Stalker: Legends of the Zone – Review

Stalker: Legends of the Zone is More than just a porting. Let’s find out why

The launch of Stalker: Legends Of Zone on consoles is not just a great way to introduce the series to a wider audience of new players, but also the achievement of an old goal. In the past, the studio had planned to release the first title Shadow of Chernobyl for PlayStation 3, but due to various difficulties, it was never produced.

STALKER Trailer

This new version of Stalker, released on the Xbox and PlayStation digital stores in a Shadow drop on March 6th, overcame all obstacles and has great potential.

Let’s discover more by reading this review.

Reviving an Ambitious Series in a Time of Stagnation

Stalker, when released, was truly revolutionary for its time, with many innovative ideas such as the challenging survival system and the ever-changing world that lives its own life, regardless of the player’s actions.

This effect hasn’t been lost, and to great surprise, Call of Chernobyl and Call of Pripyat remain extremely advanced thanks to their use of AI and the variations present in the different maps, which are always interesting. The console collection is a great way to revisit a historic series that has always been confined to the PC world.

GSC has shown foresight by providing the launch of the collection in the best possible way, on the right evening and with a remarkable level of quality.

This has truly been a great move by GSC in anticipation of the launch of the next chapter.

Want to discover even more about the world of Stalker?

Read our article.

Gameplay 

The gameplay of the three chapters is much more polished compared to the PC versions. In particular, the first chapter has taken a significant step forward thanks to a great deal of work on the shooting component. The adaptation to the controller has led to a good aiming system that makes combat faster and less cumbersome. Ensuring more precise aiming and better bullet feedback, the issue of low feedback only remains with pistols, which are highly discouraged.

The inventory feeling has been improved. The management with the controller is very convenient, both for handling items (weapons, ammunition) and modifications. The management of the map and diary has been made very clear and detailed. The only flaws that can make management complex are the sometimes untraceable secondary missions and learning to manage positions on the map through zoom. With a little skill, one learns quickly, but at times, it can be challenging.

Game economy management is not complex but requires a lot of time invested in secondary missions. Especially in the first two chapters, unlike Call of Pripyat where it is possible to make money quickly. Completing tasks for various factions and traders is essential for earning and obtaining excellent performing equipment.

Survival is very important and must be managed well. The only problems encountered are the inability to repair weapons and armor in Shadow of Chernobyl and thieves who can steal equipment in Clear Sky. These issues have been brilliantly resolved entirely in Call of Pripyat.

Technical Component

The title, despite being several years old, still holds up well. The X-ray engine still guarantees remarkable scenarios and a high level of detail and lighting.

The game engine is known to be unstable and very heavy. On PC versions, it can cause various issues. However in the Xbox version, it is incredibly optimized and can run stable at 60 fps in 1080p and on Series X up to 4k. A work of this kind is not to be underestimated. Considering the difficulties compared to the original titles of the same time.

Despite the improvements made, some “small” flaws may still be present but are extremely rare, for example:

• Longer than normal loading times

It may happen that the loading between some areas is slowed down to load the vital simulator, but waiting for a minute, or even less, will solve the problem.

• Game freezing

The rarest issue. In 20 hours, it happened three times, and the problem can be resolved by closing the game.

Game World

The world of Stalker is highly inspired and extremely well-crafted in every detail. Exploring the Zone and uncovering its secrets always holds great allure. 

The titles feature a world in constant flux due to both the factions and the consequences of their actions. These changes make the experience more varied and the world more alive. However, the truly livelier and more engaging world is undoubtedly that of Shadow of Chernobyl, when compared to Call of Pripyat or Clear Sky, which instead focuses on faction relations.

Nonetheless, the beauty of the game world across the three Chernobyl areas is remarkable, and this porting has only expanded upon that aspect.

Is it worth buying this edition?

Landed unexpectedly, this edition is an excellent opportunity for console players to discover the series. The remarkable quality and optimization work of the three games border on excellence. These two aspects alone, not taken for granted these days, make the purchase opportunity a good idea.

The price is appropriate, considering the vastness of gameplay offered by the titles. It’s still possible to purchase them individually.

A legendary collection with great potential, but some rough edges to smooth out.

This is a “Luke’s Approved” title!

See you at 100 rad, stalker!