Support NeoGAF

[ValiantInstance]

I was looking forward to this. Glad to hear the actual game is a compelling experience, I can wait for patches.

 

[Fbh]

Sounds like it will be a solid game in 6-12 months when they actually finish it (or the modding community oes it for them)

 

[Bry0]

As it's right now, It's an 8/10 for me. It'd 9/10 and even my favourite game of the year if it had launched properly without performance issues and bugs > https://www.pcmrace.com/2024/11/20/stalker-2-pc-review-analisis-resena/

Dude the videos are amazing. I just can’t believe we are getting a proper modern sequel, and they kept the mechanical complexity and even added to it in some spots, in an era of dumbed down “AAA” slop. Can’t wait to play.

 

[TheGodfather07]

Just don't launch your game if its broken. You only end up hurting it.

 

[Karak]

Feel free to ask me what you need about the Game.

 

[The Cockatrice]

To be clear, I think I am ready to play a game like this. Been enjoying stuff like this lately.

I was day one on Veilguard and I loved Cyberpunk day one on PC despite its issues. No judgment from me. Im still deciding.

 

[owandeseis]

Lmao, the review scores had me sad , but reading these reviews, even from the 6/10 scores got me hyped hard, normally it's the other way, 8 and 8,5 scores that had me saying "boof no ty" when i read them.

This said holy fuck i hoped it could be a bit more polished than in the past, it's not the case lol, but i played and loved Arma 2 Dayz mod when it first came out and same with Dayz SA so come at me bugs, i fear nothing

 

[Dr.Morris79]

As it's right now, It's an 8/10 for me. It'd 9/10 and even my favourite game of the year if it had launched properly without performance issues and bugs > https://www.pcmrace.com/2024/11/20/stalker-2-pc-review-analisis-resena/

Exactly all I wanted from the game. Nice videos bud

 

[vaibhavpisal]

Feel free to ask me what you need about the Game.

How many bugs per second can we expect.

 

[Sanepar]

One more tier B game on gamepass.

 

[mckmas8808]

Tough week for MS

What else happened this week that was bad?

 

[Senua]

Feel free to ask me what you need about the Game.

Are the bugs your standard euro jank affair, or have we gone too far into the abyss?

 

[JayK47]

So buggy as expected. Will wait for patches and sale. I am tired of beta testing.

 

[The Cockatrice]

Feel free to ask me what you need about the Game.

Bugs/performance issues aside, hows the exploration? Does it feel rewarding or is it just another Far Cry 6?

 

[ShaiKhulud1989]

What else happened this week that was bad?

MSFS 2024 fiasco, but this was swept under the rug thanks to zero marketing

 

[Spukc]

Feel free to ask me what you need about the Game.

how do you win the game ?

 

[mckmas8808]

MSFS 2024 fiasco, but this was swept under the rug thanks to zero marketing

OMG! I just opened that thread. HOLY SMOKES! What the BLEEP is going on at MS Gaming Studios?

 

[TommyCronin6969]

Imagine not playing a game you wanted to play because of a numbered review score.

 

[Drake]

Sounds like there is a really good game buried in there, but may be in your best interest to hold off until it gets more patches.

 

[mayham2199]

MSFS 2024 fiasco, but this was swept under the rug thanks to zero marketing

So much for closing out the year strong for MS.

OMG! I just opened that thread. HOLY SMOKES! What the BLEEP is going on at MS Gaming Studios?

 

[AeonGaidenRaiden]

so far most reviews read like "9/10 game but buried in a 1/10 technological package".
Basically the game got released at least 6 months too early.

You mean like any other stalker game? Because they were all techical messes.

 

[Gonzito]

Feel free to ask me what you need about the Game.

Is the game still very buggy with the latest patch?

 

[GymWolf]

So basically reviews for this game are even more useless than usual because most people played the game without the day one patch so we don't know the actual state of the game...

Neat.

 

[Karak]

How many bugs per second can we expect.

Less than 1 average

 

[LordOcidax]

Now is 77

 

[Karak]

Is the game still very buggy with the latest patch?

I am seeing a ton of footage from people who for sure didn't even have the last patch let alone the one prior. Bugs were still there with this last one late last night. BUT a good deal of them were quashed.
Still needs more though

 

[Gonzito]

I am seeing a ton of footage from people who for sure didn't even have the last patch let alone the one prior. Bugs were still there with this last one late last night. BUT a good deal of them were quashed.
Still needs more though

Thank you for answering. I cant watch your video now but do you still recommend it to play it now or wait?

