Now, Part 2 of the revisions. To recap after the 1st stalker game revision....this is based on the vanilla experience.

Ah, the prequel. Also, the game that the stalker community thought was forgettable. Me? I personally LOVED this game. Sure, it's missing a few things....namely hunger, and an all-around creepiness with some of the environments. But to counter, this game introduced some features that proved to be worthwhile; for instance, the weapon and armor upgrades and repair. Do the weapons and armor still degrade? Yes, but now you can enhance them with more armor plates, flex the durability, and even add protection against anomalies. It's needed because if you ask me, this is the hardest of the 3 stalker games. Just as is with the first game, once you get to a certain point, there's no turning back. So, be prepared for ANY situation again.

The story revolves around Scar, a mercenary that inserts himself into the faction war. Various factions are battling for territory in the zone in a race to reach the center. When a group of stalkers reaches the center, the zone changes and becomes more unstable, making the territory more valuable.

Gameplay is relatively the same with a few changes. First, the artifacts aren't just there for the taking this time. You need a detector to find the artifacts, which involves getting into the thick of the anomaly. The weakest detectors won't spot the best artifacts, so you need a top notch one to make up for the weaker ones shortcomings. This game also manages to feel less like a sandbox, only because as you progress through the story you are able to uncover more of the map. In other words, you're actually blocked from progressing far into the zone until you progress through the story. Once you get so far, then it's open for you to explore all over. Numerous players weren't fond of this because of the open nature of the 1st game, but i think it worked well here because it made for better pacing. You couldn't get the best weapon in the game very early, giving you a major advantage. Even the armor suits were paced better, as an exoskeleton suit COULD be given to you about half way through, but required some work on your part in joining the faction wars for Duty or Freedom. Better pacing equals more fun if you ask me. The stalker way is the hard way.

Artifacts were not so abundant here, as each map in the zone contained a few anomalies, which hold artifacts. With less artifacts comes less money, which means upgrading or repairing was a little tricky because you had to draw the line between keeping an artifact or trading it in for a valuable upgrade. Less money also equals more fun. Stalker games are supposed to be challenging and this adds another layer of challenge. Of course, once you get so far and have your armor or weapons upgraded, then you can save some money for future use.

The AI has some improvements, but still has its pros and cons. The faction wars can be a bit buggy sometimes, as the AI isn't entirely supportive. You may find yourself doing alot of the work, and while this game is difficult as it is, i personally don't mind doing most of the work. It's a shooter.....you shoot things. The more the merrier.

Most of the maps are reused from Shadow of Chernobyl, with the addition of a few new ones. The swamps and red forest are the highlights, creating a fresh change from gloomy landscapes to lush vegetation. Also, some of the reoccurring maps have been slightly altered to appear more lifelike. Remember, this takes place before the events of SoC.

All in all, i think this game gets a bad rap. What it is missing from other stalker games it makes up for by introducing some iconic stalker features, like the upgrades. Again, mods are a-plenty here, but do yourself a favor and play vanilla first...on MASTER difficulty. It's brutal again, and the difficulty spike is worse this time around in the end, so be even more prepared. While it still may not be every stalker fan's cup of tea, it's still part of the stalker lore that every fan should check out. It's my personal favorite of the 3 games, mostly for the reasons of the pacing and balance. Difficult as hell, borderline rage-inducing in the end, but still worthwhile. Crowning achievement completing this on master. Good luck stalker.

9.2/10

Now, Part 2 of the revisions. To recap after the 1st stalker game revision....this is based on the vanilla experience. Ah, the prequel. Also, the game that the stalker community thought was forgettable. Me? I personally LOVED this game. Sure, it's missing a few things....namely hunger, and an all-around creepiness with some of the environments. But to counter, this game introduced some features that proved to be worthwhile; for instance, the weapon and armor upgrades and repair. Do the weapons and armor still degrade? Yes, but now you can enhance them with more armor plates, flex the durability, and even add protection against anomalies. It's needed because if you ask me, this is the hardest of the 3 stalker games. Just as is with the first game, once you get to a certain point, there's no turning back. So, be prepared for ANY situation again. The story revolves around Scar, a mercenary that inserts himself into the faction war. Various factions are battling for territory in the zone in a race to reach the center. When a group of stalkers reaches the center, the zone changes and becomes more unstable, making the territory more valuable. Gameplay is relatively the same with a few changes. First, the artifacts aren't just there for the taking this time. You need a detector to find the artifacts, which involves getting into the thick of the anomaly. The weakest detectors won't spot the best artifacts, so you need a top notch one to make up for the weaker ones shortcomings. This game also manages to feel less like a sandbox, only because as you progress through the story you are able to uncover more of the map. In other words, you're actually blocked from progressing far into the zone until you progress through the story. Once you get so far, then it's open for you to explore all over. Numerous players weren't fond of this because of the open nature of the 1st game, but i think it worked well here because it made for better pacing. You couldn't get the best weapon in the game very early, giving you a major advantage. Even the armor suits were paced better, as an exoskeleton suit COULD be given to you about half way through, but required some work on your part in joining the faction wars for Duty or Freedom. Better pacing equals more fun if you ask me. The stalker way is the hard way. Artifacts were not so abundant here, as each map in the zone contained a few anomalies, which hold artifacts. With less artifacts comes less money, which means upgrading or repairing was a little tricky because you had to draw the line between keeping an artifact or trading it in for a valuable upgrade. Less money also equals more fun. Stalker games are supposed to be challenging and this adds another layer of challenge. Of course, once you get so far and have your armor or weapons upgraded, then you can save some money for future use. The AI has some improvements, but still has its pros and cons. The faction wars can be a bit buggy sometimes, as the AI isn't entirely supportive. You may find yourself doing alot of the work, and while this game is difficult as it is, i personally don't mind doing most of the work. It's a shooter.....you shoot things. The more the merrier. Most of the maps are reused from Shadow of Chernobyl, with the addition of a few new ones. The swamps and red forest are the highlights, creating a fresh change from gloomy landscapes to lush vegetation. Also, some of the reoccurring maps have been slightly altered to appear more lifelike. Remember, this takes place before the events of SoC. All in all, i think this game gets a bad rap. What it is missing from other stalker games it makes up for by introducing some iconic stalker features, like the upgrades. Again, mods are a-plenty here, but do yourself a favor and play vanilla first...on MASTER difficulty. It's brutal again, and the difficulty spike is worse this time around in the end, so be even more prepared. While it still may not be every stalker fan's cup of tea, it's still part of the stalker lore that every fan should check out. It's my personal favorite of the 3 games, mostly for the reasons of the pacing and balance. Difficult as hell, borderline rage-inducing in the end, but still worthwhile. Crowning achievement completing this on master. Good luck stalker. 9.2/10