Not my kind of game
I played this classic to see what the fuss is about, and I must say it's one of those things that if you weren't there then you probably don't get it. This game is too complicated - some say this is its strength, I say this is its weakness.
The inventory system is pretty complicated. You have to reload weapons with different ammo, make sure your weapons don't break down on you, and collect med needles, strength needles, among other things. The psychic powers add another dimension to the combat. I didn't use it until I had to, and it makes things even more complicated for the player. Complexity does not equal fun or longevity in gameplay.
The game is very depressing - it takes place in an empty, lonely, and dark space station with nobody in sight. No friendlies at all - plus, its truly very scary. Zombies pop out of nowhere, Big mechanized robots and turrets are scattered around, and there's nothing happy about the bleak colors used. After playing for six hours or so, I was drained, and very jittery. I don't recommend playing for more than a couple hours at a time.
Did I mention the game is extremely difficult? You will die very often, even on the lowest of difficulties. STALKER is like a walk in the park compared to this game.
The combat isn't very fulfilling - once you take out a few monsters, run out of ammo, more come, and its an endless and frustrating cycle. The story does have merit, but it progresses slowly and does have some holes.
Who do I recommend this game to? I recommend it to fans of a scary horror game. I recommend it to science fiction fans. I recommend it to ultra complex RPG fans. Do I recommend it to the casual gamer? No.
One thing I have decided, after playing this game, is that it's not for me.
