S.T.A.L.K.E.R: Call of Pripyat PC Games and Downloads

Released on 05/02/2010

• S.T.A.L.K.E.R: Call of Pripyat Review

  Back in the Zone

  Welcome to the Zone: the area around Chernobyl NPP, where Call of Pripyat and the other S.T.A.L.K.E.R. games are set. It's a grim wasteland, populated by desperate men and hideously twisted beasts. Every cautious footfall is accompanied by the eerie howls of mad dogs and the ominous crackle of the Geiger counter. Scattered everywhere are invisible anomalies, the freakish by-products of the terrible forces which the wasteland has been witness to, whirlwinds of fire and crushing force which spell death for the unwary and unwise.

  Since the disaster at the power plant the area around Pripyat, the abandoned city which you might have visited in CoD: Modern Warfare, has been an interesting place. High levels of background radiation and the periodical 'emissions' which sweep the area have taken their toll on man and beast alike, turning even the lowly rats into rabid killers who attack in squealing swarms.

  Going nuclear

  Groups of S.T.A.L.K.E.R.S - men and mercenaries who populate the Zone - struggle to survive in whatever way they can. Searching for the valuable artefacts which are formed by the Zone's anomalies might be a good way to make money, but why take all that risk when you could let somebody else do it and rob them on the way home?

  Even more terrifying than the desolate surface are the gloomy underground complexes and abandoned laboratories ? homes to some of the nastiest mutants and the darkest corners.

  Two legs bad, four legs worse

  Not, on balance, the sort of place you'd think you'd want to hang around in, but all this being lightly microwaved and savaged by mutants is actually surprisingly enjoyable.

  For this instalment of the series, players take the role of Major Degtyarov, a member of the Ukranian special forces who's sent to discover the fate of a number of military helicopters which crashed whilst attempting to navigate to the Zone's tumultuous centre. There aren't any fancy gadgets or glamorous flunkies for this Secret Service agent, though ? the Major is dumped into the Zone with nothing more than a rudimentary jacket and a good old fashioned Kalashnikov.

  If you've played either of the previous titles, you'll have an idea of what to expect next; if you haven't then you're in for a treat. Stalker is an open world game, huge expanses of the Zone lay open to exploration right from the off and many of the game's 70+ quests can only be found through a bit of off-road poking about. There's always a plot point or two for you to follow up should you feel the need for some direction but Stalker is really about getting out in the zone and exploring. It's full of exciting ways to die, as well as some very beautiful sunsets.

  50,000 people used to live here...

  The AI has been vastly improved over the other Stalker offerings, with the A-life system making sure the ecology of the Zone ticks over no matter what you're up to. What that means is that no area stays static ? clearing out a den of nasties doesn't mean an area will be safe for good, vacant property soon attracts lodgers!

  Stalkers and mutants are no friends, either, and the two groups can often be seen fighting each other when you're out and about. Again, jumping to the aid of a group of hard-pressed fellow humans is always an option, but what about letting those dogs finish them off so you can loot the bodies? It's all about the pragmatic angle.

  The only bugs are mutants

  Once you've stolen the weapon and suit of a richer, unluckier Stalker you can take them back to one of the civilised hub areas to be repaired and upgraded by friendly technicians. This RPG-like system means that you can develop weapons along specific paths, perhaps increasing accuracy or reliabilty, and fine tune your ultimate load-out to your playstyle. Make sure you carry a back-up, though, equipment degrades with use and there's nothing worse than lining up an enemy just to hear the tell-take click of a weapon jam when you pull the trigger.

  Fans of the previous Stalker games are probably expecting there to be all sorts of bug issues with this, as the both Clear Sky and Shadow of Chernobyl had pretty serious issues with errors and broken features. Call of Pripyat has neither of these, it's smooth and works perfectly straight out of the box.

  This is the ultimate Stalker title so far, a great balance of all that was good from the first game and its prequel, with a few new added extras too. Just make sure you leave the lights on.

