S.T.A.L.K.E.R. Shadows of Chernobyl

You play a man who wakes up with no memory of who he is, but has a tattoo telling you to whack some unknown guy. The setting is in the post Pripyat disaster, where radiation has twisted some animals and scared away normal civilization.

Story line: There are so many factors fighting over dominance of the different zones that you can choose to work with anyone (or no-one). Every Tom, Dick, and Ivan has a side quest for you which makes for practically unlimited play, and the ending has a twisted end movie (Something I'd have written as opposed to that Captain America plop). You fight only people and slightly mutated animals (not bizzare alien looking weirdos)


Fun Factor: Arena play AND arena decisions let you do whatever you want. You'll decide to finish the main storyline and end the game before you explore everywhere. This game was designed to cater to the user. You can enter a "mad max" arena and battle for prestige (moneys a joke in this game, why pay for it when you can off someone and get it for free). That or join both sides of a faction war and help them battle each other out. Only downside is having to re-clear popular faction hangouts. Not rating it 6 0f 6, because you spend the entire game using the shoelace express (No vehicles or planes).

Graphics: Not a lot of extras. Houses are filled with mostly models you can't interact with. The general landscape (inside and out) seems rather bare. Not alot of extra trees and non essential stuff added (It may be how Chernobyl is in rl, who knows)



Weapons: The only game I've played where you actually need to check the condition of your weapons. That and a game that ammo actually has weight!
Before you embark off on an area that doesn't tend to use the weapon your using you need to see what you can drop to see how you can carry more ammo (Bullets are heavy son!). WIDE variety on the weapons PLUS finding ways of salvaging and combining/ upgrading gun parts.


All in all: re-playable