S.T.A.L.K.E.R.: Call Of Pripyat

One of the best games I have ever played. It is a must-buy!!!

Just a quick note to say, this is not the special edition as pictured, so you won't get the zone map, soundtrack CD etc.

Personally I don't really care, but it's nice to know what you're actually getting. If you particularly want the extra goodies, look elsewhere.

It's a great game though.

Can someone tell me please if you have to use STEAM to play the STALKER series? Many thanks in advance.

Of all the Stalker titles I found this to be a more satisfying experience.

A distinct lack of bugs and bugged missions (although I did encounter one) and less loading contributed to a more fluid and rewarding gaming experience. The atmosphere and urgency of 'Shadow of Chernobyl' was back and the nervous navigating around endless irradiated water in 'Clear Sky' was gone, all good in my book. 3 main maps and ONLY 1 loading time going map to map was an absolute plus too.

The gameplay is very much similar to the previous titles but minus the niggly bits of Clear Sky (which strangely is still my fave). I only say that, as Call of Pripyat was a disappointingly shorter experience than the others, regardless of its plus points, hence the 4 star rating.

But less of the bad points. This title is revamped with new maps and in keeping with the Stalker trademark atmospherically bland GFX and sound FX. There's the usual traders always ready to help a stalker out (at cost), the usual beasts always looking to take a bite out of you or mentally disrupt you and a few more to startle you when you cross their paths. There's no faction wars, which lead to overly treading carefully in Clear Sky. Weapons, health & artifacts systems have been greatly improved. The need to look after yourself and your weapons was heavily leaned on again after taking a back seat in Clear Sky, for some reason.

I do feel this title is overly short but regardless of that, it has numerous gameplay options and good replay value. The first 2 maps are rich with main missions and side missions but the Pripyat map itself is startlingly bland. A good deal of buildings and architecture but only a small percentage completely accessible.

Definately one for Stalker fans and someone looking to play a good atmospheric and balanced RPG shooter.

I personally do think another final title should be due from GSC detailing proper faction struggles implementing multiplayer and co-op player options as well as rewarding main and side missions. Factions wars were under-implemented and under used in Clear Sky.

But my final verdict is another atmospheric, RPG shooter experience which was majorly bug free.. just a little short

First off, the cons are the game is a bit short for what is essentially a sandbox game. And you spend to little time in Pripyat itself, despite being in the title.

The pros are that it is one of the most atmospheric games ever, up there with system shock 2, unreal and dead space. The game engine is stable (would seem like a given, but with clear sky coming before it....) Looks decent enough, sounds great and for once, night time is actually dark. There's nothing quite like hunting a mutated pig through a swamp at night.

a very very good game, i have the set, pity it was too short, a slight criticism, why cant we go back to the underground tunnel from which the group emerged in pripyat

This is the third in a series of very good games, that use atmosphere, coupled with demanding but ultimately satisfying gameplay, to deliver one of the richest experiences in videogaming. There's a lot to do here, you can hunt for anomalies and sell them to get better gear or use them to increase your stats, explore the 3 giant areas (although the last one, pripyat, isn't that big) down to the smallest place, meet all sort of different characters and solve quests in whichever way you prefer (putting it way too simply, you do them as what most would see as the "good guy" or the "bad guy" way, though in the Zone that hardly means anything). It's up to you to decide what to do and how to do it.

It improves upon the previous games flaws, like having a much better UI, better pacing, more interesting sidequests (less of the fetch A and deliver to B type, some are really interesting!)

As for the special edition, the art cards are awesome, the soundtrack is the best in the series yet, but the Zone map is underwhelming

Worth the purchase, most definitely.

Having played both the original Stalker and Clear Sky I would say to all Stalker fans to get this. It has so great features that the old ones didn't have which allows you so customise your stalker to the gaming style that suits you.
The graphics aren't amazing but they do there job without you noticing anything wrong but what really makes this game great is the story, even tho it's a short game it goes in depth and really reels you in. You have to think of this as an expansion pack rather then a completely new game within 'The Zone'.

Although I think that Call of Pripyat is good (graphics; bullet physics; new beasties and so on); is is way too short - the main plot can be completed in next to no time! And, with the lack of membership to factions - the number, quality and duration of side quests is very low.
It is also way too easy to get an Exo or a GP37 quite early on in the game - kind of spoiling it. In Clear Sky - you had to work quite hard (and for quite long) to get this level of equipment - and that made it more challenging.
Overall, although I like Call of Pripyat - the plot is very basic (not very interesting or engaging) and very rapidly tapers off at the end - leaving you to think at the end "Is that is? Have I just missed something?".
I hence much prefer Clear Sky - which you can easily spend weeks to months playing in endless different paths (joining different factions etc) and hence it is a game you would want to play over and over again. Not so with Call of Pripyat. Bit of a dissapointment!

The atmosphere is great (and the night is as dark as it should be), can be really scary at times, and it always keeps you on your toes. The story and the side quests are interesting, with the latter being not repetitive and fun to play. The views are good, the landscape can be amazing (if you like the desolated type) and the weather effects are amazing (enjoy the thunderstorms at night, if you can), and the sound is even better (until you start "hating" the wind moving the plants while you travel, since you can't know for sure if it is just the wind, or something that is about to jump on you from behind... this is very accurate and really adds to the atmosphere and feeling of the game and setting). Weapon customization is interesting, and forces you to keep working to earn money and afford the most expensive (and valuable) ones.
All in all, a very good game, and for the price I say it is an excellent bargain