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

S.T.A.L.K.E.R.: Shadow of Chernobyl is a video game that consists of 1 release
Edit Article

EDIT BLURB SUBSCRIBE







S.T.A.L.K.E.R.: Shadow of Chernobyl is a First Person Shooter with many role playing elements set in the Chernobyl Exclusion Zone after a second fictional explosion in the not too distant future. Known for its incredible atmosphere and relatively difficult gameplay compared with other shooters released in 2007.

Overview


Bleak, hostile environments
    S.T.A.L.K.E.R.: Shadow of Chernobyl is a first person shooter developed by Ukrainian developer GSC Gameworld and published by THQ in 2007. In the game you must deal with radiation hazards, objects and areas can be heavily radiated, which can injure the player. Anti radiation injections and vodka can prevent this radiation from killing you. The game features A-Life in which AI stalkers will roam the world and perform tasks, it also features various factions that can become enemies of the player should they be killed by the player. The game features a main series of missions and many side quests that can be performed for money and rewards including assassination and camp defense. The game features several interior underground sections that are more linear than the outdoor areas and fell more like a standard FPS. The story is told through rendered cutscenes between major story segments.

    S.T.A.L.K.E.R. adopts non-linear gameplay. The player has complete freedom to do anything and everything. The
Mutant ridden underground laboratories
game also features some Role Playing elements. Although the player does not improve on his skill or get stronger as the game progresses, the player has a large number of customization options and can use various equipments that can be either bought from merchants or other stalkers. S.T.A.L.K.E.R. also provides character interactions which is a key element in RPGs, but in the case of S.T.A.L.K.E.R. the character interactions are limited to either accepting or declining a mission. The Zone is a large area and spreads over 30 square kilometers. Vehicles were initially a part of S.T.A.L.K.E.R. but were scrapped from the final version of the game. Nevertheless a third party mod does allow the player to use vehicles in S.T.A.L.K.E.R. Initially the game was said to suffer from numerous bugs especially on Windows Vista. The bugs resulted in game freeze to a complete crash.

All these bugs were supposed to have been fixed in the latest patch, 1.0006. Instead the patch created more problems, and was recalled by GSC Gameworld.


Development

Mutated animals roam abandoned buildings
    S.T.A.L.K.E.R. was initially announced in November 2001 and was set to be released in late 2003, however, it was pushed back several times. The game was finally released world wide on March 22, 2007. The game offers both single player and multiplayer, though the latter is the weaker of the two. The game was previously known as S.T.A.L.K.E.R. : Oblivion Lost. A prequel, S.T.A.L.K.E.R : Clear Sky, was announced by GSC Gameworld in 2007 and released to mixed reviews.



Plot

    The year is 2012, 6 years after the Chernobyl Nuclear Power Plant had it's second meltdown, leaving the surrounding areas barren wastelands full of mutants, artifacts , and deadly anomalies. In S.T.A.L.K.E.R, you play the role of a glorified scavenger known only as the 'Marked One'. Suffering from amnesia, the only clue to your identity is a PDA informing you to find and eliminate another Stalker by the name of Strelok. During the game you traverse the outskirts of the Chernobyl Nuclear Outpost known as 'The Zone' in search of Strelok and your identity.

Not all regions within The Zone are dreary
    Once the true identity is revealed, it is up to the player to choose the end. The game also features multiple ends and this adds up to the re-playability of the game. The game takes place in a location called The Zone, which is nothing but an alternate reality version of Chernobyl Power plant after the second fictitious nuclear power plant accident. The second explosion has completely destroyed the place by contaminating the surrounding areas with radiation and the damage has been presented well, in fact to perfection by the developers GSC Gameworld. The radiations has also resulted in mutations among animals making them a whole lot different and a lot more violent compared to  their real world counterparts. There also exists quite a few mutated humans, especially in the underground tunnels which makes the environment way more creepy.

Dangers of The Zone

Resulting from the fictional second Chernobyl Outpost Disaster, Radiation and altered physics have engulfed the Zone turning it into a hostile and dangerous place.


