Game: S.T.A.L.K.E.R.: Call of Pripyat
Developer: GSC Gameworld
Genre: First Person Shooter/RPG
Verdict: A demanding, uncompromising and ultimately rewarding game with few equals
Pros: Faster, smoother and better looking than its predecessors.
Cons: The depth of gameplay may be too heavy for more casual palates.
Acquired: Developer Provided
For a supposedly abandoned area of the Ukraine, Chernobyl is hella busy. What with STALKERs, mutants, anomalies and now 5 missing military helicopters, it is positively bustling with activity.
Yet again GSC Gameworld bring us back to the zone for another massive, deeply involving adventure. STALKER: Call of Pripyat is the first true sequel to the groundbreaking and hardware-intensive Shadow of Chernobyl, making it the third game in the series and it is arguably the most detailed yet.
This time around you enter the Zone as Major [Your Name Here] to find out what happened to 5 missing military helicopters that crashed whilst crossing the Zone in a convoy. In order to solve the mystery of what happened to the choppers you must assume the identity of a lone STALKER. Players will barter, trade and battle with the other inhabitants, while braving the radiation anomalies that litter the Zone in a lethal fashion.
With this being the third game in the series it would be easy to assume that GSC Gameworld have managed to slip into a formulaic pattern of game construction, but to make that assumption would be a grievous slight on the artistic skills of the Russian development outfit.
Having said that, STALKER: Call of Pripyat still retains a comforting familiarity with some of the same characters returning for bit parts. Nimble, the STALKER that you rescue at the beginning of Shadow of Chernobyl makes a return as a trader of custom-build gear, for instance.
In every way that STALKER: The Shadow of Chernobyl was a staggering technical masterpiece, Call of Pripyat follows on perfectly. It is every bit the graphical superior of its predecessor and also opens up the game engine to the power of DirectX 11. Sadly I am still running DirectX 9 and so, can’t quiet appreciate the steps forward that Call of Pripyat makes over the original, but it still manages to make a huge visual impact even on my aging machine.
Aside from the graphical improvements, there are a few interface tweaks, which make Call of Pripyat a bit more intuitive to control. The inventory system has been streamlined so that it now only takes up half the screen. Also you get a pop-up that contains item information when you hover the mouse pointer over the items, instead of the cumbersome box right in the middle of the screen.
They have also added a quick-items bar, allowing you to assign consumables like bandages, anti-radiation drugs and first-aid kits to F1 thru F4. This makes a world of difference in the middle of combat, as the old quick medkit and quick bandage buttons were not so quick when they were mapped to the other side of the keyboard. While the combat retains the same pace of the original game, the interface upgrades mean that you can keep up with your opponents that much easier. This further adds to the game’s accessibility without overly changing the feel.
What sets the series apart is that the technical achievement accompanied by creating a unique blend of sandbox RPG-style gameplay and linear story-based FPS gaming, that is as fresh now as it ever was. The Call of Pripyat is extremely engaging and the depths to which you can get lost in the impeccably detailed Zone, lovingly re-created using satellite photographs, is jaw-dropping. Also, the weather system has improved as well and some of the lighting effects again are beyond comparison. Lightning storms and sunsets are almost as clear as the real thing.
In Call of Pripyat there is a real sense that the STALKER series has come of age.
The game is a very demanding mistress though, requiring a dual-core processor with a full 4GB of RAM and a decent mid-range HD video card with at least 512 MB of RAM in order to make the DirectX 9 graphics reach their full potential. This is to be expected given the series pedigree and making the necessary upgrades to your system will pay off dividends in staggering graphics and immersive gameplay.
STALKER: Call of Pripyat is not without its downsides though. It is an extremely accomplished game with very few peers, however the depth of the narrative and the investment of time required to get into the real meat of the game will render the game impenetrable to players looking for some quick run an gun action. That said, for those willing to put the time in, Call of Pripyat will prove more than worth it, providing tooth-and-nail combat, gripping story and ample side missions to help kit yourself out for the challenges that the Zone will throw at you, in your search for the helicopters and their combat teams.
In Call of Pripyat there is a real sense that the STALKER series has come of age. With the inclusion of DirectX 11 support and the streamlined interface, the game makes you feel much more at home than ever before, even in such a hostile environment. The use of satellite photography in re-creating the Zone is also a nice addition, making the game feel so much more authentic.
While STALKER: Shadow of Chernobyl radically redefined the way we think of first person shooters, Call of Pripyat has taken the concept, refined it and updated it with the current generation of technology to enhance the experience beyond the amazing experience of the original.
STALKER: Call of Pripyat stands as the pinnacle of the series so far and if GSC Gameworld can keep up this high standard, long may the series continue. It may not be to everyone’s liking but on there are few experiences like it and we wouldn’t have it any other way.
Popularity: unranked [?]
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