S.T.A.L.K.E.R: Clear Sky vs. Fallout 3

[I)eadnerzhul]

As you may (or may not) know, there are not one, but TWO "post-apocalyptic" FPS'es with roleplaying elements: S.T.A.L.K.E.R: Clear Sky (and Shadow of Chernobyl) and Fallout 3. Now then, which one do you think is better, and why? Before you answer, make sure you have actually PLAYED both games, and make sure you don't take mods into account. We are comparing base games here, not mods.

I personally think Fallout 3 is a boatload of fail on it's own- the AI for combat is terrible, the combat itself is terrible, the animations for characters are terrible, the game doesn't run smoothly without .INI tweaking... However, I did get immersed in the world somewhat, and parts of it made me feel like I was part of an actual post-apocalyptic world... though those moments were few and in between.

S.T.A.L.K.E.R. is much better than Fallout 3 in all areas- graphics are MUCH better, the combat is fun-yet-tactical-and-realistic, and the level of immersion is overall higher than in Fallout 3. Oh, and it is so terribly challenging, actually forcing you to use tactics and the gray matter between your ears.

Edit: If you think both are equal, vote for both.

Edit2: Got this from a similar topic on another forum:

STLAKER is generally a much better game. It's the first non-strategy game I've seen where group-vs-group combat is taken seriously. (Well, Fallout 1 had some good moments in that respect too, but they were scarce.) Its level design is infinitely better than in F3 as wll. There is a wonderful sense of familiarity in STLAKER. When I played it, many of the locations reminded me of the places I've seen in real life. Fallout 3 levels are synthetic. DC is a maze, because devs wanted it that way. Wasteland is bunch of rocks, because otherwise running would be too boring - you wouldn't need to dodge obstacles.

STLAKER is mostly about shooting stuff, but at least the situations there have diversity and continuity. Let's say, you exploring an area. Suddenly, you hear radio communications of two groups engaged in combat. A military helicopter flies in. There is some shooting, then it's downed with an portable rocket launcher. You hear a smug comment by a leader of a group that shot it. Suddenly, you recall hearing about him in a nearest town. (You id him by the way other members of the group address him.)

Then, you hear a group of scientists begging for help on the radio. Apparently, they're the other group. The military helicopter was sent here for their sake. It's night time. You're on an abandoned train station. You have no idea what the heck is happening, or where exactly those people are.

Suddenly, there is a bunch of flashlights appearing from a train cart, and a bunch of bluets flying your way. You're throwing a grenade, running to the gap between two other carts for cover, trying to confuse the enemy. They flank you, you kill the suckers anyway, move forward. Past a couple of trains, there is an open area. You see a bunch of people on the edges shooting in one direction. There is also a smaller group, cornered, shooting back. People move, people take cover, people die. Nobody pays attention you, so you manage to snipe most of the bad guys in your proximity.

You get to the scientists, there are two left. Bad guys send in the reinforcements. You're out of grenades. The second scientist dies... Etcetra. The situation evolves.

Where is the stuff like that in Fallout 3?! You spray enemies with bullets and they die... eventually. There is no intensity, there is no continuity. One situation can be replaced by another, but they don't evolve.

This pretty much sums up my opinion.

 

[Tyranid]

S.T.A.L.K.E.R., althought I do not exactly consider it to be post-apocalyptic because the world in that game is just like ours, only the Zone (Chernobyl) is that every man for himself -area.

 

[WILL THE ALMIGHTY]

Fallout... because, you know... its Fallout. It has to be awesome, even if Bethesda is making it.

 

[Kwaliti]

Fallout 3, mainly for it's awesome modding capabilities, and then for being Fallout.

 

[Steel_Stallion]

I didn't really like STALKER. It felt so empty to me, the atmosphere just wasn't there. I didn't feel like I was in a post-apocalyptic world.

The reason for that, probably, was that I wasn't in one to begin with. I was in a "post-apocalyptic region", and even then I wasn't really convinced. It was just so dull and lifeless, it was a bland and boring world. Fallout 3 was charming.. in a.. grim desolate 1960's kind of way.

