• Hey, guest user. Hope you're enjoying NeoGAF! Have you considered registering for an account? Come join us and add your take to the daily discourse.

STALKER with "Complete" mod is an unparalleled FPS and one of the scariest games ever

I

Imp the Dimp

Member
6 years since I finished STALKER: Shadow of Chernobyl and no FPS ever since came close. Honestly, I can't envision how one would develop an FPS more memorable and more atmospheric than SoC but no FPS has left as lasting an impression as STALKER or anywhere close. It was so atmospheric to the point that the laboratories freaked me the fuck out. I'm not even sure if this game was intended as a horror game but its insanely dense atmosphere made for a very claustrophobic experience paired with a few super nasty jump scares (like Controllers).

I can't believe how good that game was. An absolute master piece and well worth the years of delay. I remember its delays back then reaching running gag status but the game sure silenced its critics. Absolute masterpiece of the genre and possibly my favourite FPS ever along with HL2 and Crysis.
 
A

Akronis

Member
STALKER with ZRP is better. Complete makes the game way too easy.

But yes, the game is easily top 3 for me. Everyone should check it out.
 
A

Alcoholikaust

Member
This reminds me of a fantastic article by our own Forget Amnesia

Love STALKER-in my top 10 of all time
MChiuZE.jpg

2637382-9353606143-24095.gif
Click to expand...
2435150-3972950646-3YZNs.gif
Click to expand...

Game really makes a certain newer post apocalyptic fps seem lifeless in comparison
 
I

Imp the Dimp

Member
Akronis said:
STALKER with ZRP is better. Complete makes the game way too easy.

But yes, the game is easily top 3 for me. Everyone should check it out.
Click to expand...

Never heard of ZRP. Looks like it got released after I played the game. Played it on Complete 2009 mod I think.
 
A

Akronis

Member
Imp the Dimp said:
Never heard of ZRP. Looks like it got released after I played the game. Played it on Complete 2009 mod I think.
Click to expand...

Zone Reclamation Project. It's purely a bug-fix mod. Think of it as Complete mod without the gameplay changes. ZRP + AtmosFear 3 is god-tier.
 
H

hobblygobbly

Member
Imp the Dimp said:
Never heard of ZRP. Looks like it got released after I played the game. Played it on Complete 2009 mod I think.
Click to expand...

I don't play it with the Complete mod (don't like what it does with the gun balance) but I am positive it includes ZRP. It's a pretty essential community bug fix patch/mod that fixes a lot of stuff after the official patches the game got.

Love these games, have played them so many times. chiki briki. I was hoping Fallout 4's radstorms would be like the blowouts/emissions and be deadly if you don't find shelter like in Call of Pripyat. Here it is in CoP but enhanced graphically.

Another video

When this shit would roll in and begin hearing the sirens when I was out adventuring would set me into panic mode for shelter, get into a shelter and get killed by a blood sucker.

ijcUYir.jpg


STALKER threads pop up every now and then on GAF, I recommend others interested to also check out the last thread for screenshots and stories

BramVD said:
I tried to like it but it just bored me to tears
Click to expand...

How far did you get? The first part/early in the game gives a bad impression of what it's like. Did you get to the point of going into the numerous labs etc?
 
V

Vulcano's assistant

Banned
It's like an entire game with the feeling of "yeah If I can avoid that place, I will," you get early on in some games. Instead of "Why wouldn't I just clean every single room there is?"
 
B

bathsalts

Member
Echoing don't go with Complete in case someone someone new to the series is reading this. Vanilla is already easy enough once you get the H&K g36.
 
T

T.E.D

Banned
These assholes stole my gun. I was walking along and one guy called me over, said he had something to trade, I gave him my gun and he turned around walking back inside laughing with the rest of them. I didn't get jack shit. I was so pissed I came back two hours later and fired an RPG through the window of the barn they were camped in. When I walked in afterwards, they were stuck to the walls. I took my gun back and carried on my merry way.

It is times like this that makes the game special.


maxresdefault.jpg
 
S

Senoculum

Member
Akronis said:
Fallout 4 stole its atmosphere from STALKER lol...
Click to expand...

