I voted thumbs down simply because people tend to find the things wrong with a game more useful than the usual praise. Let me start off by saying that this game has a fantastic core. It's simple, is a wonderful spiritual nod to S.t.a.l.k.e.r, and if only they would fix a few massive flaws, I think it would turn the tide a lot. This is not a bad game, and I recommend you keep an eye on it.

Things I like...
-Simplicity of UI,
-great sounds from guns, to ambient,
-fairly in-depth crafting system.
-Fun selection of guns with "acceptable" consistency to their real world counterparts. The quests are simple and fun, and the game is good at what it's trying to do. Despite my unhappiness with it, I don't regret buying it, but the things that are bad, are BAD and have caused me more than a couple instances of frustration.

Things I don't like.

-Night time... it's way too long, and day time is way too short. I like this in most survival games, but this is a top down, blocky looking retro survival/shooter. You aren't always going to be close to an extraction point to get to a safe place when the sun goes down, and god forbid you just sit in the dark waiting for sunrise because you're going to be sitting there for a real world hour. Found a nice new gun, or lots of loot so you can't just save/quit? Aww that sucks, better sit there for an hour and wait. Hope you're not playing before work, or some other obligation because you either need to quit and lose progress or wait and be late..

-Gun jamming system. I don't mind this when a gun jams in a game and resembles the way malfunctions do in real life. Firearms malfunction when we fail to clean them, use imperfect cartridge loads, "limp wrist" certain models, "half-rack" a pump shotgun, or any other number of issues consistent with conditions. NOT in this game though... you can sit there and burst fire your rifle at the air for 200 rounds in whatever intervals you like and not have an issue. However the second a monster is charging, you enter a gun fight with an enemy faction, a wolf charges, or a mutant comes at you, guess what.... I promise your gun is going to jam and you're going die as it will happen at a bad time. I don't mind challenge in games, but this is a forced mechanic and it takes away from the realism.

-Bugs (not worth crucifying the game over, they all have bugs) Lot's of small, annoying things. Like attachments highlighting their counterparts in your inventory but not actually being compatible when you try to use them. Small, but annoying.

-Bullet sponges

I'm a firearms guy. I own a LOT of guns. Ladies and gentlemen, I promise you there is no wolf or person that is going to eat a 7.62x54mmr SVD round and require a second shot. In some cases, many enemies require 3 to 4 shots. With smaller calibers im ok with this, not long range calibers. You should never have to play a game using a sniper rifle as if it's an intermediate caliber rifle like an AR or an AK. I realize body armor is a thing in the game, but it still needs to be toned down a little bit and guns need to get their bite back, even if it works both ways.

All this aside, Stalker 2 released today, so no one is likely to see me again. I'm probably going to abandon my job, family, bathing, eating, and basically suicide by blood clot because I've been waiting for this game since 2007. It was nice knowing everyone, and I recommend keeping an eye on this game and playing it. It's annoying AF, but it has a ton of potential.

I voted thumbs down simply because people tend to find the things wrong with a game more useful than the usual praise. Let me start off by saying that this game has a fantastic core. It's simple, is a wonderful spiritual nod to S.t.a.l.k.e.r, and if only they would fix a few massive flaws, I think it would turn the tide a lot. This is not a bad game, and I recommend you keep an eye on it. Things I like... -Simplicity of UI, -great sounds from guns, to ambient, -fairly in-depth crafting system. -Fun selection of guns with "acceptable" consistency to their real world counterparts. The quests are simple and fun, and the game is good at what it's trying to do. Despite my unhappiness with it, I don't regret buying it, but the things that are bad, are BAD and have caused me more than a couple instances of frustration. Things I don't like. -Night time... it's way too long, and day time is way too short. I like this in most survival games, but this is a top down, blocky looking retro survival/shooter. You aren't always going to be close to an extraction point to get to a safe place when the sun goes down, and god forbid you just sit in the dark waiting for sunrise because you're going to be sitting there for a real world hour. Found a nice new gun, or lots of loot so you can't just save/quit? Aww that sucks, better sit there for an hour and wait. Hope you're not playing before work, or some other obligation because you either need to quit and lose progress or wait and be late.. -Gun jamming system. I don't mind this when a gun jams in a game and resembles the way malfunctions do in real life. Firearms malfunction when we fail to clean them, use imperfect cartridge loads, "limp wrist" certain models, "half-rack" a pump shotgun, or any other number of issues consistent with conditions. NOT in this game though... you can sit there and burst fire your rifle at the air for 200 rounds in whatever intervals you like and not have an issue. However the second a monster is charging, you enter a gun fight with an enemy faction, a wolf charges, or a mutant comes at you, guess what.... I promise your gun is going to jam and you're going die as it will happen at a bad time. I don't mind challenge in games, but this is a forced mechanic and it takes away from the realism. -Bugs (not worth crucifying the game over, they all have bugs) Lot's of small, annoying things. Like attachments highlighting their counterparts in your inventory but not actually being compatible when you try to use them. Small, but annoying. -Bullet sponges I'm a firearms guy. I own a LOT of guns. Ladies and gentlemen, I promise you there is no wolf or person that is going to eat a 7.62x54mmr SVD round and require a second shot. In some cases, many enemies require 3 to 4 shots. With smaller calibers im ok with this, not long range calibers. You should never have to play a game using a sniper rifle as if it's an intermediate caliber rifle like an AR or an AK. I realize body armor is a thing in the game, but it still needs to be toned down a little bit and guns need to get their bite back, even if it works both ways. All this aside, Stalker 2 released today, so no one is likely to see me again. I'm probably going to abandon my job, family, bathing, eating, and basically suicide by blood clot because I've been waiting for this game since 2007. It was nice knowing everyone, and I recommend keeping an eye on this game and playing it. It's annoying AF, but it has a ton of potential.