S.T.A.L.K.E.R. prequel gold, slightly delayed

Clear Sky expansion for GSC's shooter/RPG hybrid wraps development, now on the retail prowl September 5.

More than its moribund dealings with the remnants of irradiated Chernobyl, GSC Game World's S.T.A.L.K.E.R. was defined by its numerous delays. First announced in 2001, the THQ-published shooter/role-playing hybrid didn't lumber onto the PC until March 2007, though it did so to commendable critical approbation. For Shadow of Chernobyl's follow prequel--Clear Sky--GSC Game World and new publisher Deep Silver have largely avoided that fate...but not entirely.

Today, GSC and Deep Silver announced that S.T.A.L.K.E.R.: Clear Sky for the PC has been shipped to manufacturers for mass production. However, with the game makers initially planning Clear Sky to break on August 29, the two said today that the release date has been pushed back a week to September 5.

Playing heavy to the eerily desolate outcome of the 1986 nuclear reactor meltdown in Chernobyl, Ukraine, Clear Sky promises to be as atmospheric as its predecessor. However, as it is set in 2011, the game offers a more modern look at the what-if scenario of fallout-induced mutations. New parts of the Zone, including Red Forest, Limansk, and the Pripyat Undergrounds, can now be explored, and Clear Sky boasts a new animation engine, improved artificial intelligence, and a new upgrade system for weapons and armor.

For the latest on S.T.A.L.K.E.R.: Clear Sky, check out GameSpot's hands-on from this year's E3 Media & Business Summit.

84 Comments

  • SrTVBR

    Posted Apr 11, 2009 7:48 am PT

    Clear Sky expansion is gonna be the STALKER: Call of Pripyat

  • razvanciurez

    Posted Sep 17, 2008 1:14 am PT

    the radiation sign on the box it's wrong... should be rotated with 60 degrees..

  • aslag94

    Posted Aug 23, 2008 4:35 pm PT

    ****!

  • division_9

    Posted Aug 23, 2008 1:39 pm PT

    Ofcourse its going to delay. Mercenaries 2 release would hinder Clear sky sales.

  • Avals

    Posted Aug 20, 2008 11:05 pm PT

    Told you it would gonna delay...

  • SwitchBlade4474

    Posted Aug 20, 2008 12:28 am PT

    So would all the people who like to complain that a game is worse if it is delayed like to play a buggy as hell game and then have to complain about that also? I'm glad when games take a bit longer than the makers originally think, it shows they want to make it better for us all. Take your time game makers!!! (Just make sure that if you do take more time that the game doesn't have alot of bugs still like Stalker soc)

  • d12malu

    Posted Aug 19, 2008 9:39 pm PT

    I can't wait, clearing my calendar for that week!

  • d-rtyboy

    Posted Aug 19, 2008 8:41 pm PT

    I hope this isn't going to be a repeat of the delays that marred the first ones release.

  • Kez1984

    Posted Aug 19, 2008 8:29 pm PT

    A console version would ruin this game like it has with most games. Console guys just don't get it, you are mainstream, you are Micheal Bay type games, pc are low budget art house, stop ruining our games.

  • ParanoidJack

    Posted Aug 19, 2008 7:23 pm PT

    STALKER took forever to reach us but it was well worth it. Besides the online shoot type FPS games I haven't bought a Shooter for single-player for more years than I care to remember. STALKER broke the mold and showed us that you can mix your cRPG-lite with my FPS genre.

    These guys took a chance unlike so many other Western Developers who just want to pump out one clone after another.

    I had very little trouble playing STALKER and only see a few flaws that hurt the over all appeal. Still nothing the game-play and atmosphere couldn't over shadow.

    I've been playing PC games since the late 70s and games like STALKER are what separates us PC Gamers from the console players. Not that I am a console hater. I love my 360 for games like GTA4 and Bad Company.

    I'm loving the games from Nival, CD Projekt RED STUDIO, ALTAR Games, Piranha Bytes, and GSC Game World. There have been more and more interesting games coming out of Europe & Asia. These guy are not afraid to create games that don't fit perfectly in the NA mold. Thank the Gods!

