The S.T.A.L.K.E.R.games have often been compared to the Fallout series, even though the first gamepredatesFallout 3, when the Bethesda series entered the first-person shooter genre. Blending Sci-Fi and Horror, the S.T.A.L.K.E.R. series is set in an alternate reality after a nuclear power plant in the Ukraine exploded, turning an entire area into an apocalyptic nightmare riddled with mutants and strange paranormal anomalies. Originally, the only way to properly enjoy these first-person shooters was with a high-powered PC, until eventually, the first three games were released together as one packaged trilogy and ported to consoles. Now, the developers at GSC Game World continue to show their love for this franchise and its fans with the brand newS.T.A.L.K.E.R.: Legends of the Zone Trilogy - Enhanced Edition. If you’re a longtime fan, prepare to see the infamous Zone with an updated image, but if you’re a new player curious about experiencing this franchise, now’s the time to get invested.
Welcome To The Zone
The Zone has been upgraded and it’s never looked better, or creepier, depending on your perspective. There’s new lighting, better reflections, upscaled textures and models – even the water and skybox have been enhanced. Along with these new visuals comes an additional upgrade that console players will enjoy. Xbox X|S and PlayStation 5 owners out there who prefer using a mouse and keyboard will be delighted to learn that theLegends of the Zone Trilogy - Enhanced Editionnow supports them. Though you can purchase them individually, with the bundle you’ll get all three games:Shadow of Chernobyl,Clear SkyandCall of Pripyat. If you’ve already purchased the games before theEnhanced Edition, there’s nothing to fret over because the visual updates are available for free.
S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2: Heart of Chornobyl - 10 Tips And Tricks We Wish We Knew Sooner
Some of these tricks will greatly increase your chances of surviving in The Zone.
For those who have yet to play the original trilogy on console, you’ll also be interested to learn that each game features mod support too. Granted, using it is trickier than on a Bethesda product, but any video game willing to allow mods on consoles is an instant plus. Newcomers better prepare for a rude awakening, however, because what sets theS.T.A.L.K.E.R.series apart from modern games is that they do not hold your hand. Though the plots and characters may differ, each game will put you up against the hazards of the Zone, a land plagued by bandits, military, radiation, mutants and anomalies. You’ll need more than guns to survive, you’ll need bandages to stop bleeding, drugs to fend off radiation poisoning, artifacts that possess special abilities to aid your character, and most of all, lots of saving for when you encounter the biggest threat in theS.T.A.L.K.E.R.trilogy: bugs. It may sound annoying, but these issues are something players will have to swallow if they want to experience the creepiest and most atmospheric survival games of the genre.
S.T.A.L.K.E.R.: Shadow of Chernobyl
InShadow of Chernobyl, you’re a Stalker brought to the Zone on a death truck. As the only living person aboard, you awaken with amnesia and a PDA with a single objective written on it: Kill Strelok. Dubbed the Marked One, you set out into the inhospitable region to locate Strelok in the hopes of finding your lost memory. To track down one man in a landscape crawling with horrors and killers, however, you’ll have to work with other factions surviving out in the Zone, because although you’re the main protagonist, you’re not an unstoppable force of nature. Unlike other games, the world ofS.T.A.L.K.E.R.doesn’t revolve around your character. Dead or alive, the Zone will persist without you.
Right from the start,Shadow of Chernobylnails the frightening atmosphere and the new enhancements make the enemies just as creepy as they were back in 2007 when the game first released. The audio also deserves praise as it serves as another layer toShadow of Chernobyl, especially when wandering the wasteland alone. You can hear gunshots in the distance, or mutants skulking and roaring from somewhere close by, and each piece of audio meshes with the environment, adding to the disturbing ambiance. From the moment you step outside, you’re free to go wherever you please, but to survive, you’ll need guns, armor, items and money. This is where working with factions comes into play. Scattered across the zone, you’ll find various clans and organizations willing to offer missions and important items to trade, but be mindful of how you approach each faction.
Unlike other games, the world ofS.T.A.L.K.E.R.doesn’t revolve around your character, dead or alive, the Zone will persist without you.
This isn’t like theFalloutgames where you can run around a settlement holding a bazooka in people’s faces without consequence. Something as small as not keeping your weapon holstered can impact how factions react to you, so be extra cautious when approaching non-hostile NPCs. Increasing your standing with factions will lead to better quests and gear to trade, but verify you read the quest log in their entirety, as some missions can harm your relations with other factions.
Another important thing to remember is that the map is large, so when you’re exploring the Zone for loot, make sure to monitor your inventory space, because the more weight you take on, the slower you move, and there’s no Fast Travel either. Fortunately, players not only have the freedom of manual saving, but they can also save in the middle of combat, which will come in handy when entering a firefight or an encounter that can’t be handled. Or in the most likely scenario, dealing with the occasional crash, which is irritating, but not uncommon for a PC game from 2007.
S.T.A.L.K.E.R.: Clear Sky
Serving as a prequel,Clear Skytakes place one year before the events of the first game. Your name is Scar, a mercenary who’s become stranded in the swamps of the Zone after a massive energy emission nearly killed you. Found by Clear Sky, a faction bent on studying the mysterious Zone, they determine that the emissions are increasing dramatically. Eliciting Scar’s aid, it’s up to the merc to find what has upset the balance in the Zone before it wreaks untold destruction. Unfortunately, factions within the zone have begun fighting for territory and now a bloody struggle has broken out. To get to the source of the problem, Scar will have to survive in a land blighted by war and bloodthirsty mutants.