 

[DanielG165]

Is the patch live for reviewers, and does that fix a lot of the performance woes? Or, is it currently just, “it’s Stalker lol, bugginess is a genuine feature”? From what I’m hearing (at work), the game itself is genuinely incredible, but the performance is what’s holding it back quite a bit at the moment.

I guess that’s what happens when you make a game with air raids happening every waking hour.

 

[Agent_4Seven]

To say I'm not surprised after hearing about tons of bugs and performance issues is to say nothing. I fully expected all of this to be in the release version. It's just another Cyberpunk situation, the game will get better overtime and some things you can fix with mods temporarily, but it looks like even with all of the issues, the fundamentals are already better than in original games and the story wasn't really a strong point of any of them, it's the journey and everything around it was along with atmosphere and immersion.

 

[Flabagast]

Feel free to ask me what you need about the Game.

Thanks !

How is the overall atmosphere of the game ? is it as tense and dark as the previous ones ?
What about story / narration ? Is it very light or are there some involved quests ?
What is the actual amount of shooting vs. exploration ? is it possible to traverse the game mostly avoiding gunfights ?

Thanks !

 

[Karak]

Bugs/performance issues aside, hows the exploration? Does it feel rewarding or is it just another Far Cry 6?

Loved it. Its an odd duck in the sense that it doesn't reward you with some fight every time, or even an item. This is more of the blasted out kind of salvage lean Mad Max(at times) with just a couple items inside a gloomy building. The way the game handles dynamic events that same building could have something crazy inside.
For example in 1 single building with reloads. I saw 12 different situations occur on my way there. Some barely anything, some a firefight, a group hurt prior to getting to the area, patrols, an anomaly, and ambush.
I didn't like Far Cry 6. I already liked Stalker 2 more with the bugs then Far Cry 6.

 

[coachmcguirk91]

Much rather play a good game with performance issues than an average game that is well polished

Rise of the Ronin is my favorite single player game this year. It has a great gameplay loop but it sits at a 76 meta due to performance. I feel like I'll have the same opinion of Stalker 2

 

[mayham2199]

Now is 77

I see 74.

Much rather play a good game with performance issues than an average game that is well polished

Rise of the Ronin is my favorite single player game this year. It has a great gameplay loop but it sits at a 76 meta due to performance. I feel like I'll have the same opinion of Stalker 2

In these sort of cases I prefer to just wait. I played and loved CP 2077 but it's obvious I should have just waited and got an even better experience. So many games out right now I'm in no rush to jump in.

 

[splattered]

I am seeing a ton of footage from people who for sure didn't even have the last patch let alone the one prior. Bugs were still there with this last one late last night. BUT a good deal of them were quashed.
Still needs more though

Really just a patch that hit last night a lot of the bugs were squashed? Sounds like they should have given this a little more time and released when more polished then?

 

[TheMan]

Man skillups review is disheartening. Completely borked stealth and a terribly low encumbrance limit both sound like gigantic pains in the ass that can’t be overlooked like say, floating assets

 

[Paasei]

Guess I’ll wait for a few performance fixes. It seems to be good underneath it all, just like the first one. Hopefully we’ll get great mods once more in a while, too.

 

[Ozriel]

Seems like an average / mediocre package right now.

It sucks. The studio could do with a break.

Sales performance ?

Why is 80 impossible?

Both earlier Stalker games had 80+ scores. Why was it impossible for Stalker 2?

(I hope your answer isn't that 'because Xbox is involved now' )

Were the previous games made against a backdrop of war with Russia? devs fighting?

 

[Flabagast]

Man skillups review is disheartening. Completely borked stealth and a terribly low encumbrance limit both sound like gigantic pains in the ass

I love low encumbrance in these types of games. Forces you to make hard choices and sacrifices

 

[Karak]

Thanks !

How is the overall atmosphere of the game ? is it as tense and dark as the previous ones ?
What about story / narration ? Is it very light or are there some involved quests ?
What is the actual amount of shooting vs. exploration ? is it possible to traverse the game mostly avoiding gunfights ?

Thanks !

Its very dire and has a solitary feeling to it that, when on highest difficulty, is almost depressing. I saw a lot of footage where people are on easy or medium. Thats fine, but it is a game that is fair on all difficulties it just requires hard decisions. Ultimatly it can be hard as ballz on hard. Unless you find or spam healing. Which is more of a luck thing.