Doesn't matter, one of the two pulled it off better. Even Fallout 3 had more of a fun factor for me. The Metro series is also fantastic. It's a super frustrating game - and I've received platinum from all the Souls' games! It just wasn't for me. And this is coming from someone who respects the admittedly challenging film by Tarkovsky...
 
E

ElMexiMerican

Member
I have owned this game for years now and I always start to play it then something else comes along and I stop. I think it's about time I try it again.
 
A

Agremont

Member
Senoculum said:
Doesn't matter, one of the two pulled it off better. Even Fallout 3 had more of a fun factor for me. The Metro series is also fantastic - better than any Stalker game in my opinion. And this is coming from someone who respects the admittedly challenging film by Tarkovsky...
Click to expand...

I really can't agree at all. Can't speak for Fallout 4 though as I haven't played it but STALKER absolutely destroys Fallout 3 when it comes to atmosphere. No contest as far as I'm concerned.

Also Metro (last light at least) only trumps STALKER in visuals in my opinion. Atmosphere not even close.
 
Sub_Level

Sub_Level

wants to fuck an Asian grill.
The Stalker series makes Fallout 3 look like Post Apocalyptic Kindgarten.

I played with Complete mod as well but I've heard its not recommended for a first playthrough.

Did anyone else actually use those radiation artifact things? I ignored that mechanic. Kept it simple, using shotgun and assault rifle.
 
C

Conkerkid11

Member
Okay, here's the thing about STALKER... I have no idea which ones I'm supposed to play, and what order I'm supposed to play them in.

Also, what are the recommended mods for the various STALKER games I'm supposed to play?

Do my homework for me and I'll give these games a whirl after finals.
 
H

hesido

Member
I remember owning this game, and even played some multiplayer.. Or are we even talking about the same game, lol.. Wonder how it will run on my nvidia 650m laptop (Although with Core I7 quad core, woot)
 
A

Anno

Member
I really need to play STALKER more completely some day. For some reason whenever I think of the game I just remember Jake Rodkin wishing there were a handful of really silly looking hats that people would wear, trade and just matriculate throughout the game.
 
A

Akronis

Member
Conkerkid11 said:
Okay, here's the thing about STALKER... I have no idea which ones I'm supposed to play, and what order I'm supposed to play them in.

Also, what are the recommended mods for the various STALKER games I'm supposed to play?

Do my homework for me and I'll give these games a whirl after finals.
Click to expand...

Shadow of Chernobyl, Clear Sky, Call of Pripyat. That's the chronological order.

HOWEVER, Clear Sky can pretty safely be skipped. It is incredibly bugged and not nearly as good as the first and third.

For a first playthrough, install whatever graphical mods you want and ZRP. That's it. Leave the gameplay stuff until you beat it once.
 
S

Senoculum

Member
Agremont said:
I really can't agree at all. Can't speak for Fallout 4 though as I haven't played it but STALKER absolutely destroys Fallout 3 when it comes to atmosphere. No contest as far as I'm concerned.

Also Metro (last light at least) only trumps STALKER in visuals in my opinion. Atmosphere not even close.
Click to expand...

To me Fallout 4 is such a streamlined experience you get to appreciate the world and the level design. It's dense, it get vertical, the weather system is beautiful, and the art direction is ace. In Stalker, all the labs have huge hallways and huuuuge dark spots. I'm not a fan of its UI either. And while Stalker has better atmosphere than Fallout 3 (the anomalies help, a lot), and Fallout 3 was a lot more lifeless; to me, it was still the better game with replayability. The vaults in Fallout 3 were special and appropriately creepy in unique ways.

I dunno man, it just didn't work for me!
 
H

hobblygobbly

Member
Übermatik;188819627 said:
How does STALKER compare to Metro?
Click to expand...

Metro is made by some ex devs from the studio (GSC Game World from Ukraine) that made STALKER and Cossacks, it does share some similarities in aesthetic but it's not the same sort of open world survival adventure with light RPG elements like STALKER is. Both Metro games are fantastic but won't deliver the STALKER experience.
 
