A very frustrating game that is just too damn hard.  I didn't mod it and I've heard that some of the mods make it easier but I normally go vanilla when I can.  The game is buggy and will often freeze for a second while it loads many objects in the outside world.  There is also way too much walking around which gets rather dull as you try and slog your way through killing a million guys.  But the real game killers for me were the endless radiation and the inaccuracy of the shooting engine.  Normally a head shot should be an instant kill but not so in this game.  I'm deadly accurate with a mouse having played FPS's since the mid 90's but very often it takes many head shots too take a guy down in this damn game.  It's a major flaw and so is the radiation.  Even with the radiation suit some areas are so hazardous that you barely have time to employ an anti-rad before you die.  FYI I recommend anybody who wants to venture into playing this do so on the novice level.  I never play novice levels and played the Stalker level which is the next level up but ultimately couldn't finish the game.  I got near the end but between the constant radiation and too many tough enemies it was impossible to finish it.  Which is unusual for me but I simply got tired of dying and reloading.  The constant radiation at the end was a game killer for me.  It isn't fun.  I could go on and on about other things I didn't like but this game needed to be redesigned.  From the beginning it felt like something that wasn't completed properly.  I guess that explains all the mods.  Either way I won't be playing the other Stalker games.  Gaming should, for the most part, be fun and not an endless frustrating mess.
A very frustrating game that is just too damn hard. I didn't mod it and I've heard that some of the mods make it easier but I normally go vanilla when I can. The game is buggy and will often freeze for a second while it loads many objects in the outside world. There is also way too much walking around which gets rather dull as you try and slog your way through killing a million guys. But the real game killers for me were the endless radiation and the inaccuracy of the shooting engine. Normally a head shot should be an instant kill but not so in this game. I'm deadly accurate with a mouse having played FPS's since the mid 90's but very often it takes many head shots too take a guy down in this damn game. It's a major flaw and so is the radiation. Even with the radiation suit some areas are so hazardous that you barely have time to employ an anti-rad before you die. FYI I recommend anybody who wants to venture into playing this do so on the novice level. I never play novice levels and played the Stalker level which is the next level up but ultimately couldn't finish the game. I got near the end but between the constant radiation and too many tough enemies it was impossible to finish it. Which is unusual for me but I simply got tired of dying and reloading. The constant radiation at the end was a game killer for me. It isn't fun. I could go on and on about other things I didn't like but this game needed to be redesigned. From the beginning it felt like something that wasn't completed properly. I guess that explains all the mods. Either way I won't be playing the other Stalker games. Gaming should, for the most part, be fun and not an endless frustrating mess.