S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2
Discussion
I bounced off the original Stalker games a few times, I always liked the concept but found I wasn't good enough and died *so* often it wasn't that fun. Partly though I think I was naïve and tried to play them like a regular FPS.
Onwards to Stalker 2 and I pre-ordered mainly because I wanted to support the poor Devs who're Ukrainian and have obviously had an incredibly rough time over the last couple of years.
I have to say I'm really enjoying it so far. I deliberately went in knowing I was going to die a lot and patience would be needed (I'l admit I'm also playing on easy because I'm rubbish)!
It's an incredibly tense game with some fantastic moments of gunplay in it. I've really only got to the first town and done a few local missions so far but I'm kind of hooked so far!
I'm playing on Xbox (It's on Game pass as well if you want to try it out) and there are definitely some rough edges, there's something off with the sound now and again and some real issues with lighting. It's also a dark game so I had to play with my HDR settings a bit to make it a bit more manageable but the lighting definitely enhances both he mood and challenge of combat.
I've had a couple of jump scares and I'm not loving that it keeps an ongoing count of deaths (6 so far)! I reckon that's going to become embarrassingly high but I'm really drawn to the atmosphere and challenge of exploring, I can't wait to see how it progresses
Onwards to Stalker 2 and I pre-ordered mainly because I wanted to support the poor Devs who're Ukrainian and have obviously had an incredibly rough time over the last couple of years.
I have to say I'm really enjoying it so far. I deliberately went in knowing I was going to die a lot and patience would be needed (I'l admit I'm also playing on easy because I'm rubbish)!
It's an incredibly tense game with some fantastic moments of gunplay in it. I've really only got to the first town and done a few local missions so far but I'm kind of hooked so far!
I'm playing on Xbox (It's on Game pass as well if you want to try it out) and there are definitely some rough edges, there's something off with the sound now and again and some real issues with lighting. It's also a dark game so I had to play with my HDR settings a bit to make it a bit more manageable but the lighting definitely enhances both he mood and challenge of combat.
I've had a couple of jump scares and I'm not loving that it keeps an ongoing count of deaths (6 so far)! I reckon that's going to become embarrassingly high but I'm really drawn to the atmosphere and challenge of exploring, I can't wait to see how it progresses
Optimisation issues aside, the atmosphere in the game is fantastic; some genuinely unnerving and weird environments you can stumble into. Everything wants to kill you 
I also really like that the game doesn't immediately tell you 'oh, those are good guys you can see' or 'those guys are definitely bandits', you need to learn what they dress like to spot if their friend or foe, and that doesn't always work out either. Random gunfights can just kick off nearby as you're minding your own business, and then a random mutant thing will try and jump you mid-firefight. It's fun, in a stressful kind of way.
Still inside the original starting zones, so god knows what else is going to end up being out there. Once it's had another fat patch or two, I'm hoping it runs more consistently, as at the moment on PC it's a bit all over the place in some areas. Not tried the Xbox version though, so will give that a go and see how that runs (presumably more or less the same, just with lower graphics settings).
I also really like that the game doesn't immediately tell you 'oh, those are good guys you can see' or 'those guys are definitely bandits', you need to learn what they dress like to spot if their friend or foe, and that doesn't always work out either. Random gunfights can just kick off nearby as you're minding your own business, and then a random mutant thing will try and jump you mid-firefight. It's fun, in a stressful kind of way.
Still inside the original starting zones, so god knows what else is going to end up being out there. Once it's had another fat patch or two, I'm hoping it runs more consistently, as at the moment on PC it's a bit all over the place in some areas. Not tried the Xbox version though, so will give that a go and see how that runs (presumably more or less the same, just with lower graphics settings).
Playing on Normal and dying a lot.
Love that the game feels like the original series and the lighting/sound is so immersive.
After years of COD et al, I had forgotten that Stalker is genuinely about surviving, not winning. Every fight, building or mission has me flattened at least once and the availability of med kits, coupled with gear deterioration and ammo shortages makes it brutal.
