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

Good game.
With some usual slav jank and bugs.
The Enhanced editions are a disgrace tho.
Arguably more bugged than the original.
And they don't enhance ♥♥♥♥ only remove some soviet symbols and stuff.
I get it, there is a war and stuff but I don't like 1984 Ministry of Truth behaviour.
Don't try to rewrite history just because you are mad bro. Maybe it's not nice or good or moral but it's still part of history, still part of the truth. And part of the original stalker experience.
Edit:
I spent some time since my review to dig into this and I completely understand now why the censorship and all. It is simply the lowest level manifestation of the most corrupt, authoritarian, mental, POS country on Earth with a bunch of ACTUAL nazis behind the public figures. It is exactly what I thought, it is censorship and propaganda from the "ministry of truth".
Oh , boy it was a rabbithole to go down to!
The state betrayed it's own people pfofiteering on their death, building literal gold toilets while many "soldiers" die even before they reach the front and even in the front they get ♥♥♥♥ on by their own comrades and officers, giving little to no support, medevac or ♥♥♥♥♥ about their own countryman.
Kidnapping people from the streets like the father with an excemption from military service whom was dead just 4 hours after the "recruiters" took him out of his car on the highway and left his two children alone on the ♥♥♥♥♥♥♥ highway with no ♥♥♥♥♥ given about them.
And this is just the top of the iceberg.
They also did and keep doing everything to provoke not only Russia - which is understandable - but allies, countries that actively help them - which is mind boggling.
They keep disrespecting and insulting European leaders, especially their neighbours, Poland(where they were meddling with elections and did multiple false flag maneuvers to bait Poland to war with Russia, not to mention they quite proud of the Nazi Bandera whom killed about 100.000 Polishman in WW2), Slovakia and Hungary whom give significant support in materials, fuel and electricity + a safe country to Ukrainians as they grant refugee status to hundreds of thousands of Ukrainians.
They endangered the whole continents economy and stability not only begging/scamming extraordinary amount of money out of the EU(very large sums disappear BTW, never to be seen again) but also by blowing up the Nordstream which put all of Europe in a difficult position, for Example Germany where the energy prices raised significantly. Which in turn ♥♥♥♥♥ up the German industry even more than it was and threatens with significant consequences down the line, including economical collapse.
I never seen such selfishness.
These people have no honor.
I also never seen such an ungrateful pos than Zelenski and his merry band of ♥♥♥♥♥♥♥.
They also did AND keep insulting the president of the United States, Donald J. Trump and his administration on twitter and sometimes in person(lest just think about the suit incident for a sec). ♥♥♥♥♥♥♥ amazing to me that the US did say yet: "ok, ♥♥♥♥ this" and shuts down Starlink in Ukraine. They already achieved with their ♥♥♥♥♥♥♥ amazing diplomacy that The US is unwilling to give them any more weapons and support without money.
Oh, yeah, I don't even mention the assassinations, blackmail, intimidation of not only political opponents but journalists and civilians. It's really just too much to list.
These mofs do everything to provoke everyone they can and make everyone mad at them and only the ungodly amount of propaganda on the west and oppression in their own country that keeps the people from knowing how incredibly evil, hateful, corrupt and ♥♥♥♥♥♥ up the Ukrainian state is. But as soon as this veil of propaganda disappears they will have a lot to answer to. The state has let down and betrayed the Ukrainian people, they see them as less than dogs and did more damage to the country and the people Ukranie, than the Russians ever could.
Oh, and BTW I am not Russian and I do not support the war, or Russia or the destruction of Ukraine. But I also do not support the Zelensky shaped parasite and his nazi band that sucks the life out of my beloved Europe so his wife can buy jewels in Paris for 40 million Euros. I think they should be on trial already just like in Nunberg for everything they did. They are really incredibly ♥♥♥♥♥♥ up criminals, all of them! Together with Ursula Bin Laden whom is traitor to Europe.
I do recommend you do your own research and go down on this rabbit hole because it's just some next level of ♥♥♥♥♥♥ up.
The game is good tho and I hope the Ukrainian people will soon be free from their own treacherous leaders and warmongering western leaders whom seem to be hell bent on pushing the whole Ukrainian population to die while simultaneously bankrupting and collapsing every European country, and they can get back to making good games instead.

Please play the Misery mod for this, it's one of the best experiences I've ever had in a video game. STALKER Call of Pripyat is the culmination of the trilogy, taking everything fans loved from the previous games and refining it into a near perfect experience. It elevates the series with a polished, immersive world that still captivates today. Set after Shadow of Chernobyl and Clear Sky, the game follows the aftermath of a failed military operation in the Zone and the mysterious disappearance of several helicopters. The story is subtle but satisfying, tying up loose ends while introducing new mysteries. The quest to uncover the truth about the helicopters, alongside the challenge of navigating and surviving the Zone’s anomalies, provides a strong narrative backbone.
The open world design is exceptional. Pripyat and its surrounding areas dense forests, eerie industrial zones, and the haunting city itself are more detailed than ever. Each area feels alive, packed with small stories and secrets, and the pacing strikes a perfect balance between tense exploration, combat, and quiet moments of suspense. Gameplay improvements are significant. Combat is smoother and more responsive, and the enhanced A Life system makes encounters with mutants and humans dynamic and unpredictable. New weapons, equipment upgrades, and a streamlined inventory system make gear management easier without losing the survivalist feel. Faction dynamics have been handled thoughtfully. Unlike Clear Sky, there are no constant faction wars, giving players more freedom to explore the Zone and focus on survival, discovery, and uncovering the secrets of the anomalies. Atmosphere remains the game’s strongest asset. Haunting sound design, immersive weather effects including the iconic electrical storms and the constant tension of the Zone make every step feel dangerous. The distant roars of mutants and the eerie crackle of anomalies add layers of suspense that linger long after playing.
STALKER Call of Pripyat is a masterful finale to the trilogy. With improved gameplay, an expansive and atmospheric world, and a gripping narrative, it’s a must play for fans and newcomers alike, cementing the series as one of gaming’s most unique and unforgettable franchises.