Anomalies

Anomalies are spots where standard physics have been defied, producing a variety of traps, some more deadly than others. Several varieties exist, from mild electric shocks to near invisible tornado-like whirlwinds and Burning Anomalies. If you maintain a keen eye while playing you will notice air or light distortions that will give their locations away. Anomalies also produce Artifacts, scientific mysteries that may boost your performance in a number of ways when worn, often at the cost of another. Anomalies always change location after a Blowout.

Radiation

The Chernobyl outskirts have suffered from radiation since the initial disaster took place in 1986, however these were never as deadly as those produced by the second reactor explosion in 2012. Invisible pockets create invisible dead ends and mazes in unexpected places. Like Anomalies they can change quickly after a Blowout, so pay attention to your Radiometer and don't sprint through unexplored areas.

Mutants

As a result of increased radiation, both humans and animals have succumbed to un-evolutionary mutation, effectively increasing the aggression of those affected. Several mutated creatures are within the game, however removed from the final product. These are available through user modifications such as Oblivion Lost or AMK.


Snork
    Heavily mutated humans, thought to be missing military stalkers, that have been engulfed by the zone. They feed off all types of flesh and have the ability to jump long distances in order to catch their prey.


















Rodents
    Rodents are thought to have originated from some sort of small gregarious mammal, though scientists have yet to prove this. They are found in many broken buildings and basements and are almost always found in packs.


















Bloodsucker
A tall, hunched, humanoid type figure, that paralyze their victims so he can suck it's blood. The Bloodsucker is also able to turn invisible to hide and stalk it's prey until the time is right.


















Pseudodog
    Mutated from wolves, Pseudodogs prowl the zone in packs, devouring large and small beasts alike. They are very territorial and will attack anything that comes close.


















Boar
    The Boars found in the zone are very aggressive and resilient. They are able to withstand copious amounts of radiation, which allows them to roam the heavily contaminated areas for extended periods of time.


















Flesh
    Many animals that were present in the zone before the incident underwent vast genetical mutations, the pig was no exception. They developed a protective layer of bones and scales around their entire body. Now know as The Flesh, they are omnivores and will attack stalkers if hungry.

















Poltergeist
    The Poltergeist is only found deep within the zone. It is a truly supernatural being with psychic powers and the ability to turn invisible. These traits make the poltergeist one of the hardest mutants in the game.


















Controller

At first, Controller's seems like humans with no shirts on. But, the player then realizes that Controllers are capable of throwing Psychic attacks and is able to control lesser Mutants. Hence the name "Controller".
















Zombie

Zombies are merely mutated humans. They are poor souls that wandered to far into the wild and either got killed or mutated by the radiation.
















Dwarf


















Blind Dogs


















Rats


















Rat Wolves


















Mutant Hog


















Pseudo Giant















Chernobyl Dog













Trivia

  • The acronym that forms the title of the game, S.T.A.L.K.E.R., stands for "Scavenger, Trespasser, Adventurer, Loner, Killer, Explorer, Robber."
  • The game is based off the movie Stalker (by Andrei Tarkovsky), which in turn is based off the novel A Roadside Picnic (by Boris and Arkady Strugatsky)
  • The original material was written before the Chernobyl disaster, this was retrofitted into the plot of the game much later on.

System Requirements:

As displayed on the back cover of the box;

Minimum System Requirements:

Operating System: Microsoft Windows XP Service Pack 2 / Microsoft Windows 2000 Service Pack 4.
CPU (Processor): Intel Pentium 4 2Ghz / AMD XP 2200 .
RAM: 512MB.
HDD (Hard Drive): 10GB.
GPU (Graphics Card): 128MB DirectX 9c compatible card / Nvidia GeForce 5700 / ATI Radeon 9600.
Sound Card: DirectX 9 compatible sound card.

Recommended System Requirements:

Operating System: Microsoft Windows XP Service Pack 2 / Microsoft Windows 2000 Service Pack 4.
CPU (Processor): Intel Core 2 Duo E6400 / AMD Athlon 64 X2 4200 .
RAM: 1GB or Better.
HDD (Hard Drive): 10GB.
GPU (Graphics Card): 256MB DirectX 9c compatible card / Nvidia GeForce 7900 / ATI Radeon X1850.
Sound Card: DirectX 9 compatible sound card.