Subterranean

Subterranean

Member
One of the most memorable experiences in gaming for me was playing the first STALKER. The atmosphere was bar none the best I had played at the time.
 
A

Agremont

Member
Senoculum said:
To me Fallout 4 is such a streamlined experience you get to appreciate the world and the level design. It's dense, it get vertical, the weather system is beautiful, and the art direction is ace. In Stalker, all the labs have huge hallways and huuuuge dark spots. I'm not a fan of its UI either. And while Stalker has better atmosphere than Fallout 3 (the anomalies help, a lot), and Fallout 3 was a lot more lifeless; to me, it was still the better game with replayability. The vaults in Fallout 3 were special and appropriately creepy in unique ways.

I dunno man, it just didn't work for me!
Click to expand...

From what I've read F4 suffers from the same "apocalyptic theme park world" thing F3 does and while that might be fun to explore it really makes the world feel really silly IMO.

To each his/her own though.

No doubt that Bethesda's games are better time sinks/more replayable.

Edit: FO and STALKER are really quite different games. Not the best comparisons in my opinion. Not that there's a lot of games to compare to sadly.
 
I

Imp the Dimp

Member
hobblygobbly said:
Metro is made by some ex devs from the studio (GSC Game World from Ukraine) that made STALKER and Cossacks, it does share some similarities in aesthetic but it's not the same sort of open world survival adventure with light RPG elements like STALKER is. Both Metro games are fantastic but won't deliver the STALKER experience.
Click to expand...

Agree with this. I found the first Metro game to be nothing like STALKER and dropped it fairly quickly sadly.

No hyperbole either, it's absolutely nothing like STALKER.
 
A

Akronis

Member
bati said:
Lol, Complete. Once you go Misery you can't go back.
Click to expand...

MISERY is terribly unbalanced.

In addition to that, it adds a TON of stuttering to the game. You have to greatly reduce the switch distance for A-Life for it to be even tolerable. This was on a high-end rig installed on an SSD.

Corpekata said:
What's the best graphics mod for SoC these days?
Click to expand...

Autumn Aurora 2 looks pretty amazing, but I believe there are gameplay tweaks.
 
I

inm8num2

Member
My first and only experience with STALKER SoC was the complete mod. Agree 100% - one of my favorite gaming experiences.
 
K

KORNdoggy

Member
playing it when it released i sadly ran into a quest bug that prevented me from progressing which pretty much killed any good vibes i was getting from the game. which is a shame tbh. can't imagine ever returning to it. not unless it gets a random PS4 port anyway lol
 
A

Akronis

Member
Hibiki Kurosawa said:
But did you like the atmosphere?

Heard this was immersive and tense. I'm starting to gain some interest.
Click to expand...

It's very oppressive. The fact that you could die at any second because a pack a dogs decided they were hungry really adds to the experience as well.

You don't feel like you're the center of the universe and the game REALLY benefits from it. Very unique.
 
M

Mr Swine

Banned
Akronis said:
It's very oppressive. The fact that you could die at any second because a pack a dogs decided they were hungry really adds to the experience as well.

You don't feel like you're the center of the universe and the game REALLY benefits from it. Very unique.
Click to expand...

Best thing is that the best suit doesn't make you feel like you are superman, you are just as vulnerable as always. You take a few more hits against stalkers with pistols but everything lose will kill you nearly as fast...
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Similar threads

Stalker GAMMA: You should play this
Hype
0
677
Tomeru replied
Cyberpunk 2077 - An ode to one of the best games ever
Opinion 2 3
126
6K
makaveli60 replied
[PC Gamer] How Cyberpunk 2077 clawed its way back from disaster to complete one of the greatest redemption arcs in gaming history
Opinion News 2
99
7K
EDMIX replied
Elden Ring is a crowning achievement for open worlds & is quite possibly the greatest game ever made.
Opinion 6 7 8 9 10
476
26K
Hobbygaming replied
  • Poll
Rate The Game Awards 2023
News 2 3
107
6K
Shakka43 replied
Top Bottom