I still haven't got the graphics quite right yet and it must be a beast to run given the noise my normally quiet machine is making.
Love that the game feels like the original series and the lighting/sound is so immersive.
After years of COD et al, I had forgotten that Stalker is genuinely about surviving, not winning. Every fight, building or mission has me flattened at least once and the availability of med kits, coupled with gear deterioration and ammo shortages makes it brutal.
I still haven't got the graphics quite right yet and it must be a beast to run given the noise my normally quiet machine is making.
Such a great game, incredibly tense not one to play in long sessions. Had an incredible bit of luck where down to my last mag I got jumped by a squad of 6. Somehow with lots of luck and leaning managed to get them all. 10 mins later got gored to death by a boar. Haven't played anything as tense since the original Resident Evil games.
StoutBench said:
Such a great game, incredibly tense not one to play in long sessions. Had an incredible bit of luck where down to my last mag I got jumped by a squad of 6. Somehow with lots of luck and leaning managed to get them all. 10 mins later got gored to death by a boar. Haven't played anything as tense since the original Resident Evil games.
Found it quite easy/enjoyable to (shotgun) blast those Hunters. Although Neptune badly savaged me once…Terry Tibbs said:
I’m quite tempted by this game, is anyone playing it on pc but using an Xbox controller? If so does it work ok?
Due to how my pc is set I just use a big tv when not using vr and my keyboard and mouse is mounted to my sim rig so I sit on the sofa.
I haven't tried controller on PC, but happy to give it a go later and update you. I've heard that on Xbox the controller aiming can feel a bit floaty and people are raising an issue regarding the stick dead zones, but not sure of that's exclusive to the console version. Will let you know.Due to how my pc is set I just use a big tv when not using vr and my keyboard and mouse is mounted to my sim rig so I sit on the sofa.
Douglas Quaid said:
I have tried it on Xbox and didn’t notice any stick issues. It’s tense though, the atmosphere and graphics are fantastic but I do wonder how much I actually enjoy games like this as they’re not relaxing, you’re constantly on edge.
Having a home cinema helps/doesn’t help I guess.
It's definitely a game I've been playing in bursts rather than for hours on end.Having a home cinema helps/doesn’t help I guess.
Wandered into a building yesterday and went to open a door, heard something that sounded massive and angry the other side of it and thought 'Nah, I'll go in there later'
Sebbak said:
Terry Tibbs said:
I’m quite tempted by this game, is anyone playing it on pc but using an Xbox controller? If so does it work ok?
Due to how my pc is set I just use a big tv when not using vr and my keyboard and mouse is mounted to my sim rig so I sit on the sofa.
I haven't tried controller on PC, but happy to give it a go later and update you. I've heard that on Xbox the controller aiming can feel a bit floaty and people are raising an issue regarding the stick dead zones, but not sure of that's exclusive to the console version. Will let you know.Due to how my pc is set I just use a big tv when not using vr and my keyboard and mouse is mounted to my sim rig so I sit on the sofa.
Douglas Quaid said:
I have tried it on Xbox and didn’t notice any stick issues. It’s tense though, the atmosphere and graphics are fantastic but I do wonder how much I actually enjoy games like this as they’re not relaxing, you’re constantly on edge.
Having a home cinema helps/doesn’t help I guess.
Ace, sounds like I need to try it!Having a home cinema helps/doesn’t help I guess.
Terry Tibbs said:
Sebbak said:
Terry Tibbs said:
I’m quite tempted by this game, is anyone playing it on pc but using an Xbox controller? If so does it work ok?
Due to how my pc is set I just use a big tv when not using vr and my keyboard and mouse is mounted to my sim rig so I sit on the sofa.
I haven't tried controller on PC, but happy to give it a go later and update you. I've heard that on Xbox the controller aiming can feel a bit floaty and people are raising an issue regarding the stick dead zones, but not sure of that's exclusive to the console version. Will let you know.Due to how my pc is set I just use a big tv when not using vr and my keyboard and mouse is mounted to my sim rig so I sit on the sofa.