General Information Edit
Game Name S.T.A.L.K.E.R.: Shadow of Chernobyl
Platform(s)

PC
Publisher(s)
Developer(s)
Genres
Add a new genre

Action
Role-Playing (RPG)
Shooter
First-Person Shooter
Themes
Add a new theme

Horror
Sci-Fi
Alternate Historical
Modern Military
Post-Apocalyptic
Original US Release March 20, 2007
need a fuzzy date?
Original US Release


know the real date?
Aliases SSoC
stalker
ESRB
ESRB: M
Trivia
S.T.A.L.K.E.R.: Shadow of Chernobyl took how many years to make?
  • One
  • Four
  • Six
  • Seven
  • Ten

User Reviews
Platform User Reviews Avg. Score
All Reviews 12 reviews
PC 12 reviews
Add your own user review
Related Games Edit
Missing something?

Fallout 3
You propose to remove this. Changed mind?
You propose to add this. Changed mind?

Metro 2033: The Last Refuge
You propose to remove this. Changed mind?
You propose to add this. Changed mind?

Planetside: Core Combat
You propose to remove this. Changed mind?
You propose to add this. Changed mind?

Borderlands
You propose to remove this. Changed mind?
You propose to add this. Changed mind?

Strife
You propose to remove this. Changed mind?
You propose to add this. Changed mind?

Fallout 2
You propose to remove this. Changed mind?
You propose to add this. Changed mind?

The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion
You propose to remove this. Changed mind?
You propose to add this. Changed mind?

Fallout
You propose to remove this. Changed mind?
You propose to add this. Changed mind?

Half-Life 2
You propose to remove this. Changed mind?
You propose to add this. Changed mind?

John Romero's Daikatana
You propose to remove this. Changed mind?
You propose to add this. Changed mind?

Fallout Radioactive
You propose to remove this. Changed mind?
You propose to add this. Changed mind?

Afterfall
You propose to remove this. Changed mind?
You propose to add this. Changed mind?

Missing something?

S.T.A.L.K.E.R.
You propose to remove this. Changed mind?
You propose to add this. Changed mind?

Related Pages Edit
Missing a character?

Strelok
You propose to remove this. Changed mind?
You propose to add this. Changed mind?

Marked One
You propose to remove this. Changed mind?
You propose to add this. Changed mind?

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

Top Editors


User Blogs

Top Posters


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

Start New Topic

Start a New Topic!


Similar Topics
Topic (» jump to last post) Author Last Post Views Posts
Don't just stand there, come in!(this time mind your manners) (Blog post) » atejas
Nov. 25, 2008 		Demilich »
1 day, 13 hours
29
6
Be sure you play S.T.A.L.K.E.R. with Oblivion Lost and Float 32. » Demilich
July 22, 2008 		atejas »
1 week
1,048
27
How can I turn Shadows off? » Emilio
Oct. 14, 2008 		Emilio »
1 month, 2 weeks
63
6
First play through... » KindGalaxy
July 21, 2008 		Davvyk »
2 months, 2 weeks
217
25
S.T.A.C.K.E.R. (Prepare for [more] Awesome) » Demilich
Sept. 13, 2008 		BoG »
2 months, 2 weeks
127
7
Radio » Swinghi
Sept. 7, 2008 		Swinghi »
2 months, 3 weeks
58
4
Oblivion Lost + Arsenal + SHARPER etc. all properly merged. » WisePitfighter
Aug. 31, 2008 		WisePitfighter »
3 months
120
1
Post your Stalker » Demilich
Aug. 6, 2008 		Demilich »
3 months
110
5
Stalker Stashes » Swinghi
Aug. 23, 2008 		Demilich »
3 months
140
6
Best Mods? » xenobli
Aug. 2, 2008 		Swinghi »
3 months, 4 weeks
135
5

You are in Edit Mode. Make sure to save your work at the end!!
  • Submissions can take 24 hours to be moderated.
  • Please leave a comment to explain why you're making this change.
Save Changes Cancel