jmke

The gunplay itself is still excellent as well, with each firefight feeling like a test of skill and tactics rather than simple run and gun ability. Learning how to flank your opponents, control your firepower and use cover effectively is something which is critical to succeeding in Clear Sky and we love it.

The story meanwhile is something which holds Clear Sky back just as much as it did with Shadow of Chernobyl. The writing is verbose and overdone in the extreme and all of the critical conversations are so flabby they should come with information of how many calories they have. The plot itself is occasionally meandering too, though at least it’s easier to follow than it was in the first game.

The level design is something of a mixed bag too and although the ruined and gutted factories and farmsteads that litter The Zone are both stunningly creepy and awfully tempting for wannabe explorers. There’s plenty of things to climb on, under into or over and some of the simplest challenges from the game arise from nothing more than a decision to reach a set point on the map and explore it utterly. This also makes the levels perfectly suited to sniping and some truly exciting and varied fights.

Then comes the down side and if you look at the game the other way round as product which people might actually go out and spend money on, then S.T.A.L.K.E.R.: Clear Sky is utterly unacceptable. It just doesn’t work.

http://www.bit-tech.net/gaming/2008/...er-clear-sky/1

__________________