STALKER - Shadow of Chernobyl or Clear Sky?

DutchSchaeffer · 4 Jan 2010 at 11:55

Seeing as both these games are cheap on Steam at the moment, I thought I would play through one of them.

Which one is considered the better experience? Metacritic would suggest SoC, but has Clear Sky being patched / modded to be better?

Speaking of mods, is "Stalker Complete 2009" the best mod to get for SoC?

Or "Super Mod Pack 2.4" which includes Oblivion Lost?

How about for Clear Sky?

Thanks in advance to any STALKER experts out there!

pcpietrek · 4 Jan 2010 at 12:02

SOC is much better than CS. Graphic wise they almost identical. Even the Call of Prypiat looks the same (only small changes). I have played SOC with 1.4patch and it was stable. I now playing COP without patches and I'm suprised there is almost no glitches at all.

Admiral Huddy · 4 Jan 2010 at 12:04

SoC was great fun. I never played CS in fear that it would ruin the experience of the first.

DutchSchaeffer · 4 Jan 2010 at 12:13

Thanks for the replies

Any advice on mods? Or is it best to play a patched up Vanilla?

I probably won't be playing through the game more than once (Mass Effect 2 at end of month) so I would want to best experience possible.

Looking at Stalker Complete 2009 at the moment, looks good!

PinkFloyd · 4 Jan 2010 at 12:16

SoC was awesome, played it through loads of times and with mods its much improved. However Clear Sky seems slightly prettier (I'm sure I don't remember god rays and some other effects in the original), and has some really nice game features like weapon customisation, more trade, and more fights alongside allies. (the faction way system is good)

I'm only a few hours into Clear Sky at the moment but it seems good enough to get my recommendation

The only plus SoC seems to have at the moment is it is slightly more creepy with you running about empty places for so much time, CS is much busier (it still has scares in it don't worry

)

Squark · 4 Jan 2010 at 12:25

SoC with Stalker Complete 2009 is brilliant, I'd say don't bother with vanilla

DutchSchaeffer · 4 Jan 2010 at 12:41

Thanks mate, I'll go for that then.

Its the creepy atmosphere of SoC that appeals to me more than run n' gun style Clear Sky.

Spils · 4 Jan 2010 at 13:11

Squark said:
SoC with Stalker Complete 2009 is brilliant, I'd say don't bother with vanilla

That really, complete mod does nothing but improve the game, its like an offical patch. With some bug fixes, up to date texture replacements, and a few new game dynamics that really help SOC.
Just playing through CS at the moment but its bugged on me my game wont let me past red forest for some reason trying to retrace my steps in early saves, see if I can break it.

SOC is less fiddly and buggy than CS especially with complete mod.

arc@css · 4 Jan 2010 at 13:53

Play both. Truly great games imo.

Tefal · 4 Jan 2010 at 13:59

Spils said:
That really, complete mod does nothing but improve the game, its like an offical patch. With some bug fixes, up to date texture replacements, and a few new game dynamics that really help SOC.
Just playing through CS at the moment but its bugged on me my game wont let me past red forest for some reason trying to retrace my steps in early saves, see if I can break it.

SOC is less fiddly and buggy than CS especially with complete mod.

if it's the part where you have to follow the guy through the forest just shoot him in the face and make your own way there.

usually fixes the bug

DutchSchaeffer · 4 Jan 2010 at 15:59

Well for the price I ended up buying both!

I'm playing through SoC with the Complete Mod atm, really enjoying the atmosphere.

Thanks for all the input folks!

'Wes · 4 Jan 2010 at 16:02

Was going to say, they were both cheap the last time i checked, get both.

Sycho · 4 Jan 2010 at 16:43

Bought both £5.99 installing now, since i liked both Half Life games and horror games i should enjoy these right? what are they like in comparison to which games?

'Wes · 4 Jan 2010 at 16:44

Sycho said:
Bought both £5.99 installing now, since i liked both Half Life games and horror games i should enjoy these right? what are they like in comparison to which games?

I thought Fallout, and i don't like Fallout 3, so i passed on it, same with Borderlands, reviews say they're all similar.

kylew · 4 Jan 2010 at 16:46

Admiral Huddy said:
SoC was great fun. I never played CS in fear that it would ruin the experience of the first.

But they aren't the same game.

If CS was crap, it wouldn't suddenly make SoC crap as well, SoC would still be the same game you played through.

Sycho · 6 Jan 2010 at 20:36

Hmmm the first part runs maxed fine at 1920x1200 but 2nd i get like 15-20fps? is there some fix for this? or maybe something i shouldn't have turned on? i got a i7 920, gtx275 and 6gb 1600mhz ddr3 ram so it should handle it fine.

Is there any patch i should install or mod to make game run smooth?

Seems like a nice game though.

titaniumx3 · 6 Jan 2010 at 22:07

Main thing that bugged me about CS is that they changed the way you bleed so that soon as you get shot your constantly bleeding until you're dead. Matters are made worse by there not being enough bandages about and no anti-bleeding artifacts to be found (at least my case anyway).

Plus it costs ridiculous amounts to upgrade armour and all the armour you find is crap.

Tombo · 6 Jan 2010 at 22:50

Get anti-bleeding artifacts from fire anomalies, and you can get a +4 health one which stops bleeding having any affect.