Chornobyl Archives

AppWizard

November 6, 2025

PC gamers finally get iconic franchise on Xbox Game Pass

Baldur's Gate and Baldur's Gate II: Enhanced Editions are now available on Xbox Game Pass for PC, expanding their accessibility beyond traditional consoles. They were initially scheduled to launch in October but faced a delay. The games, originally released in 1998 and 2000, feature upgraded visuals and a modernized user interface in their Enhanced Editions from 2019. Unlocking all achievements in these games may take between 150 to 200 hours. Additionally, five games are set to leave the Game Pass on November 11, including Football Manager 2024 and S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2: Heart of Chornobyl. Call of Duty: Black Ops 7 is scheduled to launch on November 14.

AppWizard

September 22, 2025

The 16+ year-old original Stalker games have Nvidia DLSS support now, which isn’t as crazy as it sounds

On September 18, GSC Game World released a significant patch for its remastered collection, Legends of the Zone, which includes Nvidia's DLSS support. This technology enhances performance and visual fidelity, improving the visual experience of the game, which is more demanding on hardware than its original versions. Community feedback has been positive, with Steam reviews showing a Mostly Positive rating, contrasting with the game's overall Mixed status. Additionally, GSC addressed an infinite quicksave bug earlier this year, further enhancing gameplay and community engagement.

AppWizard

September 12, 2025

New Stalker remaster patch continues to combat ongoing performance woes

GSC Game World has remastered the original Stalker trilogy into the Stalker: Legends of the Zone collection, which includes Stalker: Shadow of Chornobyl, Clear Sky, and Call of Pripyat. The remasters have received mixed reviews due to performance issues, prompting the release of Patch 1.3 to enhance the gaming experience. This update includes numerous bug fixes, a font overhaul for better visibility, and the integration of a quick slot system from Call of Pripyat into the earlier titles. It also addresses technical glitches such as sky blurriness and hand animation issues. The updated version of Stalker: Shadow of Chornobyl Enhanced Edition is available for purchase on Steam.

AppWizard

September 4, 2025

One of Stalker’s most legendary mods has joined GOG’s one-click install program, making it easier than ever to die horribly in Chornobyl

The Stalker franchise has seen a resurgence after a long hiatus since the release of Stalker: Call of Prypiat in 2009, with updates for Stalker 2, remasters of the original trilogy, and the launch of Stalker Anomaly on GOG's modding platform. Stalker Anomaly is a standalone mod that combines maps from the original three games into a single environment, featuring an enhanced A-Life system and faction warfare mechanics.

AppWizard

June 25, 2025

Stalker 2’s 1.5 mega-patch just dropped and GSC says A-Life is back, baby

GSC Game World has released a substantial update for Stalker 2, called the "Guns and Looting update" (version 1.5). This update revives the A-Life system, allowing NPCs to lead their own lives, pursue individual goals, and engage in conflicts. NPCs will no longer respawn directly in front of players, enhancing realism. The update also introduces new features, including a new rifle and pistol, a "Water electric tornado" anomaly, and the ability to loot parts from mutants.

AppWizard

June 21, 2025

Weekend PC Download Deals for June 20: GOG.com and Blizzard Summer Sales

GOG.com is offering over 8,000 DRM-free PC games, including titles like Baldur's Gate 3 and Cyberpunk 2077, as part of its Summer Sales season. Blizzard's Battle.net is also having a Summer Sale with discounts on franchises like World of Warcraft and Diablo 4. Steam is hosting its Fishing Fest and has publisher sales from EA, THQ Nordic, Koei Tecmo, and Klei, along with discounted new releases and free weekends for games like Dead by Daylight. The Epic Games Store, Fanatical, Gamebillet, Gamersgate, GamesPlanet, Green Man Gaming, and Humble Bundle are also participating in sales. Humble Bundle offers a subscription service called Humble Choice for .99 per month, providing access to various games and extra savings on purchases.

AppWizard

May 20, 2025

Stalker remaster reviews crater to ‘Mostly Negative’ as players lament deleted Soviet monuments, yanked Russian language, and blurry graphics that I didn’t notice in 23 hours playing

A gamer has become the first individual to fully complete the Enhanced Edition of Stalker: Shadow of Chornobyl on PC. GSC Game World released remastered versions of the Stalker trilogy, which includes Shadow of Chornobyl, Clear Sky, and Call of Prypiat, available for free to original owners. Despite the excitement, the remastered trilogy has received "Mostly Negative" ratings on Steam, with players expressing dissatisfaction over blurry graphics, particularly when using features like FSR and antialiasing. The author of the text, after spending 23 hours in Shadow of Chornobyl, found the graphics to be crisp on various displays, but acknowledges the volume of negative feedback may indicate issues related to specific hardware configurations. The author suggests that those sensitive to graphical fidelity might want to wait for GSC to address these concerns.

