CVG Reviews S.T.A.L.K.E.R.: Clear Sky

[ThQp]

The team at CVG have recently sat down to give their review of the new title S.T.A.L.K.E.R.: Clear Sky. Check it out:

Perhaps it was an accident that the original Stalker game, Shadow of Chernobyl, was as compelling, terrifying and atmospheric as it was. GSC certainly haven't managed the same feat this second time around. 18 months after Shadow we have another excursion into the Zone that remains rich and visionary, provides both a story and an open-ended faction war, and yet lacks some vital magic.

This review will largely ignore the fact of the game's staggering system specs and occasional instability. These are bugs which can and will be ironed out, or facts of technology that will be moderated by our simply having better PCs in the months to come. What cannot be so easily smoothed away are the bad design decisions.

You can read the entire review here.

[Kradath]

Re: CVG Reviews S.T.A.L.K.E.R.: Clear Sky

Didn't they they delayed the game? It seems that they've tested an unfinished version.

[MrChris_CJ]

Re: CVG Reviews S.T.A.L.K.E.R.: Clear Sky

its PC Gamer as well remember, one of the reviewers that you certainly shouldnt listen to tbh

the game has been delayed in North America because cd keys weren't printed for the copies, should be fine in EU though and on Steam

[imported_Whiskey]

Re: CVG Reviews S.T.A.L.K.E.R.: Clear Sky

There's nothing in that preview that really bothers me, TBH. It sounds like the reviewer wanted an exact copy of Shadow of Chernobyl. He (they) forget that this game takes place in a different time period, at which time the zone isn't yet as desolate. There was a lot to like about SoC, but there were a lot of complaints, too...and many of the things the developers have changed are things the reviewer doesn't like (enemies now harder, artifacts harder to find, more combat/less wandering). The first game did have great atmosphere, but some of that atmosphere was a result of design elements of the game that many people also found frustrating.

At this point, I'm still planning on trying this game out. I'll wait for more reviews (and more reputable reviews...I'll check out Metacritic.com where a variety of reviews as well as user comments are posted) but unless there's a clear concensus that almost everyone is unhappy with it, I will likely pick it up.

[TheEn|gma]

Re: CVG Reviews S.T.A.L.K.E.R.: Clear Sky

Clear Sky came into store today for Release on Friday here in the UK.

[Stev0esque]

Re: CVG Reviews S.T.A.L.K.E.R.: Clear Sky

geez that was harsh. Im still excited about it though. Im pretty sure its not as bad as they think. maybe they just suck at playing it?

[MrChris_CJ]

Re: CVG Reviews S.T.A.L.K.E.R.: Clear Sky

there are only a few reviews from trusted sources (well to me at least) and they all give the game high ratings

its easy to see why reviewers are going down the pan when they have lost touch so badly with games

[Trevortt]

Re: CVG Reviews S.T.A.L.K.E.R.: Clear Sky

I'd just like to go off topic. Not so long ago, we had a discussion about why there is so many games been pirated, and this is why. Do you honestly believe i am willing to pay £30+ for a game that is bugged, you might as well call it a BETA Demo.

[L3adcannon]

Re: CVG Reviews S.T.A.L.K.E.R.: Clear Sky

**** excuse.
BF2 was bugged to hell and I`m sure you`d buy it again.

Gonna get Clear Sky when I get the chance. Loved the first one, will love this. Mods will sort out the design flaws, patches will iron out the bugs.

[Trevortt]

Re: CVG Reviews S.T.A.L.K.E.R.: Clear Sky

**** excuse.
BF2 was bugged to hell and I`m sure you`d buy it again.

Gonna get Clear Sky when I get the chance. Loved the first one, will love this. Mods will sort out the design flaws, patches will iron out the bugs.

Its not a **** excuse at all, if you were to buy a new car would you pay for it if you were only given the shell and no engine! No you would not, its the exact same.

I'd prefer to save my money & spend on something where the devs actually value their games.

[Kradath]

Re: CVG Reviews S.T.A.L.K.E.R.: Clear Sky

It's always the question how bugged a game is. As long as games don't crash every 5min I'm very bug immune.

[Lt.Hanley]

Re: CVG Reviews S.T.A.L.K.E.R.: Clear Sky

devs actually value their games.

Doesn't every devs value their projects? They don't sit down and say lets go build a ****ty game so we waste peoples money.

Also games and cars two very different things.

[imported_Whiskey]

Re: CVG Reviews S.T.A.L.K.E.R.: Clear Sky

Do you honestly believe i am willing to pay £30+ for a game that is bugged, you might as well call it a BETA Demo.

Almost everything the guy complains about in the article aren't bugs, but design elements and features that he doesn't care for. He claims there's bugs and performance issues, but then decides not to talk about them. From what he did write, I question their validity.

I'd hold off your judgement that the game is "bugged" until more reviews come in. If you read the user comments below that article, it seems that CVG is one of a couple of websites that may share and re-print the info on reviews made by others, instead of doing independent ones themselves.

I'd say the original Stalker:Shadow of Chernobyl had quite a few bugs in it, but for me, it was still worth the price for the amount of time that I played it.

[Trevortt]

Re: CVG Reviews S.T.A.L.K.E.R.: Clear Sky

Doesn't every devs value their projects? They don't sit down and say lets go build a ****ty game so we waste peoples money.

Also games and cars two very different things.

But the principles are the same. Anyway, you go waste your money on a bugged game, i'll wait till HL2 EP3 comes out, least i know it will be a valued piece of software.

[Kradath]

Re: CVG Reviews S.T.A.L.K.E.R.: Clear Sky

But the principles are the same. Anyway, you go waste your money on a bugged game, i'll wait till HL2 EP3 comes out, least i know it will be a valued piece of software.

Well. I played HL2 and yes, it was very stable and all. But it just didn't drag me, linear gameplay, nothing new, old school shooter etc.

And I bought Stalker as well, had some crashs, some minor bugs, but I loved the gameplay and atmosphere. That's why stalker was worth the money, while HL2 wasn't for me. :)