Recent reviews by ColonelCain

First read about STALKER: SOC in an old gaming magazine. I remember the release postponement drama and the game gaining a reputation for being on the same scale as "Duke Nukem Forever". And when it finally came out, it was panned for being a bug-ridden mess, if it would run remotely stable. Disheartened, I forgot about STALKER for a bit. But then I got a copy for free several years later in a MaximumPC(?) magazine (disclaimer - I re-purchased on Steam some time later). Tossed it aside, finding it another year or two later while cleaning and decided to install it. Found the patches. And from then on, the STALKER franchise has held a special place in my heart.

The atmosphere, the music, the authentic visual assets make it a masterpiece. But the sheer danger that the world poses your character, and the resultant feeling of 'blood-chilling survival exploration' is something that makes it a sub-genre of FPS all of its' own. Escape From Tarkov derived significant spiritual influence from STALKER. But STALKER still stands firmly on its own. I highly recommend checking out the modding scene - you will at minimum find 'community patches' for issues never addressed by the developer. At maximum, you will find total overhaul mods like the 'Lost Alpha' mod, weapon packs, graphical enhancements - the list goes on.

Get it.