My view of S.T.A.L.K.E.R. has always been slightly different from most. I’ve heard about it through stories and numerous video essays, but I couldn’t play it—these games remained exclusive to PC for over a decade. And then, in 2024, quite unexpectedly, that changed. Now, anyone can see where this series began, which is particularly relevant with the long-awaited sequel on the horizon. But is it too late for ports?
At first glance, it’s evident that Shadow of Chernobyl (as well as its sequels Clear Sky and Call of Pripyat) have aged. Well, they should—the first game came out in 2007. GSC and Mataboo Studio have done everything to allow new players (a lot of us never got to experience S.T.A.L.K.E.R. because of its PC exclusivity) to finally appreciate why these games have such a large fan base. And while they can’t hide their age (this isn not a remaster at all), the trilogy still has plenty to surprise with.
First and foremost, I must mention that the visuals remain strong. I was expecting something worse, but Shadow of Chernobyl is still as atmospheric and impressive as ever. The bleak emptiness, the silence occasionally broken by the howling of wolves and gunfire, and the feeling that you can get lost in this world forever (no modern waypoints here)—these are the same games that, despite their outdated interface, still manage to captivate. Of course, all releases support 60 fps. 120 would be nice, but 60 is good too. And if you really want to, you can lower it to 30. For some reason.
Yes, it’s hardly perfect. Some bugs migrated from the PC version, and some appeared for the first time. It was inevitable, and it should be understood, especially considering that support for the games continues, and improvements for Series X and even mods are on their way.
The major improvements mainly focused on controls—there’s now full controller support for the first time, and overall, everything works. Though there are occasional issues with haptics.
Aiming is still a bit challenging—consoles could benefit from better auto-aim—but you gradually get used to it. The interface has also undergone changes: there’s a weapon selection wheel and a new inventory UI.
Unfortunately, subtitle support is still weak—random NPCs are not subtitled at all. It’s a small detail, but by modern accessibility standards, it’s unacceptable. Similarly, the AI remains utterly useless.
Verdict
S.T.A.L.K.E.R.: Legends of the Zone Trilogy doesn’t bring any surprises—you get exactly what’s promised. The arrival of the cult series on consoles is an event in itself, especially at such a price. Yes, it has its problems and bugs, but that won’t stop this release from only amplifying the hype for the sequel.