S.T.A.L.K.E.R. Shadow of Chernobyl

[AtomSmasher]

Its a PC game, but I figured the console section was the place for this.

I was just curious if anyone else is trying to play this game?  I say try because it is the hardest FPS I have ever played, and I've played a lot of FPS games.  They made the game very realistic, which is why its so hard.  You die just as easily as the enemies, one headshot and your dead, and body shots will cause you to bleed and slowly slowly lose health, so you go through bandages quick.  Your often going against 5-10 guys, and the AI is smart enough that they will split up and try to flank you from each side while using cover to protect themselves.  Plus your gun will jam on occasion, which really sucks when that happens.  A little while into the game you start coming across mutations from the radiation who have abilities like invisibility or telekinisis, which just make them huge pains in the butt to kill.

I'm about 2 hours into the game and I must have died over 2 dozen times which is why the quick save button has become my best friend (I now save at every single lull in the game).  The sad thing is I'm usually extremely good at FPS games (I used to play at a competitive level in the games Counter Strike, Tribes, and Enemy Territory), this game is just ridiculous.

The game actually is quite fun, I just needed to rant 

edit* typos

[AtomSmasher]

Well I finally got a good gun and armor, so now I can actually make headshots from a distance and don't die immediately if shot at.  They keep calling you a rookie in the game, so I guess they just really wanted you to feel like one in the beginning.  I guess thats one of the fun things about a game not made by one of the big publishers, they stray from the normal gaming practices.  This game definately isn't for everyone, but if you like FPS's, then you should give it a try.  The openness of the game reminds me a lot of Deus Ex

[Angry_Radish]

If you like realistic FPS games, check out Armed Assault, amazing game!
http://www.armedassault.com/us_index.html

[SithMaster]

I had no idea that stalker was out.  ill find a demo and give it a try.

edit there is no demo yet.

[AtomSmasher]

I had no idea that stalker was out.  ill find a demo and give it a try.

Considering its been in development for something like 7 years, its pretty surprising that it was finally released.  So far it is a really good game, just really hard in the beginning.

Also, I played the game Operation Flashpoint a while back and didn't really care for it, since Armed Assault is essentially the sequal to OF, I decided not to bother with it.  I'll check if theres a demo and give it a try once I finish Stalker.