AppWizard

May 19, 2025

This week in PC games: Deliver At All Costs, Onimusha 2 reborn, more Monster Train and a touch of cat racing

New PC game releases this week include: - Champions Tactics Reforged: A turn-based PvP battler with nostalgic tabletop figurines. - S.T.A.L.K.E.R. Enhanced Editions: Enhanced versions of the beloved series, including Shadow Of Chornobyl, Clear Sky, and Call Of Prypiat. - The Siege and the Sandfox: A sidescrolling stealth metroidvania with enchanting pixel art visuals. - Jumping Jazz Cats: A whimsical racing game featuring feline competitors. - Kathy Rain 2: Soothsayer: A point-and-click adventure involving a serial killer and a biker detective. - Monster Train 2: A sequel combining tower defense and roguelite deck-building. - FANTASY LIFE i: The Girl Who Steals Time: An RPG focused on life simulation and restoring a neglected island. - City Tales - Medieval Era: An early access title encouraging creative construction. - Deliver At All Costs: A 1950s toy-town game offering a GTA-style experience. - Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Tactics RPG: A tactical gameplay title in the beloved franchise. - Onimusha 2: Samurai's Destiny: A remastered version with updated controls and HD visuals. - 9 Kings: A strategic card game for building kingdoms and engaging in combat. - Duck Detective: The Ghost of Glamping: A detective game with a quirky narrative. Additionally, the Treehouse team is preparing for Computex 2025 and the Summer Games Fest, while managing various review commitments and projects.

AppWizard

April 30, 2025

The Best PC Games of 2025 So Far (Spring Edition)

Spring 2025 has seen the release of several notable PC games, including: - Clair Obscur: Expedition 33: Released on April 24, 2025, by Sandfall Interactive, it sold over 1 million copies in three days and features a blend of French art nouveau aesthetics and JRPG combat mechanics. - Monster Hunter Wilds: Released on February 28, 2025, by Capcom, it introduces full narrative integration and dynamic monster interactions. - The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion Remastered: Released on April 22, 2025, by Bethesda Game Studios, it attracted over 4 million players shortly after launch and features enhanced visuals and gameplay updates. Other early 2025 releases include: - Blue Prince (April 10, 2025) - Split Fiction (March 6, 2025) - Atomfall (March 27, 2025) - Assassin’s Creed Shadows (March 20, 2025) - Two Point Museum (March 5, 2025) - Final Fantasy VII Rebirth (January 23, 2025) - Ender Magnolia: Bloom in the Mist (January 22, 2025) - Ninja Gaiden II Black (January 23, 2025) - The Talos Principle: Reawakened (April 10, 2025) Highly anticipated titles for later in 2025 include: - Grand Theft Auto VI (Late 2025) - Doom: The Dark Ages (May 15, 2025) - Metal Gear Solid Delta: Snake Eater (August 28, 2025) - The Outer Worlds 2 (Expected 2025) - Borderlands 4 (September 12, 2025) - Marvel’s Blade (TBA 2025) - Hades II (Full Release later 2025) - Frostpunk 2 (Summer 2025) - Slay the Spire 2 (Early Access Expected 2025) - Anno 117: Pax Romana (Expected 2025) - Vampire: The Masquerade – Bloodlines 2 (October 2025) - Indiana Jones and the Great Circle (Expected 2025) - Stalker 2: Heart of Chornobyl (Expected 2025) In 2024, top-rated PC games included: 1. Elden Ring: Shadow of the Erdtree 2. Metaphor: ReFantazio 3. UFO 50 4. Tekken 8 5. Caves of Qud 6. Animal Well 7. Satisfactory 8. Balatro 9. Thank Goodness You’re Here! 10. The Last of Us Part II Remastered The PC gaming landscape in 2024 was characterized by significant hardware advancements, improved game integration and compatibility, and thriving online communities.

AppWizard

April 19, 2025

Weekend PC Download Deals for Apr. 18: Baldur’s Gate 3’s final patch

Baldur's Gate 3 is currently available at a discount on Steam and GOG.com. S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2: Heart of Chornobyl is also on sale on Steam, GOG.com, and Green Man Gaming. Various platforms are offering discounts on PC games, including Blizzard, Epic Games Store, Fanatical, Gamebillet, Gamersgate, GamesPlanet, GOG.com, Green Man Gaming (with a coupon code APR15 for 15% off), Humble Bundle (with a subscription service at .99 per month), and Ubisoft. Steam continues to offer a vast library of games at competitive prices.