|
This game would be pretty cool if it worked. I get to the finish line, but am unable to 100% finish it. I may not even finish playing it. I can only get within fifty feet of the exit before the radiation keeps killing me. DON'T BUY IT. FU2 THQ.
So, after many, MANY HOURS OF PURE PAIN. This game is LOADED W/BUGS. This game becomes virtually unplayable in the upper levels. You can only go back two saves. I advise all to take a permanent pass on THQ. To the point of being worse than worthless. It gets worse the farther into the game you get.
Saves. Impossible to advance w/o it. Make a mistake w/o knowing it. I've installed the latest patch, & gotten used to its way of working.
My system is running XP, & has older components. It doesn't. The concept of increased weapons realism is a good one. You also would never know to approach the Wish Maker, & hit the action key.
Don't even bother playing this piece of S**T if you steal a copy. rounds into someone's face @15ft, & had them laugh it off ( & then kill me w/a short burst.). I finally got to the top of the sarcophagus. This game is a sorry disappointment. It still plays w/o lag, for the most part. This game is simply too flawed. Early on, I had to replay the game from the beginning because a bug failed to include a key NPC in one section. The limited ability to save only compounds this.
It turns out I missed a hidden door somewhere earlier in that impossible level. Not_Fur_Nuttin, If I tip-toe up behind a bad guy. Addendum: Just finished the game, almost. You're done. Screw a 30cal, fully automatic battle rifle into his ear, & empty the clip. I will never buy another THQ product. He should be dead. The game only saves your last one or two.
I installed the latest patch before playing. I've put twenty 308 win. You can replay the entire freakin game, or trash it. It is sorely executed here, though. It makes the game much more aggravation than it's worth. This is on the novice setting, mind you.
You'd never know to look for it. Quick-save all you like. I don't care what kind of fancy-schmancy armor he's wearing. Everything else gets grouped together into the third save. What a sorry, piece of garbage.
Try to give it some patience if you are more into the DOOM style FPS, and you may find yourself rewarded. Still, I pushed on and was rewarded.STALKER shines in its middle levels. The game does have a developed plot, so true aficionados will no doubt want to complete as much as possible. I actually prefer FPS games to be light on plot, since I'm not a big fan of constant cut scenes or character interaction.The gameplay has its ups and downs, hence the four star rating. The problem is you start off with very poor weapons and have to complete a decent amount of the game before you are well-equipped enough to handle even simple threats. I found this part of the game too tedious, and eventually stopped it altogether. It's not completely a first person shooter, nor is it even close to a role-playing game. There are artifacts scattered around that grant certain bonuses, but are often more valuable as barter tools.
I'm more a fan of the FPS genre, but STALKER pulls off the hybrid style well. It's realistic in that it is easy to die, and you have to bandage yourself to keep from bleeding, but it's unrealistic in that you can collect artifacts to solve these problems (and run around carring 130 pounds of equipment). It also means that you have an inventory, which needs to be stocked with food, ammunition, and supplies. You can only carry a limited amount, so you have to choose what to keep with you. People who appreciate freedom and spacious outdoor environments will definitely enjoy this aspect of the game.
Radiation plays a part in the game, and you will find yourself having to combat it various ways frequently using items from your inventory. As I said, you want to acquire the best weapons possible as soon as possible, and that usually means money. STALKER does combine some elements of the horror FPS genre - zombies, mutants, and animals - with a more realistic military style. The game consists of one large map comprised of "zones." You have the freedom to move between these zones, but sometimes you have to complete certain tasks to unlock them. The levels are well constructed and there is excellent variety in the quests and enemies.
It is great value for the price, since it is a long and complicated game. You may come back to an area you cleared out earlier only to find it repopulated with bandits. The game tries to be realistic in many ways, and this means the early weapons have poor accuracy. The first part of the game, where you do a lot of the initial building of your inventory, was too tedious and frustrating for me. Even loading save games may yield different AI positions and equipment. STALKER is not for everyone. For those people more into the FPS style, there is essentially one linear quest to follow that will allow you to complete the game.
It's exciting to get new guns that actually do damage. Instead, it's somewhere in between. However, choosing this path means you will only be playing about 40% of the game, since in each zone there are several side quests you can choose to complete - things like clearing out hideouts, finding items, or locating specific characters. The result is definitely a success because of its balance. Like an RPG, the AI is dynamic - there are other factions moving and fighting the whole time you are exploring.
The major drawback of this, at least for players like me, is that you have to spend a lot of time running between zones to complete quests that are far apart (there are no vehicles in the game that you can use). These yield various rewards and affect your reputation. To acquire items, you can either find them, scavenge them from dead bodies, or trade for them with a few of the characters in the game. To begin, the game gets off to a slow start. Following this path exclusively still makes for an excellent game and plenty of variety, with minimal plot and character interaction.
I honestly almost quit playing after a few hours. Overall STALKER is a unique, engrossing, and downright fun game that should at least be tried out by fans of the FPS genre.
Everything worked as I hoped. The shipping was as expedient as anyone could hope for in Iraq. Everything worked out grandly. Brand new game in box. Thank you for your excellent service.
Thankfully the crashes that occured were few and far between, but annoying nontheless. Game had me hooked until I finished it, at which point I started it over again. The story is interesting and keeps you going and it runs decently enough on my laptop (x205-sli3).The ONLY issue I have with the game is that there are still some bugs, even with the latest patch applied. As usual, save and save often resolves this issue.
I am a regular gamer and this game lived up to being different enough to keep my interest. I didn't do every side mission but went through the whole game and really enjoyed the tactical shooter type gameplay. Now it is back to BF2 and Gears of War till I find something I like as well as Stalker.
|
May be eligible for FREE Shipping offer
