STALKER or S.T.A.L.K.E.R series is a popular first-person shooter and RPG game with a huge emphasis on action-adventure aspects.
The game was developed by GSC Game World and it takes place in a fictional world’s Chernobyl Exclusion Zone.
There are three STALKER games in the series, however, a lot of people are confused about which STALKER game should they start this awesome series with?
Well, we’re here to answer you. With time, the STALKER game is getting more and more popular.
On the other hand, when people are initially introduced to a masterpiece like this game, they want the best of the best experience.
In that case, let’s have a deep dive into what STALKER game you should play initially before you go deep diving into the fictional world.
Which STALKER Game Should You Play First?
The answer to this question is not simple since there are multiple games that can be played. What we’ll recommend is you playing Shadow of Chernobyl or Call of Pripyat. Both games are gems and they’ve aged like fine-wine. They have extraordinary gameplay, beautiful visuals, and awesome controls that’ll keep you hooked for hours.
So why should you play Shadow of Chernobyl or Call of Pripyat first? Let’s take a deeper look into each and then we’ll come to a conclusion.
Why Should You Play STALKER: Shadow of Chernobyl First?
The whole idea of using FPS with Open World was an exquisite idea. We’ve already talked about it.
But Shadow of Chernobyl or SOC is something that offers a lot more content than any other first person shooter game out there.
The best part about playing SOC is the fact that it’s pretty easy to play and it only gets hard gradually.
In other words, for beginners, Shadow of Chernobyl is pretty cool since you can keep up with the game.
STALKER has a great storyline too. The game provides you with an interesting experience when it comes to completing various challenges and surprisingly enough, the NPCs are not so great unlike many other RPG games.
SOC is fairly challenging because of that. You need to regularly check your PDA to make sure you’re on the right track and you’ll find yourself in a lot of twists.
The character development in SOC is pretty insane. You’ll get crazy benefits defeating your enemies and all in all, the game is pretty easy to understand.
I can give my final verdict by saying that if you’re interested in a beautiful environment, insane storyline, and an interesting lore, then STALKER Shadow of Chernobyl is the ideal game for you.
The story of SOC is very beginner friendly and you’re also going to get great MOD support.
Why Should You Play STALKER: Call of Pripyat First?
Call of Pripyat is the second title after Shadow of Chernobyl. Chronologically, it also follows the storyline of SOC, so both timeline are related to each other.
Call of Pripyat is set in a place called the Zone which is intimidating and full of scary monsters.
The game is practically a home to jumpscares and you’ll have a lot of fun playing this part if you’re into frightening stuff.
Call of Pripyat is the most stable STALKER game since it is the most bug-free with a rather chill storyline.
So if you’re not into some crazy storyline and you want the most bug-free experience, then Call of Pripyat will help you.
Moreover, you’re also going to get some awesome mod support so it’s always an option. Also, storyline wise, Call of Pripyat is definitely the easiest one.
Call of Pripyat is difficult initially but once you get a hang of the storyline and mechanics, it’ll become easier.
You’re going to love this one since the graphics have been an incredible improvement from the other STALKER game.
Why Should You Play STALKER: Clear Sky First?
Being one of the most interesting games from the STALKER series, Clear Sky offered wide-open-world scenery that was provided by none other game at the time of its release.
There were a plethora of details along with vicious enemies like mutants, assassins, and a lot more.
Even though the game had a lot of bugs, the twist and turn in games would make you forget the game’s cons.
Talking about the writing, it’s not amazingly good and it’s not bad either. You’re going to get countless hours of gameplay time due to the immersive storyline.
For beginners, even though we don’t recommend playing Clear Sky first, if the story makes you interested, Clear Sky is one of the best STALKER games that you should play.
Final Verdict
I hope you found our guide of which STALKER game to play first useful.
Once again, I’ll summarize it in the simplest world possible. If you’re into great storyline, beautiful environment, and crazy lore, then Shadow of Chernobyl is ideal for you.
However, if you’re less about story and more about a great bug-free experience, then Call of Pripyat should be your first STALKER game.