As one of the most remarkably scary survival horror games to ever creep its way onto PCs, S.T.A.L.K.E.R.: Shadow of Chernobyl proves that atmosphere reigns supreme in this genre. A perfect blend of lonely apprehension, cheesy character clichés, and heart-thumping encounters with the mutant beings that call the Zone home.
It has been fourteen years since the first S.T.A.L.K.E.R. game came out and the overall fan following has been immense with hundreds of fan mods popping up. The dedicated fanbase notes the deep lore and unique mechanics as key sticking points. The longevity of the game has led it to legendary status, yet several aspects of the game still remain unknown.
With S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2 in development, this is the perfect time to look back at the original entry in the series.
10 The Game Is Heavily Based Off A Soviet-Russian Book
The game series takes a lot of inspiration from a 1972 book titled Roadside Picnic, by Arkady and Boris Strugatsky. The book and game have similar themes and the overall concept of the stalker character remains largely unchanged. Unlike conventional horror games, S.T.A.L.K.E.R. relies on the eerie science fiction element of its atmosphere and dark open-world mechanics to scare players.
9 The Stalker Movie Played A Large Role As Well
A highly regarded movie also exists in the same realm as the original book and the video game series. Andrei Tarkovsky's Stalker, released in 1979, is a gloomy journey into the Zone, as seen through the eyes of a stalker taking two outsiders into the restricted area.
Tarkovsky uses many long takes of the abandoned Russian locale to set a familiar S.T.A.L.K.E.R tone that uses psychological horror rather than blood and over-the-top action.
8 GSC Game World Has A Story Too
Every game development company comes with a unique story and GSC Game World is no exception. The studio was founded in 1995 by a teenage Sergiy Grygorovych with a small number of close-knit people employed in a two-room apartment in Kyiv, Ukraine.
Employing family members and bright local minds, the game development powerhouse continued to find much success throughout the next few years, eventually employing several hundred people. Although the company was temporarily dissolved for a few years, it has since re-opened to release new franchise titles.
7 GSC Game World Has Success In Other Genres
Despite making one of the most renowned survival horror games in recent memory, GSC Game World has had great success in the world of historical strategy games with their Cossack series among several others.
The company also developed the strategy video game tie-in to the 2004 film based on the life of Alexander the Great, Alexander.Â
6 Multiple Studios Formed From GSC Game World
The legacy of S.T.A.L.K.E.R. is wide-reaching, strongly based on the resourceful and innovative murky style of the game. The post-apocalyptic setting and survival tactics played an influence in the Metro game series, developed by 4A Games, which was founded by core team members from S.T.A.L.K.E.R.: Shadow of Chernobyl.Â
Two other studios, Vostok Games and West-Games, formed from GSC Game World. These companies have their roots in the S.T.A.L.K.E.R. series.
5 The NPCs Have A Life Of Their Own
The NPCs of the game are quite unique too. As non-scripted characters, the NPCs will simply wander around on their own, with their own life cycles and objectives.
This leads to unlimited encounters that can pop up at any point in the game. This makes each playthrough a true one-of-a-kind experience, with random monster attacks and gunfights occurring every time the stalker steps outside.
4 The Title Of S.T.A.L.K.E.R. Is An Acronym
While the job title of "stalker" has existed since the original story in Roadside Picnic and the subsequent movie, the video game title is actually an acronym (Scavengers, Trespassers, Adventurers, Loners, Killers, Explorers, and Robbers). The name likely represents the wide variety of rebellious treasure-seekers the Zone attracts to its borders, and it is a fitting representation of the tense nature of these games.
3 There Was A Lot Of Cut Content
S.T.A.L.K.E.R.: Shadow of Chernobyl is already jam-packed with side missions and NPCs to interact with, but originally there was a lot more content. Most of the cut content related to side stories and missions that never transpired, but there were also two factions cut, Sin and Last Day, as well as a few guns, monsters, and locations.
A few gameplay elements didn't make it either, including boss fights with vicious creatures.
2 A Series Of Successes
Despite being a series from the previous decade, the S.T.A.L.K.E.R. franchise continues to have immense success, thanks to a dedicated fanbase and word-of-mouth following.
It is worth mentioning that Shadow of Chernobyl received great acclaim when it first released in 2007, attaining excellent reviews and popularity among PC players. There has even been a Stalker-Fest for fans to meet up and don their fanciest gasmask.
1 The Long-Awaited Sequel Is In Development
First announced in 2010, the next game in the S.T.A.L.K.E.R. series has been canceled and re-announced throughout its tumultuous development. It's been a long time coming, but fans can rejoice as GSC Game World seems adamant about releasing the next entry in the very near future.
The specifics of the story and gameplay are a bit sparse for the time being, but GSC has announced the game will be released on Microsoft Windows and Xbox Series X/S, making it the first S.T.A.L.K.E.R. game on consoles.