Since it’s a prequel, players will be exploring familiar locations from the first game, along with some new ones too. As you’re scavenging for weapons, ammo and loot, you can also find flash drives containing upgrades that can be used on guns and gear. Unlike the first game, technicians are available in every faction who can repair your gear and add additional upgrades and attachments, all for a fee, of course. Fast Travel is also available in the form of guides – people who can be hired to escort you to certain locations. Emissions have been added as an all-new hazard along with the radiation and anomalies. When the PDA alerts you of an incoming blowout, head for shelter as soon as possible or else you’ll start taking damage and perish.
Clear Skyalso introduces a new gameplay feature known as Faction Wars. As a mercenary, Scar can choose to join any of the warring factions and undertake missions to assist them in expanding their operations, from protecting strongholds to capturing enemy locations. Unfortunately, Faction Wars is probably the buggiest part ofClear Sky. The second you join a faction, tasks will begin appearing and canceling before you can even attempt them, giving you little time to explore the Zone at your own pace as your faction’s squads commence with missions without you. The good news is, except for Clear Sky, Faction Wars is optional and can be avoided, but in doing so, you’re missing out on content that can lead to better gear and trade. You’re free to risk it, just be prepared for a difficult time, and if all else fails, seek out a mod for it.
S.T.A.L.K.E.R.: Call of Pripyat
Compared to the first two installments,Call of Pripyatprobably has the weakest story, but that doesn’t mean it’s not engrossing. Three months after the events ofShadow of Chernobyl, the Ukrainian government sends troops into the Zone in an attempt to bring order, only for it to end with the whole expedition going missing. You’re Major Degtyarev, sent undercover into the Zone by the Ukrainian military to investigate what happened and discover the expedition’s fate. Masquerading as a Free Stalker, you go from settlement to settlement collecting info and gear that will aid you in accomplishing your mission. It’s not exactly saving the world, but compared to most plots, it feels more realistic. Just remember, in the Zone, nothing is ever simple, even for an experienced soldier.
Review: S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2: Heart of Chornobyl
Welcome (back) to The Zone, Stalker.
This one starts much differently compared to the other games in the trilogy. Usually, there are some story and tutorial-esque missions before you receive your gear and are fully equipped to explore. InCall of Pripyat, it gives you a weapon and supplies right from the start and drops you into the Zone. From here, you’re able to go about your mission however you choose. There are several spots to investigate, and they can be done in any order, or postponed as you undertake side missions. And there are an abundance of quests scattered across a large and open map.
Like the second game, players can acquire items for technicians in order to improve their gear and weapons, but inCall of Pripyat, more have been added. Now, you have doctors who can heal wounds and radiation damage. Even better, you have the option to sleep, which is useful for advancing time if you prefer to roam the Zone during the day or night. This can impact certain quests where you have a deadline, however, so only use it if necessary. Still, like the first two games, it’s about planning, deciding what’s important in helping you achieve your overall goal and managing your inventory before heading out to face the Zone. Just remember the number one rule of surviving any apocalypse: save, save and save.
Closing Comments:
GSC Game World should be proud that their once-PC-exclusive trilogy from the early 2000s has come so far. In terms of atmosphere, tension and challenge,S.T.A.L.K.E.R.: Legends of the Zone Trilogy - Enhanced Editionis a triumph of survival gaming. The new textures and enhancements add to the grim visuals of the inhospitable Zone without detracting from the horror that made the games into cult classics. Sure, the lingering bugs can get frustrating, but never to the point where you want to stop playing. Players willing to overlook the present issues will come to enjoy the feeling of roaming and surviving in the world ofS.T.A.L.K.E.R., with its plentiful variety of weapons and enemies, as well as the brutal combat and exploration. So, get out there, Stalker.
S.T.A.L.K.E.R.: Legends of the Zone Trilogy
Version Reviewed: Xbox Series X
Delve into the renowned classics of open-world survival with the original S.T.A.L.K.E.R. trilogy, now available to console players for the first time ever!— Begin your journey by immersing yourself in the Shadow of Chornobyl, that has started it all— Continue the saga with the prequel to the story. Navigate the war of factions in search of hope to witness the Clear Sky— Finally, experience the ultimate stalker adventure as you answer the Call of Prypiat!Features:Investigate the Zone’s origins, taking on the roles of legendary stalkers and forging paths that can lead to different outcomes based on your actions and decisions.Test your gumption while navigating through radioactive debris and anomalies, and put your reflexes to trial during intense gunfights.Search for the answers to the darkest mysteries that could cost you your sanity in sinister catacombs filled with starved mutants.Traverse vast locations saturated with Eastern European atmosphere and referenced from the real-life Chornobyl Exclusion Zone: the city of Prypiat, the Nuclear Station, the Jupiter plant, and many others.Embrace the solitude and desolation of these lands, as they are your only trustworthy companions on your foray into a dark science-fiction setting.