Ignore all the negative reviews mentioning MISERY, the game was using content licensed by GSC and was reinstated on Steam basically as soon as the content was removed. CoP (and the original trilogy as a whole) is a masterpiece and easily well worth the money. Play the originals and not the enhanced editions though.

Call of Pripyat is the purest, most refined vision of the Zone ever created — a journey where every silent field, every distant howl, and every crack of gunfire feels like a story you’re surviving, not just playing. With over sixty hours in this world, the Zone stopped feeling like a game map and started feeling like a place… a living, breathing nightmare that punishes mistakes but rewards courage with unforgettable moments.

From the tension of exploring abandoned labs to the quiet beauty of sunrise filtering through radioactive fog, Call of Pripyat captures atmosphere better than most modern games even attempt. The factions feel alive, the world reacts to your choices, and every step into Pripyat feels like walking deeper into the heart of something ancient and hostile. It doesn’t hold your hand — it forces you to grow sharper, smarter, and braver.
it’s one of the finest immersive experiences ever built. A masterpiece of survival storytelling, where the Zone becomes your enemy, your teacher, and, in a strange way, your home

Everybody gangsta until exploring Prypiat at night.

Call of Pripyat represents the peak of the original STALKER trilogy: in both scope and (especially) stability, it surpasses the previous two entries. Enjoyers of action and/or exploration are both catered to within the main questline. Three entirely new areas replace the northbound path from the Cordon to the CNPP, and with this expansion comes a wealth of side quests and interactable NPCs; with all the walking you'll be doing, you're also bound to see the best of A-Life. The mechanics experimented with in Clear Sky ('cept the faction war because 3 people cared about that) are now fully realized: gun nerds may work towards maxing out their favorites, and artifact hunting is as risky and especially rewarding.
OPINION BELOW:
I think Shadow of Chernobyl is a better STALKER game; the truly awful accuracy exhibited by the guns you acquire in the early game (plus the lack of a repair mechanic) and the scrumptious atmosphere lend it a feeling of desperation that I haven't felt in succeeding entries.

- NOT A REVIEW OF THE VANILLA GAME -

I'm writing a review on "Call of Pripyat" only because it's the game which gets associated by Steam when playing STALKER G.A.M.M.A. which stands for Grokitach's Automated Modular Modpack for Anomaly.

Anomaly is a total conversion of the conjunction of the 3 original STALKER games: Shadow of Chernobyl, Clear Sky and Call of Pripyat. It serves as a highly configurable game engine with the backbones of Stalker assets. It works much like nowadays anyone who plays Skyrim. Playing unmodded vanilla Skyrim in 2026 is comparable to have lived under a rock for 15 years.

Stalker GAMMA is yet another total overhaul of Anomaly itself.

It is a huge and expanded compilation of game changing, quality of life, content and technical improvement mods to an already expanded total overhaul of the game.

Some say you should first play the original games, then Anomaly and then GAMMA but honestly i don't see why you shouldn't aim for the best experience already.

Stalker GAMMA gifts players with the ultimate dream: being able to finesse and tinker an already beautiful game into something really unique and personalized.

Hunt for bounties, search for loot, explore the zone, kill the opposite factions and rescue your pals, track down mutants, contribute to the economy, build your own hideout, craft your gear, manage your different type of ammo for different type of enemies, eat, drink, smoke, sleep, keep your eyes peeled for anomaly hazards, beware of radioactive zones, heal your body parts with the proper medical tool, manage your stashes.

Each play is different.

First play as a no-name lone stalker, doing errands and tasks for anyone. Then maybe play as a Monolith faction's soldier, spreading your religious propaganda to everyone else and shooting before asking questions. Play as a zombie. Tired of normal sandbox mode? Replay as Warfare mode, where factions actively search and destroy others. Enable Soulslike mode and lose your gear when dying, which you then need to retrieve manually. Want some rogue-lite gameplay? Enable Azazel mode: respawn into another random npc with their gear and skills and reputations if you die. Want to barricade into your base and fortify it from invading enemies? Enable Survival mode.

Did i mention that you can also install more mods and graphical improvements over it, if you're still not happy?

The Mod Configuration Menu also allows you to tweak and balance every single thing in the game, from the lenght of the grass bushes to the price of the trader's wares.

I forgot to say everything of this is TOTALLY FREE and, if you've got some patience to follow the modlist's instructions on how to properly set it up, it's easily the best hardcore survival game there is that humanity can offer.

Last but not least, the combination of graphical mods and Reshades really makes this game look like it's from the recent years.

Do you like Escape from Tarkov / Fallout / Horror survivals? You must play this, even if it requires some initial efforts to set it up.