Story is ok, its typical Stalker type. The side quests can be hilarious, insanely sad, or somewhat just filler. The games focus on the main story isn''t overly heavy at first but ramps up later.

Exploration was more noticable than shooting for me. Because it can end up in your death if you even slightly miscalculate.
You can avoid...most fights but some come to you.

The best part is encumbrance cause this isn't some arcade game so having to choose what to pick up and put down is insanely taxing in your mind. I loved it.

 

[The Cockatrice]

Loved it. Its an odd duck in the sense that it doesn't reward you with some fight every time, or even an item. This is more of the blasted out kind of salvage lean Mad Max(at times) with just a couple items inside a gloomy building. The way the game handles dynamic events that same building could have something crazy inside.
For example in 1 single building with reloads. I saw 12 different situations occur on my way there. Some barely anything, some a firefight, a group hurt prior to getting to the area, patrols, an anomaly, and ambush.
I didn't like Far Cry 6. I already liked Stalker 2 more with the bugs then Far Cry 6.

Nice, I love random/dynamic events. RDR2 excelled at this and to some extent Days Gone as well, even tho neither had amazing loot to find. Thank you.

 

[Flabagast]

Its very dire and has a solitary feeling to it that, when on highest difficulty, is almost depressing. I saw a lot of footage where people are on easy or medium. Thats fine, but it is a game that is fair on all difficulties it just requires hard decisions. Ultimatly it can be hard as ballz on hard. Unless you find or spam healing. Which is more of a luck thing.

Story is ok, its typical Stalker type. The side quests can be hilarious, insanely sad, or somewhat just filler. The games focus on the main story isn''t overly heavy at first but ramps up later.

Exploration was more noticable than shooting for me. Because it can end up in your death if you even slightly miscalculate.
You can avoid...most fights but some come to you.

ok thanks ! regarding difficulty do you think higher difficulties are manageable with a controller or are impossible without mouse and keyboard ?

Many thanks for taking the time to answer

 

[Denton]

Game sounds like a masterpiece that went to reviewers (and possibly gamers) too early. What a shame.

Still, can't wait.

 

[DanielG165]

So what I’m hearing so far is, and especially from Karak, that the latest patch squashes a ton of bugs and issues that are being presented and makes it much more stable, but it still needs some more to nail down other stuff? Sounds good to me, especially with it sounding like it’s a truly amazing game.

 

[Karak]

Really just a patch that hit last night a lot of the bugs were squashed? Sounds like they should have given this a little more time and released when more polished then?

Sorry no I mean many patches but ONE was last night that altered some stuff sorry. But yes of course it should have cooked.

 

[ChorizoPicozo]

Xbox Quality Certified.

what a shocker

 

[LordCBH]

Game looks cool, but I’m assuming it’s only for people who want balls ass hard games so I will pass.

 

[coachmcguirk91]

I see 74.

In these sort of cases I prefer to just wait. I played and loved CP 2077 but it's obvious I should have just waited and got an even better experience. So many games out right now I'm in no rush to jump in.

CP2077 was completely broken on consoles at launch. I bought it and refunded within a few hours. These reviews say Stalker 2 is a buggy mess, but not broken like CP2077. Waiting is probably the right decision. I'm giving it a try on Gamepass and let it form my opinion to keep playing or not

 

[RCX]

I'll pick this up in 18-24 months when it works and has a +50% discount.

As always: to day 1 players, I thank you for your sacrifice in beta testing for me.

 

[Karak]

Are the bugs your standard euro jank affair, or have we gone too far into the abyss?

They are, many are. Some people coming off western style games will see things as a jank. Some of it is, much of it is not.
Encumbrance is going to rub anyone raw who wants to carry everything. But because you can't the world is more dangerous.
Dyanmic events aren't done in the same way here as they are in a lot of other games including that it tracks events as you encounter people.

As I showed in my video> i was meeting Stalkers and everything was fine, I had put my gun away but the lightning hit ME and startled them and they started shooting.

 

[Dr.Morris79]

Loved it. Its an odd duck in the sense that it doesn't reward you with some fight every time, or even an item. This is more of the blasted out kind of salvage lean Mad Max(at times) with just a couple items inside a gloomy building. The way the game handles dynamic events that same building could have something crazy inside.
For example in 1 single building with reloads. I saw 12 different situations occur on my way there. Some barely anything, some a firefight, a group hurt prior to getting to the area, patrols, an anomaly, and ambush.
I didn't like Far Cry 6. I already liked Stalker 2 more with the bugs then Far Cry 6.