 

[I)eadnerzhul]

Fallout... because, you know... its Fallout. It has to be awesome, even if Bethesda is making it.

So what if Fallout 3 is part of the series? It truly sucks compared to it's predecessors- and trust me, I've played them.

Fallout 3, mainly for it's awesome modding capabilities, and then for being Fallout.

The mods don't really do that much for the game, except for make all the women within it naked. Whup-dee-do. The only mods that are actually useful are the combat overhauls, combat AI overhauls, and that ironsights mod I loved so much.

I didn't really like STALKER. It felt so empty to me, the atmosphere just wasn't there. I didn't feel like I was in a post-apocalyptic world.

The reason for that, probably, was that I wasn't in one to begin with. I was in a "post-apocalyptic region", and even then I wasn't really convinced. It was just so dull and lifeless, it was a bland and boring world. Fallout 3 was charming.. in a.. grim desolate 1960's kind of way.

I feel the exact opposite, to be fairly honest. S.T.A.L.K.E.R made me REALLY feel I was in a real place, mainly with it's powerful AI that actually does things except for walking back and forth. Oh, and those guys who play the guitars and sing songs- they're awesome.

 

[Kwaliti]

The mods don't really do that much for the game, except for make all the women within it naked. Whup-dee-do. The only mods that are actually useful are the combat overhauls, combat AI overhauls, and that ironsights mod I loved so much.

You don't really know what's GECK capable of, do you? You can make all kinds of interesting stuff; automatic doors, light switches, new companions, full NPC everyday behaviour etc.

 

[WILL THE ALMIGHTY]

Some of the cosmetic mods for FO3 are just plain awesome. Like the ultra-slow-motion VATS shot, the one where you ALWAYS see the bullet travelling through the air.

 

[punwisp]

So what if Fallout 3 is part of the series? It truly sucks compared to it's predecessors- and trust me, I've played them.

The mods don't really do that much for the game, except for make all the women within it naked. Whup-dee-do. The only mods that are actually useful are the combat overhauls, combat AI overhauls, and that ironsights mod I loved so much.

I feel the exact opposite, to be fairly honest. S.T.A.L.K.E.R made me REALLY feel I was in a real place, mainly with it's powerful AI that actually does things except for walking back and forth. Oh, and those guys who play the guitars and sing songs- they're awesome.

Well, we know this definately isnt a third person perspective, which you should when making debates.

I've played Stalker, I've also played some of fallout 3. Despite the fact Stalker isn't the same kind of environment, actually not even close to the same environment, they both give different feelings, and of course both have there perks.

Stalker is more like one of those realistic horror kind of FPS games I guess you can say, similar to Fear, only a lot more intense, and lot more "HOLY SHIT WHERE DID THAT COME FROM?" Which has happend to me in Stalker, infact I nearly shit my pants when I was in a quiet environment, scanning the area for mutants, and then suddenly I hear some kind of screech/howl, I look around, trying to figure out where its at, I reload my shotty, and then BAM a invisible thing comes out of no where, I waste all my bullets on it, after that I keep going, all calm and everything, I happen to find a hidden rocket launcher, or grenade launcher, one of the two, and I was picking up something, and this bug thing started telepathicaly doing something to me, freaked the shit out of me, and wouldn't die, until it does, but of course more evil invisible mutants come and kill me.

See that? Thats a realistic/horror kind of game. Fallout 3 is different. Quite different.

The graphics can be a good starter, there better technically only it goes more to the post apocalypse environment, but I didn't like how nearly everything was a different shade of 1 color.

I never got that far into the game, but enough to explore some, This game feels more of a rpg/third person viewer/FPS kind of game, where not too much in the realistic/horror feel. Its more of a "Fuck them up" kind of game, where you have a shotty, and use the vat system to blow someones face off, arms off, or w/e off, its more for its gory action and unique vat system with some RPG in it.

