A new update has been released for Stalker: Legends of the Zone Trilogy, bringing a host of enhancements for players on PS5, Pro, PC, and Xbox Series consoles. This enhanced edition, which builds upon the existing trilogy released on PS4 and Xbox One in March 2024, promises visual improvements such as screen-space reflections, enhanced global illumination, upscaled textures, cutscenes, 3D models, new skyboxes, and divine rays. Mouse and keyboard controls have also been added to PS5 and Xbox Series, along with various adjustments and bug fixes. Multiple graphics modes for current-gen machines allow players to experience the game at frame rates ranging from 30 to 120 fps.
The Original Trilogy and Its Fascination
The original Stalker trilogy, which includes Stalker: Shadow of Chernobyl, Clear Sky, and Call of Pripyat, has garnered a passionate following since its initial release on PC in 2007. The first game presents a dark, post-nuclear world where players take on the role of a hired mercenary. With its open design, dialogue trees, and RPG elements, Stalker offers a unique blend of first-person shooter gameplay and immersive storytelling. The game’s brutal difficulty and oppressive atmosphere, coupled with warring clans and dangerous creatures, make for a challenging and engaging experience.
The Enhanced Version and Updates
Updates have been made to all games in the Legends of the Zone Trilogy, enhancing the overall experience for players. Pre-rendered cutscenes now feature higher bitrate 4K encoding in each game, utilizing AI upscaling for improved visual quality. Screen-space reflections have been added, enhancing the detailed reflections in bodies of water. The game landscapes boast increased vegetation, geometry, and shadow draw distances, providing a more immersive and visually stunning world to explore. While some issues remain, such as odd enemy physics, the enhanced version represents the best way to experience these games on PS5 and Series X.
Console Comparisons
Console comparisons reveal that the PS5, PS5 Pro, Series X, and S all offer the same visual settings across platforms. Resolution limits vary depending on the console and selected mode, with the PS5 Pro offering the highest output in 60 fps performance mode. The Series S struggles to match the visual quality of the other consoles, particularly in 60 fps mode. Despite some limitations, the enhanced version of Stalker provides an exceptional gaming experience on all platforms.
Moving on to performance tests, the easiest option to recommend is the 60 fps performance mode on base PS5, Series X, and even S. Overall, the DRS range on each platform remains stable at 60 fps, based on several hours of gameplay from each trilogy game, although there may obviously be much more to deal with as each campaign unfolds.
An alternative that is much less convincing is the 30 fps quality mode. On PS5, Series X/S, this mode is usually rendered at native 4K – and native 1440p on the Series S – but the performance cost is too high to justify it. Playing a fast-paced, reactive shooter game at 30 fps doesn’t make sense, especially considering there are better options available.
To complete the options, we have the 120 fps ultra-performance mode, which is only available on PS5, PS5 Pro, and Series X. Visually, this mode targets 1440p on each machine, with the base PS5 and Series X dropping to the lowest 1170p during stressful moments, while the Pro model tends to maintain 1440p more regularly.
In summary, the enhanced edition of the Stalker Trilogy improves three PC classics for today’s standards, with very positive results. The PS5, Series X/S receive some much-needed visual adjustments and new modes, making it the definitive way to play nowadays. The only standout criticism is performance: the 60 and 120 fps modes have some challenging points even on the best consoles today, while the 30 fps quality modes and the balanced 40 fps modes run at an uneven frame rate, oddly excluding the Series X at 40 fps.
About the Author
