S.T.A.L.K.E.R.: Clear Sky

Lore & Background

The game is set in the Chernobyl exclusion zone, a forbidden territory surrounding the Chernobyl Nuclear Power Plant. The player assumes the identity of Scar, a mercenary who survives a high-energy emission while guiding scientists, only to be rescued by the Clear Sky faction. Scar exhibits unusual abilities after the emission, allowing him to survive anomalies and emissions that would kill ordinary men. The plot follows Scar's mission to stop Strelok and his group from reaching the center of the Zone, as Clear Sky leader Lebedev believes their progress is causing dangerous energy emissions. The story culminates in a confrontation at the Chernobyl plant, where Scar disables Strelok's psionic protection, but a massive emission incapacitates everyone, leaving Scar's fate unknown.

Reader's Guide

S.T.A.L.K.E.R.: Clear Sky is significant for expanding the series' gameplay with the faction wars system, where different factions struggle for territory, affecting trader equipment and soldier quality. The player can join or remain neutral, but careful alignment is needed for story progression. Weapon and armor customization is deepened, allowing repairs and modifications. Anomalies are harder to spot and require detectors to find artifacts. NPCs now use grenades, take cover, and blind-fire. Light machine guns are introduced, and guides offer fast-travel for a fee. Emissions require shelter or cause death. The X-Ray 1.5 Engine adds volumetric light, dynamic smoke and fire, soft water, wet surfaces, depth-of-field blur, DirectX 10 support, and SSAO, while maintaining the same minimum requirements as Shadow of Chernobyl. The game's source code was released on GitHub in August 2014 under a non-open-source license.

Did You Know?

• The game uses much of the same regions as Shadow of Chernobyl, while introducing new areas such as the abandoned town of Limansk.
• Scar is the only survivor of two emissions, leading Clear Sky researcher Beanpolev to believe he has an 'unusual ability' to navigate anomalies.
• The ending shows Strelok waking up in a hallway being brainwashed, with 'S.T.A.L.K.E.R.' tattooed on his arm.
• The X-Ray 1.5 Engine supports DirectX 10 and 10.1, and can run on DirectX 8 hardware.