Having said that, if you're playing with controller from the offset, you might find it not so bad maybe.
Terry Tibbs said:
Ah ok, thanks for that.
I might try and find a way to use a keyboard and mouse, it would come in handy for other games too.
Thanks again!
No worries. As I say, might be worth a go with the controller and after a bit of fettling in the settings, it might be absolutely fine. I just wanted to play more Stalker though, so didn't bother I might try and find a way to use a keyboard and mouse, it would come in handy for other games too.
Thanks again!
So far I'm finding it a good game, for the most part. Some slightly irritating bugs in parts, and occasionally finding that it will suddenly decide to run at 5FPS on my brand new gaming laptop, for no real reason.
Some things being hugely tanky for early game is annoying. Spamming double hard monsters at you which surely isn't appropriate for early game? I just press F8 and reload and that spawn doesn't happen...
I just left the early village, and met the guy in the prison, then went to the place he wanted me to go and look at. Wow. That's when the BS REALLY started.
So. Walking up - no guys. I got to about 30 yards from the gate and *pop* a dude just beamed down in front of me. Green in front of my crosshair so pressed H to put my gun away, and walked up to him. Instantly he aggressed me so I drew my silenced pistol before he had shot his gun or shouted and alerted anyone, and killed him with a headshot. Instantly EVERYONE in that place knew I was there and were very angry with me!
OK, got a fight on my hands. Managed to deal with all of the guys outside with my rifle, feeling reasonably safe now. But! It seems there are some dudes inside the building who still have aggression on me. This is where the problem starts.
So those guys are *INSIDE* the building, behind a concrete wall. I'm outside, behind a further concrete wall. The guys inside have never had line of sight of me. Yet... They still shoot me through the wall of the building, and my wall outside, completely accurately! Move elsewhere hidden behind my wall? Nope! They still hit you! If it was guesswork like you, as a player, do in games when you can shoot through walls then OK, but they have wallhacks. Clearly!
Also, they have AK 74 rifles, and those just won't go through two concrete walls (well, realistically) and hurt anybody. Just doesn't happen.
I got so frustrated after trying it 5 times in different ways and still finding shenanigans that I Alt+F4'd out and will wait until they hopefully fix this nonsense.
Apart from that...
Good. And quite pretty, and very atmospheric.
Some things being hugely tanky for early game is annoying. Spamming double hard monsters at you which surely isn't appropriate for early game? I just press F8 and reload and that spawn doesn't happen...
I just left the early village, and met the guy in the prison, then went to the place he wanted me to go and look at. Wow. That's when the BS REALLY started.
So. Walking up - no guys. I got to about 30 yards from the gate and *pop* a dude just beamed down in front of me. Green in front of my crosshair so pressed H to put my gun away, and walked up to him. Instantly he aggressed me so I drew my silenced pistol before he had shot his gun or shouted and alerted anyone, and killed him with a headshot. Instantly EVERYONE in that place knew I was there and were very angry with me!
OK, got a fight on my hands. Managed to deal with all of the guys outside with my rifle, feeling reasonably safe now. But! It seems there are some dudes inside the building who still have aggression on me. This is where the problem starts.
So those guys are *INSIDE* the building, behind a concrete wall. I'm outside, behind a further concrete wall. The guys inside have never had line of sight of me. Yet... They still shoot me through the wall of the building, and my wall outside, completely accurately! Move elsewhere hidden behind my wall? Nope! They still hit you! If it was guesswork like you, as a player, do in games when you can shoot through walls then OK, but they have wallhacks. Clearly!
Also, they have AK 74 rifles, and those just won't go through two concrete walls (well, realistically) and hurt anybody. Just doesn't happen.
I got so frustrated after trying it 5 times in different ways and still finding shenanigans that I Alt+F4'd out and will wait until they hopefully fix this nonsense.
Apart from that...
Good. And quite pretty, and very atmospheric.
Dynamic flashlight shadows mod - https://www.dsogaming.com/mods/new-stalker-2-mod-e...
Gassing Station | Video Games | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff