Chernobylite

Slight repetition can't diminish the incredible atmoshpere of Farm 51's post-apocalyptic survival game.

An ambitious and atmospheric adventure undercut by some simplistic mechanics.

Despite this occasional lapse, Chernobylite manages to stand out with a brace of compelling mechanics, elements of horror, and some deft storytelling. Don't ignore this one.

We liked much of Chernobylite and this is a playable port with a fairly solid frame rate, but too many things held us back from scoring it any higher - the graphical downgrade, the tedious death loop, and most egregiously, the multiple crashes that we experienced throughout. We never lost any progress but almost a dozen crashes in the 15-20 hour runtime are worth noting.

Chernobylite is a fascinating survival horror RPG that serves up an enthralling and impressively detailed exclusion zone for players to run a series of dangerous raids in. There may be a few too many gameplay elements chucked into the mix here but strong writing, well designed missions, great support characters and some incredible visual and audio work smooth over most of the rough patches. If you can deal with a some clunkiness with regards to combat and are prepared to work a little to get the most out of it, you'll find a deep and addictive indie gem awaits that does a fantastic job of scratching that S.T.A.L.K.E.R itch.

Chernobylite is a solid game with a thoughtful story, enjoyable characters, memorable scares, and amazing design. You have freedom in the directions you want to go with crafting and leveling up, and the narrative choices you make feel meaningful. The game keeps you constantly engaged, as it always feels like there’s an important mission to complete or something to take care of around the base. The mystery is fascinating all the way to the end, and the main narrative doesn’t overstay its welcome, feeling spot on at a tight 20-ish hours.

Chernobylite's graphical detail is one of the greatest aspects behind it. Additionally, the game's nail-biting story, the memorable characters, and the freedom to explore the areas of the Exclusion Zone provide a great sense of dread and loneliness that's both fun to play and make for a great Action RPG with team management mechanics.

Chernobylite offers a deep survival game experience that offers elements of sci-fi, horror and RPG. It's hard to call this a survival horror title, but all the management aspects and the branching storylines will provide fans of the survival genre plenty to enjoy.

Fairly or unfairly, Chernobylite lives in the shadow of Metro and S.T.A.L.K.E.R., and there’s not much in this Complete Edition port that helps it get out from under the legacies of those series.

There’s no question that Chernobylite dares to be different with its mission structure and base building, but that isn’t to say it all works perfectly