    And if you were wondering none of them are on the consoles.. least not the games I have bought and loved from each of these developers.

  • syafiqjabar

    Posted Aug 19, 2008 7:13 pm PT

    The game is also on Steam, remember.

  • Valen_Ca

    Posted Aug 19, 2008 7:01 pm PT

    Heres to hoping the first patch they put out for this one doesn't render version 1 game saves obsolete this time around....

  • raptorlead1

    Posted Aug 19, 2008 5:30 pm PT

    Please for the love of god don't put STALKER on consoles, every time they do that, the next game in the series gets dumbed down for consoles, and that's the bane of a PC gamers existence. The fact is they shouldn't put it on console because if they do, they will only ruin the franchise, for a demonstration of what I'm talking about, look at Morrowind and then Oblivion, and then look at UT04 and UT3. If they port it to console, from then on the PC version is just gonna be dumbed down while they try to make it work on both systems, while screwing it over on the PC. The PC requires a separate design style to satisfy PC gamers, don't screw us over by making the game the for console in mind primarily while messing the game mechanics up for PC. Stalker is a PC game, and it needs to STAY a PC game. On a side note though, at least they decided to push it back a week and fix some stuff rather than releasing a screwed up game on launch that's unplayable like last time.

  • mrklorox

    Posted Aug 19, 2008 4:38 pm PT

    @MindlessTeef: Thanks for that link! The first paragraph of the review spouts nothing but good news on that front. I'm glad my Darker Nights mod from the first one made that much of an impact on fans to get GSC to fix it internally. The lightning and nighttime firefights were easily one of the coolest parts of the first game... once the nights were adjusted. I wonder if they ever implemented random weather instead of repeating the same day endlessly like before.

  • kegmiester

    Posted Aug 19, 2008 2:26 pm PT

    I was hoping to recieve it on my birthday. Now i have to wait. Meh, i suppose it gives me time to finish off some other games first whilst i wait. Like jade empire, peresus mandate, rogue trooper and jedi knight 2.

  • Col_Kilgore

    Posted Aug 19, 2008 11:28 am PT

    Kinda glad it's delayed because I am broke, poor, unemployed, etc. I am afraid if this game came out I would have to resort to crime to get it. I want it sooooo bad.

  • thenewau25

    Posted Aug 19, 2008 11:19 am PT

    excellent? small areas no skills bad story low npc interaction bad ai bugs am not trying to bash he game but not excellent plz very short game and this is delayed again i just hope it turns better WHY WHY? because its the same as the previous same story same Chernobyl so nothing new hope its bettetr eg why didnt they make the ares bigger not so go to the next level thing?

  • red_x2004

    Posted Aug 19, 2008 11:11 am PT

    Give me a break Targzissian, what did you expect ? A completely new game ? No, Clear Sky is promising enough with all the new improvements and it will live up to expectations just like Shadow Of Chernobyl did.

  • PHeMoX

    Posted Aug 19, 2008 11:10 am PT

    Ow boy ow boy... I don't see why a week delay would matter? That's both positive AND negative. If they want to squash a few bugs in one week or further polish the game in one week, I'd be surprised if they manage to successfully do so..

  • runstalker

    Posted Aug 19, 2008 10:51 am PT

    Fully patched up, the first game is excellent.

    One would hope that all those years creating the foundation for the first game allowed them to create this prequel in streamlined fashion, but with all the quality and depth of the original. They should bundle both games up for X360. It would sell a few hundred thousand and do well on Live multiplayer.

  • thug_angel123

    Posted Aug 19, 2008 10:48 am PT

    even a week hurts me enough,guess merecenaries 2 will be out by then...

  • pollob13

    Posted Aug 19, 2008 10:39 am PT

    my pc is ready 2 face this game ...

  • Shteff

    Posted Aug 19, 2008 10:05 am PT

    can't wait for game to show up.
    I'll get ready for 2 weeks of isolation from the real world

  • Targzissian

    Posted Aug 19, 2008 9:45 am PT

    It's still too soon after the first game. They took years and years to complete the first one. It's been only about a year and a half since that was released. I hope this one lives up to expectations.

