Since they've delisted the original edition of the game, I'll repost my review for this new one.

Although I haven't done a more in-depth test, based on the time I played and the generally negative reception all three new versions received, it seems this is just a engine and visual update and barely brought anything new in terms of quality of life.

There are more artifacts scattered around, a shortcut to loot everything and sell entire stacks at once, and I think that's it.

Despite the slightly blurry image, it looks much better and the game runs well now (Effects render properly; No stuttering; And you can record your gameplay), but I've seen many reports of crashes and new bugs that weren't present in the original, which was notoriously inconsistent in several areas.

All the most obvious immersion-breaking issues are still here.

And i've encountered a few instances where enemies "shut down" and snipers that simply can't land a single shot, even with me standing still in the open.

Enemy accuracy in general seems to have been severely reduced, making several areas trivial.

There have also been several reports of pointless cut-off environment objects, especially those related to the Soviet era.

Potentially this version could be worse, but no one can be surprised by anything anymore these days.

That said, the experience seems very close to the original in almost every way, so new players shouldn't miss out on much by embarking on this adventure. It's still an immensely engaging game despite all its problems, and hardly deserves to be overlooked.

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A great exploration/narrative driven FPS.

For those who want something similar to the new Fallouts (with that post-apocalyptic veneer), with the same level of immersion and dense sense of atmosphere, but with sharp, much more enjoyable combat (featuring some of the most fun enemy AI to face at the time), without all the bureaucracy of generic crafting and boring upgrade systems, this is the game for you.

An intuitive, easy-to-pick-up game that's consistently good from start to finish.

From the vast and desolate fields and forests, the darkest undergrounds, to the forgotten husks of buildings, it's a radioactive, surreal, and violent adventure, full of loud, intense clashes against armed factions, bandits, and mutants, elegantly contrasted with calm, introspective moments where you simply soak up the atmosphere and explore the scenery.

And get spooked every now and then by supernatural anomalies.

It's the kind of experience that doesn't feel forced, and progression is organic. Although you're being pointed in the right direction, you never feel like you're being led by the hand. You discover and digest the world naturally, fueled by your curiosity, and you're always free to deviate from the path laid out, being rewarded or punished accordingly.

The game features large open spaces, with a good dose of realistic architecture and a sense of natural scale and redundancy, with empty fields punctuated by eye-catching buildings, structures and complexes, yet executed in a thoughtful manner that never becomes inconvenient to navigate.

The game captures a slightly unsettling feeling of being isolated in a vast, abandoned place, aware that something are always lurking.

The realistic geometry perfectly matches the game's dynamic encounters, generating an immersive hook, where you begin to consider the game's physical space in a practical way, where every window, every crack becomes a firing line, and every environment object a piece of cover.

When combat does occur, it feels raw and unpredictable, with all the tactical advantages and disadvantages that cramped or wide-open spaces can offer, supplemented by the convenience of being a video game character.

If a game can make a shootout in a doorway feel organic and tense, it's probably doing something right.

They also ensured that each map felt distinct and did a great job of sprinkling additional rewards and optional challenges into the zone's more monotonous and uninhabited locations. So you always have something to do without it ever feeling overwhelming.

It's a game to get lost in, with all the care and creative energy you'd find in Valve productions. It's a world that feels alive and dynamic. As oppressive and terrifying as it is beautiful to behold.

Save for a handful of odd little quirks and a healthy dose of jank, it seems they had all the right ideas and built a gameplay experience that will never loses its appeal, because it works so consistently.

The game was also created at a time when the combination of high fidelity and strong art direction still resulted in more distinctive visuals, with perfectly legible and immersive environments with enough detail to be memorable and present a satisfying visual narrative, without flooding the screen with clutter.

Couple this with the very effective use of ambient effects, lighting and shadows, and an excellent sound design, and you have a game that has aged extremely well, both mechanically and visually.

Solid, intuitive gameplay complemented by a strong presentation.

Need anything else? Nope.

It's a testament to the game's quality and reputation that it's still so fun all these years later, even without mods.

It has always been a pleasure to revisit this gem.

P.S.: Definitely play on Veteran or Master if you want to fully enjoy the game.

P.S.2: Hoarding everything you see isn't a good idea in this game. Carry only what you need. Prioritize earning money through missions or selling artifacts.

P.S.3: I recommend enabling NATIVE FSR with maximum sharpening for a clearer image.

great story, a few bugs, still feels like 2007, voice actors lacking of life, bandits still smell 7/10

I strongly dislike the idea of them completely removing the original 3 games and replacing them with this

lEGEND GAME

Stalker: Shadow of Chernobyl is my childhood game. It always was and will be in my top 3 games. I was really excited when i heard about Enhanced Edition. how do i begin. here is suggestion: if you have not played stalker yet dont play this version. get the older version and fix it with simple mods. if you already have played original, give it a try. at least it is free for people who has original in library.
right now im talking about only SoC and not other 2 games becouse they are different stories(clear sky is totaly not playable)
first of all game looks "good"? i mean it looks worse tbh but if you go to options menu and do some turn on/off actions you will have slightly better visual experience. some of bugs are fixed but for like 80% is still in game. not game breaking bugs but still annoying to have them 17 years later.
im really glad they add achievements and workshop. im really obsessed with achievements and glad i have it. not really big fan of modding but able to have workshop and add tiny changes are always good. i hope workshop will expand. stalker really need more and more new stuff for play it after all these years.
using ai for some graphical updates when it has not quality control whatsoever. its lazy and obivious. at least get someone learn how to do properly ai enhancment correctly.
and last thing what i hate most: cencorship. first of all im georgian and we hate soviet union and russia more than every other nation. i get it that ukraine going difficult time right now but was cencorship really worth? no. it ruins game athmosphere and lore little bit. even if you dont have played original it is still feels no natural. and worst part is they do it partly. at leats replace them which something better not just straight-forward remove everything you can see or hear and leave black holes everywhere. i get it do what you gotta do but with care.
+1 and -10 type edition but i still reccomend it for old times sake. its not totally ruined and unplayable. i hope devs listen audience and do what is best.
sorry for broken english and thank you for reading

great game but bad graphics its looks like xbox 360 and ps3 graphics au cheeki breeki iv damke

its fun trying to complete all achievements after you beat the game for the first time

Good game! if you like fallout and fear you will like this too.

Hits the same but now I can grind achivments 😜

I'm recommending it cause its stalker. If you can find the original version get that for the mods, or install Radiophobia 3 which is a standalone fan remaster of SoC.