In S.T.A.L.K.E.R. Clear Sky, the player assumes the role of Scar, a mercenary s.t.a.l.k.e.r. In a unique mixture of first-person shooter and complex role- playing game, Scar fights for survival within the Zone and its hostile sectors. The new Zone territories are explored by s.t.a.l.k.e.r.s scattered in groups - and these individual factions soon engage in relentless battle. As a mercenary, Scar quickly finds himself in the middle of a war of factions over territory, artifacts, and power. It is up to the player to find out on whose side Scar has the greatest chance of prevailing.

A group of stalkers has for the first time reached the very heart of the Zone – Chernobyl Nuclear Power Plant, and brings about a cataclysm on the brink of a catastrophe. An immense blowout of anomalous energy changes the Zone. There are no more reliable and relatively safe roads. The entire levels vanish in the outbursts of anomalies. Stalkers and even expeditions die or end up sealed on the lost territories. New areas, which remained unknown since the time of the Zone emergence, appear on the Zone map. The Zone continues to shake with blowouts. The Zone is unstable. The anomalous activity is at its maximum.

Minimum:

• Microsoft Windows 2000 (SP4) / XP /Vista
• Intel Pentium 4 mit 2 GHz / AMD XP 2200 +
• 512 MB Ram
• 10 GB free hard disc space
• 128 MB Direct X 9c compatible card
• Keyboard, Mouse
• Lan/Internet for Multiplayer

Recommended

• Microsoft Windows XP /Vista
• Intel Core 2 Duo E6400 / AMD 64 X2 4200 +
• 1,5 GBRam
• 10 GB free hard disc space
• 256 MB Direct X 9c compatible card
• Keyboard, Mouse
• Lan/Internet for Multiplayer

Changes of the Zone map known to stalkers shake the fragile balance of forces in the Zone. Among the groupings, there flare up hostilities for the new territories, artifact fields and spheres of influence. There are no more old enemies or friends – now everyone is for himself. The Factions War has started between the groupings.

The protagonist is a mercenary who appeared at the edge of the opposition between stalker factions, Strelok and even the Zone itself. The main character will have to play the key role in the events, which led to creation of the Zone up to the point from which the original S.T.A.L.K.E.R. game begins.

What’s waiting for stalkers in the opened depths of the Zone? Which new challenges bear in the new territories? Why blowouts continue shaking the Zone? Why did the Zone change? How to remove its instability? Which faction will take the upper hand in the clan opposition? Why did Strelok end up in the death truck? What happened to Strelok prior to that? Was there any other choice to make? These and many other questions will get answered in the official prequel S.T.A.L.K.E.R.: Clear Sky.

Just like its predecessor, Clear Sky perfectly captures the sinister atmosphere within the death Zone. DirectX 10 support enables spectacular graphics, including dynamic transitions between day and night with absolutely realistic light effects, as well as very detailed landscapes and lifelike animations. At the same time, the developers saw to it that S.T.A.L.K.E.R. Clear Sky also works with DirectX 8 and DirectX 9.

Special attention was given to realistic, independent thinking and actions of the NPCs. The artificial intelligence from the predecessor game was strongly improved, so that foes and allies now make their own situation-based decisions that impact the further course of the game. For instance, the outcome of battles is not predetermined. Only in the last few levels is the player guided towards a given end of the story, which leads to the events described in Shadow of Chernobyl.

Key features

• Unique mix of action-laden first-person shooter and complex role-playing game
• Gigantic scope: many new levels are available, plus some completely overhauled levels from S.T.A.L.K.E.R. Shadow of Chernobyl and many side quests with motivating rewards
• Realistic simulation of the extensive S.T.A.L.K.E.R. world: enemy factions fight each other, mutants hunt of their own accord.
• Intermediate movie-quality cut scenes complement the thrilling back-story leading up to the events of S.T.A.L.K.E.R. Shadow of Chernobyl
• Numerous new in game features, such as fast travel, or extensive modification and repairing armor and weapons
• Greatly improved artificial intelligence
• Complete DirectX 10 support for state-of- the-art graphic effects (God rays, soft particles, SSAO, dynamic volumetric smoke, dynamically wetting surface (rain effect) etc.)
• Dynamic transitions between day and night with realistic weather effects
• Detailed graphics, including an all-new animation engine
• Hugely expanded multiplayer part with many varied game modes and up to 32 players online or over LAN.

Already available in Europe. S.T.A.L.K.E.R.: Clear Sky will ship in North America on Sept. 15, 2008