  • xmg0

    Posted Aug 19, 2008 9:45 am PT

    i wonder why the delay. anyways, should be fun to play it out next month

  • Sins-of-Mosin

    Posted Aug 19, 2008 9:44 am PT

    I played the first game when it came out. I should've waited for them to fix it first. Gave me a bad impression on the game and the dev. I'll give this game a shot after I'm done with Spore.

  • Thy_Conquerer

    Posted Aug 19, 2008 9:37 am PT

    im hoping that the lighting engine that they have been building is up to the hype. the lighting and environment in the first one was pretty damn impressive

  • GunnyHath

    Posted Aug 19, 2008 9:31 am PT

    Can't wait to write another drunken blog about a STALKER game. The first was excellent, despite all it's flaws.

  • pidow

    Posted Aug 19, 2008 9:23 am PT

    I also hope that this game will be like no other....and kick butt like the first game, but much better and more play-ability and longer...I am getting sick of the waiting for games to be finished.

  • Reaper42562

    Posted Aug 19, 2008 9:20 am PT

    Can't wait!

  • PseudoFinrod

    Posted Aug 19, 2008 8:26 am PT

    I really hope they come out with a console version of S.T.A.L.K.E.R. sooner or later. It and The Wichter are the only two games that make me wish I had a powerful PC...

  • lev_six

    Posted Aug 19, 2008 8:04 am PT

    Delayed. Crap. Can't wait.

  • ftjx

    Posted Aug 19, 2008 7:10 am PT

    I hope this game is released only to buy the dev team enough time and money to make a S.T.A.L.K.E.R. game that makes good on those promises they made for the first one so long, long, loooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooong ago.

  • ftjx

    Posted Aug 19, 2008 7:07 am PT

    I hope this game is released to buy the dev team enough time to a S.T.A.L.K.E.R. game that makes good on the promises made so long, long, looooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooong ago!

  • Avenger1324

    Posted Aug 19, 2008 6:50 am PT

    Just about the right time to start replaying STALKER and complete it again before Clear Sky comes out.

  • biokrysty

    Posted Aug 19, 2008 6:46 am PT

    just now I finished STALKER ShoC for the second time and I wand the Clear Sky .... and s..t I have to wait another week to finally play it.

  • JamesHS

    Posted Aug 19, 2008 6:29 am PT

    Grrr out on the same day as spore, which one to play first.. >_

  • t8trg8tr

    Posted Aug 19, 2008 6:22 am PT

    I still need to play the first one. So, my plan is to play SoC, so once I'm done with that CS will be out and so will the first patch more than likely .

  • 3Dpaper

    Posted Aug 19, 2008 6:19 am PT

    almost a week? what the hell, do they not want me to buy this game

  • Pinetreemechani

    Posted Aug 19, 2008 6:10 am PT

    Yes, delayed for Western World... For Russia relese date is 22nd of Aug. Still possible to order through private chanells straight out of ex-USSR republics and get it on 24th or 26th.

  • secnpa

    Posted Aug 19, 2008 5:36 am PT

    ctg867: "*coughNeedsConsoleVersioncough* Enjoy selling 100k copies... >_>"

    enjoy not getting to play it sucker

  • beanofengland

    Posted Aug 19, 2008 4:26 am PT

    who'd bother to steal the uncomplete image of this game...? its gonna probably be buggy enough at release judging from the original

  • beanofengland

    Posted Aug 19, 2008 4:24 am PT

    can't wait, the last first person game that i bothered to finish on my pc was crysis, i loved the original stalker, heres hoping this ones as entertaining, pc gaming really has gone downhill, i find myself playing old games these days, nothing new has come out

  • combatsoldier

    Posted Aug 19, 2008 3:33 am PT

    i just want the game to come out.

  • combatsoldier

    Posted Aug 19, 2008 3:16 am PT

    Man i just want the game to come out.

  • CorinneQ

    Posted Aug 19, 2008 3:09 am PT

    Delayed? OMG? Oh noes, not another one!... aaaand scene!

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