentions
- 80 % negative mentions
The monetization aspect of the game has received mixed feedback, with some players criticizing it for being a cash grab due to high-priced preorders and exclusive content, while others appreciate the absence of microtransactions and loot boxes, labeling it as a refreshing change in the current gaming landscape. Despite the presence of ads, players noted that the game does not employ pay-to-win mechanics, which is seen as a positive feature. Overall, the monetization strategy has sparked debate, with concerns about pricing and content overshadowing the lack of traditional monetization tactics.
“No pay to win: no DLC, no loot boxes, no microtransactions.”
“If only modern games were as good as this: no microtransactions, no loot boxes, just pure amazing gameplay with some of the best atmosphere ever.”
“It's sad that Stalker 2 is a massive cash grab with absurdly priced preorder bundles, preorder exclusive story content, devs that wanted to add NFTs to the game, and a scrapped Russian voiceover the devs removed even after selling preorders for over a year under the pretense that there would be a Russian dub.”
“They are literally putting up ads in which they say they donate sale money to the Ukrainian military.”
“No DLC, not even microtransactions. What is this?”
- character development6 mentions
- 33 % positive mentions
- 17 % neutral mentions
- 50 % negative mentions
Character development in the game is generally perceived as lacking depth, with no intricate skill trees or direct character progression; instead, players enhance their experience through equipment changes. While the story and setting offer potential for rich character exploration, the execution falls short, leading to a repetitive experience with minimal character engagement. Overall, the basic presentation of characters is deemed believable, but the absence of meaningful development detracts from the overall experience.
“This game offers so much depth with the story, character development, and game structure.”
“It's an interesting setting since there's so much potential for it, as the zone draws all kinds of people to it, leading to almost infinite potential for character development. It has potential for interesting science fiction, mystery, horror, political themes, and who knows what else.”
“There's no in-depth character development, but at least the basic presentation of characters is good and believable.”
“Stalker: Shadow of Chernobyl is quite gripping when you first begin the game, but grows stale with gray, similar environments, lack of character development, no AI to speak of, and unlimited fetch and assassination quests.”
“And even though it doesn't feature direct skills or character development, you basically do that with the equipment you constantly find and change throughout your journey.”
