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S.T.A.L.K.E.R.: Shadow of Chernobyl

Format PC

Developer GSC Game World

Publisher THQ

Genre First Person Shooter

10-Jan-2007 Unmitigated disaster or free-roaming delight? Will Porter warms to the irradiated wastes...

7 Comments

I'm low on health, I'm bleeding, I'm extraordinarily low on ammo and I've got a pack of mutant dogs hot on my heels. The only bright side to my situation is that I'm not far from a large Stalker camp. Turning a corner in much the same fashion as a radioactive Frank Spencer, it's only with a fair degree of self-restraint that I'm not panting, "Dogs! Being chased by dogs!" at my monitor, as the assembled gruff men at the checkpoint ready their weapons, cry havoc and let rip at the dogs of war.

Ten minutes later and I've given a barman some military plans I'd stolen, agreed to find a man's lost sniper rifle (which I'm going to keep myself), munched on some salami and had a poke around an arena that, if I was so inclined, I could fight in for cash. Feeling a little cheeky though, I toss a grenade at the feet of a nearby guard - soon klaxons are blaring and the tannoy is full of alerts to a murderous intruder's presence. I die a horrible death.

Defying the weight of worldwide expectation, S.T.A.L.K.E.R. is not only coming out soon ("March. By hell or high water," says camp THQ), but in its current form, its gameplay really feels quite solid - another Boiling Point this is not. Kill someone and the game changes around them; complete a scripted mission, then watch the AI take over. It's a hugely interesting game to play.

Later on, I walk over the crest of a hill and come across the corpses of ten dead dogs piled in a heap. After a moment of "WTF?", I turn around to see a mutant warthog dragging another hunt trophy to his stash - the corpse of a rival Stalker - and several other sets of piggy eyes staring at me. When was the last time that happened in Generic Corridor Shooter X? Never, I tell ye. Never! The message is: it's OK to get excited about S.T.A.L.K.E.R. again.

Will Porter