This game is great but I can only recommend it if you are into these types of games or else you'll be pounced. It is definitely not a game for everyone since it IS that hard but I enjoyed my time with it. I loved the atmosphere, world-building, the gameplay, the survival aspects etc. Though, I would like to point out that there is some mods that may make the game easier or accessible but I didn't do that. I chose to download the Zone Reclamation Project instead because (to my knowledge) it fixes all the bugs and relatively keeps the vanilla experience.

A little spoilers but heed this as a warning:
If you are going to do the "Monolith Lab Ending," I URGE you to stock up on med-kits, supplies, and ammo. Please. The final areas are gauntlets that will test your patience and skills. Please heed my advice.

Other than that, I'll give this game a 9/10 but I can only recommend it if you enjoy these types of games.

The event befalls —in a nightmare or perhaps in a slumber— only the Zone knows. It was an overcast day with a smoky-coloured clouds, and lightning crackled in the skies. It was raining. In the distance, the death truck was visible, with its lights making it emerge from the verdant darkness. Someone was driving without braking, while the sparks tumbled to the ground as if they were missiles dropping relentlessly on the road. In the back of the truck, covered with a military tarp, lay corpses, all stalkers. The driver is escaping from something; he peers dimly through the broken rearview mirror, clouded with radioactive raindrops. Until lightning strikes it, causing it to explode, falling down the side of the road and burning mercilessly.

Now it's daylight. A young stalker, carrying his Vintar BC, was rushing to the incident. His disdainful and jaded face, looking intently, saw the smoke barely receding from the truck. He doesn't seem to be impressed; he goes over to make sure and rummages in the pockets of the corpses. Among them, he stumbles across one still alive. The survivor opens his eyes for a moment. Immediately, he is whisked to the Cordon. They arrive at a bomb shelter that is the business of an older man. He's eating, but is interrupted by the young stalker. The vendor is reluctant to look at him, so the young man insists on seeing him because he is alive. Nobody survives, it's the truck of death, the vendor claims. He hears a moan and quickly begs that he be put there. The young man lays the survivor on the table, then the vendor begins to search the survivor's pockets and finds a PDA. It has something written: it states, Kill the Strelok. The survivor wakes up, grabs his PDA tightly in his hands, and soon faints again. His arm sticks out, it's marked (Mеченый), and it bears the initials of S.T.A.L.K.E.R.


My attitude toward this game, S.T.A.L.K.E.R.: Shadow of Chernobyl, was in response to Andrei Tarkovsky's film. I also recommend the book Roadside Picnic, by the brothers Boris and Arkady Strugatsky. If I had a way to define the world where the Zone (Зона) becomes comprehensible, it would be like an organic, vivid and beautifully radioactive place. It amazes me how the world within the game feels alive and, at the same time, crepuscular and mysterious. Despite the years it was released, the contained radiation preserves it as energized, fresh, and vivid—a world where everything is blossoming and expresses it with wild life forms.

The story is “filmed” in the Chernobyl Exclusion Zone, where a second explosion breaks out. On the one hand, the game portrays and recreates many of the actual locations around the nuclear plant. So the intention is to visit them not as tourists but as explorers or stalkers. Whilst the scenarios are dynamic, such as inhabitants interacting with each other (like the tunes of a taciturn guitar being played in the bonfire) or the weather shifting all the time, they provide an unforgettable experience in the open world with the desire to delve into, look into, and spend time there. On the other hand, its story has a brilliant role-playing style, although it doesn't emphasise the role of the character, but rather the role of the zone. The stalker becomes a consequence for the Zone. The script has different tones, especially sometimes lyrical and other times anecdotal, which makes listening to or reading them a delight for the traveling soul.

Thus, it's a day like any other in the Zone, but the characters relate the daily lifestyle they've gone through; they provide insight into their experiences, which is convenient when taking part of their world once immersed in the solitude of the Ukrainian countryside. However, Tarkovsky's influence can be greatly appreciated, especially when the lyric marries the image and creates allegorical footage. It is as if each word appears to be encapsulated in the image. This is the same creativity with the game, whose atmosphere is due to the written language, the voices of the characters, the actions within the world, the soundtrack, the stories told, and even the missions to carry out. Each element of the game gives the image. All the elements define the atmosphere, which is the feeling of immersion evoked by each part that composes the scene. This is how a poetic game is created —a masterpiece, an image sculpted in time. Or rather, a game sculpted in time (Запечатлённое время).


The game features a multifaceted narrative that I would not be able to describe in its entirety. I realise that the world is the protagonist. The other characters seem to stand out thanks to the fact that they've delved into the zone, for better or worse. However, the role in this game is important, prioritising the role of the S.t.a.l.k.e.r. The stalker is there to fetch a few roubles or to hunt for artefacts. In this way, the story develops as tasks or missions. The players can do them as they wish, giving them the freedom to perform other activities (e.g., exploring, collecting, or completing side quests) within the open maps.

The game is tough, and its AI is proficient, so the player will notice certain quirks of the enemies as well as interactions between them. So in combat, it's paramount to be well-equipped (with a diverse variety of weapons, gear, and supplies). Being a shooting game, it also has role-playing elements as well. Although we don't alter the character intrinsically, we do have other elements that alter the protagonist extrinsically. Side quests are time-limited, so it's advisable to activate them when we're able to carry them out. When time expires, the quest will turn into a failed mission. This has an impact on the reputation table, especially when dealing with factions.

The protagonist is apparently important, but the opposite happens in reality: the player kowtows to the will of the zone. We can go hungry or die from injury or radiation. Good vodka, sausage, bread, and meds ameliorate the condition. The environment can be hazardous on many occasions. The character starts to feel worn-out: he will be unable to run or walk when the stamina is low. Our backpack also has a capacity limit. If it exceeds the weight, we cannot move. Arms can jam. However, artefacts are by-products of the zone and can give the player some advantages. These are often seen where there are anomalies. If we are planning to explore or earn money, we can ask vendors about doing side quests. Some characters provide additional information, such as tucked-away places where there are supplies. The area will do everything possible to keep us away, which makes it a game rich in story, and the survival mode it demands is interesting.


When being involved in the missions in which the characters reveal fragments of the story, it's noticeable to see where the plot is going. Thus, it conveys various endings depending on the interaction with everything. The world, while dreadful, is at the same time beautifully radioactive. It is atmospheric and immersive, especially when the soundtrack (which is quite reminiscent of the soundtrack of the Chernobyl series, composed by Hildur Guðnadóttir) and ambient sounds are perfectly combined, creating an enervating atmosphere. It manages to convey nostalgia and unfathomable unease. Old age doesn’t filter into this cult game. It is highly recommended, as this is a masterpiece that lasts just like the energy generated from enriched uranium. The zone is worth exploring.

Completely accurate simulation of life in eastern europe