Both games are meant to be played different, and approached. There both good games, but if your looking for a specific kind of game, then thats the difference. If you want a game with realistic/horror FPS game then Stalker is your friend, if you want a BA weapon system and like to blow shit up and people(And do other goofy shit) While also in a familiar RPG system, then fallout 3 is your friend.

 

[Tyranid]

Stalker is more like one of those realistic horror kind of FPS games I guess you can say, similar to Fear, only a lot more intense, and lot more "HOLY SHIT WHERE DID THAT COME FROM?" Which has happend to me in Stalker, infact I nearly shit my pants when I was in a quiet environment, scanning the area for mutants, and then suddenly I hear some kind of screech/howl, I look around, trying to figure out where its at, I reload my shotty, and then BAM a invisible thing comes out of no where, I waste all my bullets on it, after that I keep going, all calm and everything, I happen to find a hidden rocket launcher, or grenade launcher, one of the two, and I was picking up something, and this bug thing started telepathicaly doing something to me, freaked the shit out of me, and wouldn't die, until it does, but of course more evil invisible mutants come and kill me.

Sounds like someone found Bloodsucker Village.

 

[I)eadnerzhul]

To be fairly honest, I didn't play that much of the game, but enough to see how easily it surpasses (in my opinion) Fallout 3. Not just with the immersion factor I get from it, but from the gameplay itself. As Tyranid and I have discussed, Fallout 3's combat is terrible. S.T.A.L.K.E.R., on the other hand, has excellent combat, with leaning and iron sights. IT DOES NOT GET BETTER THAN LEANING AND IRON SIGHTS, DAMNIT!

 

[punwisp]

To be fairly honest, I didn't play that much of the game, but enough to see how easily it surpasses (in my opinion) Fallout 3. Not just with the immersion factor I get from it, but from the gameplay itself. As Tyranid and I have discussed, Fallout 3's combat is terrible. S.T.A.L.K.E.R., on the other hand, has excellent combat, with leaning and iron sights. IT DOES NOT GET BETTER THAN LEANING AND IRON SIGHTS, DAMNIT!

Also, you do realize there essentialy different genres? So this isn't a very fair debate anyway

 

[I)eadnerzhul]

No, they are not. They are both FPSes with roleplaying elements, Fallout 3 happening to have a bit more to offer in terms of character development (you have skills and what-not) and dialogue. It's fair, all right. And just because most FPS-noobies ignore the FPS-side of Fallout 3 doesn't mean it's not there.

 

[punwisp]

Fallout 3 is an action role-playing game

S.T.A.L.K.E.R.: Shadow of Chernobyl, previously known as S.T.A.L.K.E.R.: Oblivion Lost, is a first-person shooter computer game

Hmm?

 

[I)eadnerzhul]

Who?

And I was talking about Clear Sky, but whatever. It's an FPS with RPG elements. I guess, then, you could say the opposite about Fallout 3 (that it's an RPG with FPS elements), but the FPS (and parts of the RPG) elements are watered down horribly.

 

[punwisp]

Actually most sites I check on call clear sky a shooter, FPS/adventure, etc.

 

[I)eadnerzhul]

Yeah, but it has RPG elements. Hey... didn't I say you were supposed to have actually played the game?

 

[punwisp]

Yeah, but it has RPG elements. Hey... didn't I say you were supposed to have actually played the game?

lol I see the thread name and poll, and I assumed the original, and besides clear sky didnt get that great of ratings anyway.

I've played the first alot, but not the second. Which in any case, is essentially the same gameplay i believe

 

[Tyranid]

Clear Sky was abit of a mess at the release. It was buggy and guns were insanely inaccurate. However these were later fixed with patches, but the ratings were still low as most reviewed it during release. However it's still a good game, just like Shadows of Chernobyl.

 

[I)eadnerzhul]

lI've played the first alot, but not the second. Which in any case, is essentially the same gameplay i believe

That's funny; I've played Clear Sky, but not Shadow of Chernobyl. I *ahem* obtained it very recently, when it was all patched and whatnot, and it was fine for me.