Stalker Clear Sky - Most disappointing game of 2008?

[toadeater]

Atmosphere is what Clear Sky most critically lacks, and why it could be the most disappointing PC game of 2008.

... it just doesn't seem to realise what made STALKER great. Instead, it's a hotchpotch of repeated set-pieces, most too similar or too cursory, and ideas clumsily purloined from other games. Oh God, and the dialogue. Without irony, Russian mercenaries speak like Tim Westwood and Levi Roots, all in English with heavy Soviet accenting, so the game comes off like a bad impressions show. There's deeply amateurish sense of what's cool and what's funny to it, and an overwhelming concern that the developers are lacking vital quality control now they're unshackled from the first game's publisher, THQ. It sounds horribly presumptive but it really does come across as though a bunch of fairly inexperienced designers were let loose on this game with no-one in place to overrule their worst excesses. How upsetting if so ? that Stalker's brilliance may have been a result of US publisher interference and not, after all, a team of Ukrainian developer-heroes defying the odds.

http://uk.pc.ign.com/articles/906/906864p1.html

I hope Fallout 3 doesn't completely suck.:(:(

[Fonze]

I don't think a game that didn't get much buzz could be the most disappointing game. I'd say more like Too Human, Alone in the Dark, etc.

[+longgonebn Subscriber²]

None of that is why I am waiting for Clear Sky, its the graphics and technology behind it. I could give 2 ****s about the story and set-pieces etc.

And yea, Fonze is correct, something with much more buzz would be the most disappointing game, not one without much buzz.

[theyarecomingforyou]

The original game was exceptional - I'm playing through it again to get the proper ending, as I only managed one of the alternate endings. The atmosphere in the underground areas was amazing... easily the most atmospheric / scariest game I've played. I will almost certainly be getting Clear Sky on Steam (providing it's not crazily priced like Call Of Duty 4). The original had / has lots of issues and flaws yet it still turned out to be a really great game and this looks to be the same. The only thing that's a bit disconcerting is that the graphics improvements are apparently demanding on top-end systems, and it's not as if the original was easy going - I'm hoping it will run as well as Stalker did except with visual improvements but that's seeming less likely.

So yes, I'm expecting problems / issues but still for there to be a really good game under it all. It's the only first person coming out this year that I'm really interested in, what with Project Origin being bumped back till next year.

[MightyJordan]

I don't think a game that didn't get much buzz could be the most disappointing game. I'd say more like Too Human, Alone in the Dark, etc.

Hit the nail right on the head! (Y) Alone in the Dark was very disappointing. Bad controls, and even worse driving sequences. Too Human is worse. This is a game that has been in development since 1999, and it has ended up a huge dissapointment. :(

[Pupik]

None of that is why I am waiting for Clear Sky, its the graphics and technology behind it. I could give 2 ****s about the story and set-pieces etc

See, this is exactly why we get this type of games these days: http://www.mazapan.se/games/BurnTheRope.php

No decent story, gameplay or a reason to play it again after you finished with it.

Just pretty graphics, for the console kiddies.

[+longgonebn Subscriber²]

See, this is exactly why we get this type of games these days: http://www.mazapan.se/games/BurnTheRope.php

No decent story, gameplay or a reason to play it again after you finished with it.

Just pretty graphics, for the console kiddies.

I don't understand a thing you said, but if you are calling me a console kiddy, I don't have a single console, nor have I had one for 11 years, pc gaming here thanks.

[theyarecomingforyou]

See, this is exactly why we get this type of games these days: http://www.mazapan.se/games/BurnTheRope.php

No decent story, gameplay or a reason to play it again after you finished with it.

STALKER had a great story, great gameplay and because of the multiple endings and RPG elements you actually had a reason to play it again. Clear Sky just looks to pair that with a stunning graphics engine. Game like STALKER and Far Cry 2 are where first person shooters should be heading - open areas, RPG elements, day/night cycles, graeat graphics, factions, etc.

[acies]

Eh I didn't expect much from it. The original Stalker was something I really wanted to like, but it was just below the mark.

No decent story, gameplay or a reason to play it again after you finished with it.

Just pretty graphics, for the console kiddies..

Why do you use the term "console kiddies"? You're arguing with a PC gamer about a PC game, it doesn't make sense to say it's for "console kiddies".