  

  Glows
  + Superbly atmospheric
  + Huge play area.
  + Multiple paths mean no two games are alike.

  Lows
  - Graphically a little dated.
  - Weak storyline.
  - Climax is disappointing.

• New Release Round Up 5th Feb 2010

  This week big games let you become a hero; defying danger and death (quite literally in one case!), surviving a nuclear wasteland, exploring the galaxy, saving the princess, or even becoming one! Which will you go for?

  Walk tall in Hell

  
  It doesn't get more heroic than striding into Hell and facing the demon underworld, to rescue your beloved. Dante's Inferno is an epic action game based on the infamous 14th century novel The Divine Comedy.

  In Dante's Inferno you fight through nine circles of a violent hell, while wielding a Holy Cross and Death's Scythe for a devastating combination of ranged and melee attacks. The GAME Exclusive Death Edition features exclusive packaging, artwork and bonus in-game content. Abandon Hope, All Ye Who Enter Here

  Survive against all odds

  
  Abandon Hope, also, All Ye Who Enter S.T.A.L.K.E.R: Call of Pripyat. The irradiated hell of The Zone awaits you in the sequel to the critically-acclaimed first-person shooter S.T.A.L.K.E.R.: Shadow of Chernobyl.

  Call of Pripyat improves the visuals of the original with photorealistic locations and new, horrific enemies enhancing the sense of isolation, fear and danger.

  Leap tall buildings

  
  Heroes aren't all dark and gloomy types. AstroBoy, the iconic Manga hero, flies the skies using his rocket-boosted boots, while blasting President Stone's evil robot army using Finger Lasers, Drill Attacks and, yes, Butt Machine Guns.

  AstroBoy's intuitive combat system fires up the mix of classic platform action and exhilarating flight combat levels. It's a space age blast.

  Confront an epic foe

  
  Game series don't get more epic and heroic than the long-running Japanese role-playing adventures of Final Fantasy. But Final Fantasy Crystal Chronicles: The Crystal Bearers features a new style of play for the Nintendo Wii.

  Intuitive combat, a host of unusual mini-games and a huge 3D world means The Crystal Bearers is the Final Fantasy epic everyone can play.

  Save the princess

  
  A new twist on heroics also comes to Disney's The Princess and the Frog. When frog prince Naveen kisses Tiana, believing her to be a princess, he accidentally turns her into a frog too.

  The scene is set for magical New Orleans mayhem, where The Princess and the Frog lets you and your friends relive key moments from the Disney animated movie in madcap, mini-game style.

  Delve into dangerous dungeons

  
  For a heroic adventure you can put in your pocket, turn to Disgaea 2: Dark Hero Days for the Sony PSP. The award-winning Japanese strategy/roleplaying epic features tense, turn-based strategic showdowns. And new to the Sony PSP: four new story chapters, new tactics, 55 new battle stages and an entirely new playable character to master.

   

  Explore the final frontier

  
  Finally this week, what could be more heroic than captaining your own starship, exploring the final frontiers of space? Star Trek Online: The Gold Edition brings the legendary Star Trek universe to life with a gigantic online universe to explore, teeming with thousands of other players will they become enemies or friends?

  Choose sides, choose your speciality and crew, then explore planet surfaces and engage in spectacular deep space battles. The Gold Edition includes bonus downloadable content, a universe map, t-shirt, and exclusive packaging and artwork.

  • Find out more about Dante's Inferno
  • Find out more about S.T.A.L.K.E.R: Call of Pripyat Special Edition
  • Find out more about Astroboy
  • Find out more about Final Fantasy Crystal Chronicles: The Crystal Bearers
  • Find out more about Disney's The Princess and the Frog
  • Find out more about Disgaea 2: Dark Hero Days
  • Find out more about Star Trek Online: The Gold Edition

  Published: 05/02/2010

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