Poll: stalker bundle

[tsb247]

Simply having to stack cinder blocks on a plank to get on top of a ledge is hardly an impressive use of the environment.

However, the mechanics you described are either unnecessary in S.T.A.L.K.E.R. or are already present in the game (luring enemies in anomolies and sniping enemies from a safe vantage point).

I should also point out that I have yet to find a game that allows the player to easily climb a tree in a way that is actually useful, and that the engine developed for S.T.A.L.K.E.R. was not designed for building the game around physics puzzles.

Having puzzles embedded in the environment need not make it exciting. It generally makes it tedious. HL2's puzzles were more of a break in the action than 'fun.' Why are you so fixated on the, "move this box here," aspect of the environment anyway? It's not necessarily a needed game mechanic.

I disagree, I loved the little puzzles in HL2.

They're not unnecessary at all. I think you miss the point. And they are not in the game.

That was just one example. If you look at some of the Brink dev diaries, in particular the one about every piece of terrain being there for a reason, you'll see that everything is useful. I agree that STALKER's engine wasn't build for physics puzzles - that's my point, you see.

Puzzles are fun and they break up the monotony of shooting people in the head all the damn time. Especially when you consider how fucking boring AI is in most shooters. I still think nobody has ever come close to beating Halo 1's AI. It's the only game during which I've ever actually stopped and thought 'holy shit this AI is smart'. And in my opinion, in such a sandbox, open world game as STALKER, it's epic fail to have only one game mechanic to solve problems - shooting people.

I found myself getting really bored with them before I got too close to the end.

Yes, this is exactly what I think.

I think we will have to agree to disagree at this point. It seems like neither of us will budge on our opinions, and it is also clear that neither of us want a flame war (thank you for your reasonable responses btw!).

However, I would suggest playing Call of Pripyat if you get the chance. The world is more open, the AI is improved, there is a built-in free roam option after the main story, the side-quests are generally enjoyable, you can repair and customize weapons and armor, and it is fun to simply scavenge for items, artifacts, and weapons.

Since you don't seem to be a huge fan of the franchise, I would suggest waiting until it goes down in price or finding a deal on Amazon.

 

[wolf thing]

get them now. get off this site now and buy them. you WILL not regret it.

 

[Ekonk]

If you get it, use the 'Stalker Complete' mod. Night and Day.

Yeaaahhh that mod is fuckin' A! Can't play stalker without it.

 

[Bobic]

Someone should be looking through the zero punctuation video gallery.

 

[Wolfram23]

I bought Call of Pripyat a few months ago. Freaking love it!!! So good, definitely buy this bundle. I'm going to buy the first game since it's only $20 and play the Complete pack.

Aside from the sweet gameplay, graphics, and overall tone of the game, this game also hugely supports modding which is fantastic. There's a lot of great enhancements to download, from higher res textures and sound effects to entirely new story lines.

 

[godofallu]

I have Chernobyl and find it to be a pretty crappy game. The controls are retarded, the game is freaking hard (mostly because of no ammo, lack of regen health, and terrible controls).

The game is ugly, and feels sloppily made. The fact that everyone likes the game is something that I personally don't understand.