[:: Lyon ::]

Fallout 3 pleaseeeeeee ^^

[+longgonebn Subscriber²]

Eh I didn't expect much from it. The original Stalker was something I really wanted to like, but it was just below the mark.

Why do you use the term "console kiddies"? You're arguing with a PC gamer about a PC game, it doesn't make sense to say it's for "console kiddies".

Thanks for the backup lol

[AllMac]

I don't really give a **** if it's exactly like the first one.

[Ayepecks]

What a letdown.

I was hoping for much more. I was hoping there'd be more action to it, and it seemed like they were alleviating a lot of the problems with the original... guess not.

[Pupik]

Why do you use the term "console kiddies"? You're arguing with a PC gamer about a PC game, it doesn't make sense to say it's for "console kiddies".

I used that term to put him in an average console gamers group - that is kids in their twelve, got attention span of three seconds and get games with pretty graphics and no real content, just because their mommy want to shut them up for half a hour.

And I wasn't referring to "Shadow of Chernobyl" or "Clear Sky" [theyarecomingforyou,] in my example (this one) for "games these days". I was referring to his statement; "I could give 2 ****s about the story and set-pieces etc".

[Sethos]

STALKER without atmosphere is like FIFA without the football. :/

[clx]

I was disappointed by the first game, i played it to the end but by half way it was repetitive and boring. I even found a place to "camp" npcs with a certain gun type so i could get loads of ammo.

I dont see myself picking up clear skys unless it comes as a free download with a graphics card or other peripheral i get

[+longgonebn Subscriber²]

@Sethos, Great way to put it.

Also, I never finished the first game as I stated, maybe that is why I am waiting for Clearsky.

[splicer707]

Will there be a demo for this game?

Don't want to spend up just to find out it's a letdown (like the original STALKER) was to me.

Either way. I'm more likely to get Fallout 3 or that new Crysis game before I consider Clear Sky.

Edited September 3, 2008 by splicer707

[Guitarmike]

Well, I'm really psyched for this game. Been waiting all summer for it. I hate hearing negitive reviews before the game is even out. I liked SoC and played it for hours. I never got into the power plant, but it was still fun and looked really cool. I like these kind of games more for the atmosphere than the actual game play. I'm still hoping it will be playable and more visually stunning in DX10.

just my 2 cents. :)

[Yusuf M. Veteran]

To me, S.T.A.L.K.E.R.: Shadow of Chernobyl was a big letdown. I had high expectations for the game because there was so much buzz around it on the internet. I figured it would be a great game. Thankfully, I didn't waste money on buying it. I tried the game at a friend's house and stopped playing after half an hour. The gameplay and graphics were subpar and the storyline seemed so bland. Also, performance was an issue. The frame rate would drop for no reason at all.

I feel that S.T.A.L.K.E.R.: Clear Sky will also be a disappointment. Sure, the graphics may be better with the support of DirectX 10 but that means it'll perform worse. Currently, there isn't a single DirectX 10 game on the market that performs better than its DirectX 9 counterpart. And reviews say that the "atmosphere" isn't as good as the original. I've decided to skip out on this one and I suggest you do the same (if you agree with what I said).

[alphaomegainfinity]

Oh no I was actually going to get both Clear Sky and Shadows of Chernobyl together. But after so many negative reviews, I think I have to skip both.

[+John. Subscriber¹]

The original STALKER was a letdown. The new Stalker apparently isn't that different from the first. Ergo, letdown. I'm sure it'll have some improvements, but the makers just couldn't nail it.

[+longgonebn Subscriber²]

Oh no I was actually going to get both Clear Sky and Shadows of Chernobyl together. But after so many negative reviews, I think I have to skip both.

If there is ever a deal on them, get them, many people say letdown, it's not that bad, still worth a play at least.

[splicer707]

Story

If you want to play Stalker: Clear Sky with all details in DX 10 a t a resolution of 1,680 x 1,050, you will have to use a multi GPU solution. If you don't need high framerates you can do with Geforce GTX 280 or a Radeon HD 4870. At 1,280 x 1,024 a Geforce 8800 GTX, 9800 GTX+ or a HD 4850 do quite well, but you will have to go down to 1,024 x 768 to make them display the game really smooth.

Sorry but that's totally insane.

[+longgonebn Subscriber²]

Yea that is not true, not from the sources I read.