The third and strongest instalment of GSC Game World’s S.T.A.L.K.E.R. trilogy brings this excellent set of Switch remasters to a close. In some ways, it feels inaccurate to say Call of Prypiat is the best of the three because it so effectively capitalises on the groundwork laid by Shadow of Chornobyl, but it’s a brilliant, welcome return to atmospheric exploration and emergent horror, with a reduced focus on firefights.
An intro cinematic recaps the real and fictional events that led to the opening of the Zone’s mysterious centre. The military has enacted ‘Project Fairway’ to beat the other factions and reach the area first. Predictably, this doesn’t go well and Major Alexander Degtyarev, an ex-Stalker, is sent to investigate crashed helicopters scattered across the Prypiat outskirts.
A significant improvement on the weaker but enjoyable Clear Sky, Call of Prypiat drops Major Degtyarev into the Zone’s northern reaches, with the freedom to tackle his objectives in any order. Instead of bouncing around faction outposts, beset on all sides by gangs of trigger-happy Stalkers, Degtyarev finds allies and resources wherever he can. Faction groups are mostly friendly, with the odd bandit outpost to shake things up (and exploit for riches).
The geography of this new area makes going off the beaten track more of a temptation. Anomalies are evenly scattered, some containing the powerful and valuable artefacts that are the lifeblood of every Stalker. As mentioned, friendly factions outweigh hostile ones, so there’s plenty more opportunity to get lore and side quests from groups you stumble on.
The Major’s journey towards Prypiat re-emphasises one of the series’ most engaging aspects: horror. Whether discovering an outpost full of zombie soldiers, or sneaking past a group of sleeping Bloodsuckers, atmospheric chills feel like a priority for GSC here. There’s even a terrifying new enemy in the Burer, a hooded mutant with telekinetic powers and a penchant for posing as crying children.
Another addition to the Zone’s perils this time around is emissions. Scripted events in the previous two games, these phenomena are now randomised map killers that will wipe out Degtyarev and any NPC caught out in the open. Handy map icons guide you to cover when an emission occurs, but they are still tense set pieces. A fun side effect is finding the corpses of hapless Stalkers who couldn’t find shelter in time…then looting them.
Call of Prypiat is the most refined experience of the trilogy. Everything from the HUD to the survival mechanics has been optimised to give the best experience for would-be Stalkers. Visible status icons and an on-screen quickslot view will have you going into menus less frequently. The shooting is still fantastic, with minor refinements of Chornobyl and Clear Sky’s system making this the smoothest bullet thrower of the bunch. It’s worth noting that the generous assist options present on these versions mitigate the series’ notorious fiddly aiming.
Alas, one big gripe remains for all three titles and that’s text size. On handheld, this isn’t too much of an issue, but on some displays you’ll be squinting to see the dialogue window’s contents. This is a holdover from the original PC version of the games and it’s a shame that these genuinely great remasters didn’t address this.
The third and strongest instalment of GSC Game World's S.T.A.L.K.E.R. trilogy brings this excellent set of Switch remasters to a close. In some ways, it feels inaccurate to say Call of Prypiat is the best of the three because it so effectively capitalises on the groundwork laid by Shadow of Chornobyl, but it’s a brilliant, welcome return to atmospheric exploration and emergent horror, with a reduced focus on firefights.
An intro cinematic recaps the real and fictional events that led to the opening of the Zone’s mysterious centre. The military has enacted ‘Project Fairway’ to beat the other factions and reach the area first. Predictably, this doesn't go well and Major Alexander Degtyarev, an ex-Stalker, is sent to investigate crashed helicopters scattered across the Prypiat outskirts.
A significant improvement on the weaker but enjoyable Clear Sky, Call of Prypiat drops Major Degtyarev into the Zone’s northern reaches, with the freedom to tackle his objectives in any order. Instead of bouncing around faction outposts, beset on all sides by gangs of trigger-happy Stalkers, Degtyarev finds allies and resources wherever he can. Faction groups are mostly friendly, with the odd bandit outpost to shake things up (and exploit for riches).
The geography of this new area makes going off the beaten track more of a temptation. Anomalies are evenly scattered, some containing the powerful and valuable artefacts that are the lifeblood of every Stalker. As mentioned, friendly factions outweigh hostile ones, so there’s plenty more opportunity to get lore and side quests from groups you stumble on.
The Major’s journey towards Prypiat re-emphasises one of the series' most engaging aspects: horror. Whether discovering an outpost full of zombie soldiers, or sneaking past a group of sleeping Bloodsuckers, atmospheric chills feel like a priority for GSC here. There’s even a terrifying new enemy in the Burer, a hooded mutant with telekinetic powers and a penchant for posing as crying children.
Another addition to the Zone’s perils this time around is emissions. Scripted events in the previous two games, these phenomena are now randomised map killers that will wipe out Degtyarev and any NPC caught out in the open. Handy map icons guide you to cover when an emission occurs, but they are still tense set pieces. A fun side effect is finding the corpses of hapless Stalkers who couldn't find shelter in time...then looting them.
Call of Prypiat is the most refined experience of the trilogy. Everything from the HUD to the survival mechanics has been optimised to give the best experience for would-be Stalkers. Visible status icons and an on-screen quickslot view will have you going into menus less frequently. The shooting is still fantastic, with minor refinements of Chornobyl and Clear Sky's system making this the smoothest bullet thrower of the bunch. It’s worth noting that the generous assist options present on these versions mitigate the series' notorious fiddly aiming.
Alas, one big gripe remains for all three titles and that's text size. On handheld, this isn't too much of an issue, but on some displays you'll be squinting to see the dialogue window's contents. This is a holdover from the original PC version of the games and it's a shame that these genuinely great remasters didn't address this.
