Ok so I just had the coolest zombie survival horror style moments in Stalker Call Of Prypiat! Here is a picture to go along with it, taken during the actual gameplay (during a lightning strike, otherwise it was almost pitch dark) :)
It was a dark and stormy night (seriously, it was raining cats and dogs, and the lightning was going nuts!) and after being side tracked into a tower to escape an emission blowout, I continues towards the cement factory. The blowout had lit up the sky like a bright full moon, so I ventured forth, hoping there weren't too many zombified stalkers around; those who didn't make it to a shelter before the emissions destroyed their minds.
Leaving the tower I set out on foot to the east along the road, and immediately spotted a couple of zombies shambling towards my destination. Armed with my newly acquired, and upgraded, semi automatic rifle they were swiftly dispatched with a few well aimed head shots. Easy as pie!
About 15 seconds into my journey the emissions blowout died down into silence taking with it all remaining light. It was then that I realized I was in unfamiliar territory, dead of night and in a heavy rain storm. Still, as long as no pseudo dogs were around I should be fine. I pointed my compass at the cement factory and stalked closer to my goal.
The towers of the factory were dim, barely distinguishable in the storm. It wasn't until the lightning flashed that I got a sense of what I was looking at; old rusted metal structures around decaying concrete buildings. "Beep!" went off my compass alerting me to the presence of other dwellers in the area. One... two, then three, but they didn't show up on the radar, meaning they had to be hostile. Were they bandits or mercs? I couldn't tell.
Crouching down in the wet underbrush and grass I turned off my flashlight and scanned the buildings from afar, hoping to see any signs of life. After a few moments of peering through the darkness aided on occasion by the lightning, I spotted my targets high above on a steel tower, stumbling around... zombies!
As I attempted to get closer I saw a figure through the darkness at the bottom of the stairs, leading up to the tower and the two zombies. "Ah hah!" I thought, the third one is already on the ground, and moving out of cover.
I repositioned myself to get a better shot, and moved out of the thick bushes into the open and peered though my scope. The sad creature stumbled off of the staircase and proceeded shambling forward. In the darkness I could barely make out its figure and position, but through the lightning flashes it was an ominous back lit silhouette moving ever closer in my direction. I bided my time and took aim, waiting patiently for the next strike of lightning, the next crash of thunder. Bang Bang! A couple of shots crackled through the night, only to be drowned out by the thunder in the sky.
No more movement did I see in my scope, confirmed by the compass, I had eliminated one threat. I now set my sights on the two remaining zombies up on the tower.
There they were, unmoved by the commotion below, unaware that their former comrade had just received a sudden brain enema. Not that they could know since the emissions from the blowout fried their minds like an egg.
Bang Bang! A couple more shots rang out into the darkness, but this time luck was on their side. While the shots hit their mark, the zombies were still able to function, and function well enough to know I was down there. They proceeded to hunt me down.
“Hmm, not big deal” I thought to myself “They might have the higher ground, but I doubt they know how to use it”. Requiring a more direct firing position I proceeded forwards towards the complex, closer to the base of the stairs.
As I approached one of the buildings something stirred. Screeeeech! A high pitched voice screamed out from the entrance of one of the concrete towers. Quickly I spun around and turned on my flashlight to see what I had startled.
The figure I saw was small, stringy and twisted; scurrying into a hole as it hissed. “Rats!” I thought, “I better watch my back, no telling when they’ll try to swarm me” With zombies descending from the tower I needed to be extra careful not to get torn to shreds.
A few moments had passed and the zombies were in low enough for me to take a few shots. Nothing too difficult here, their own shots at me managed to wound them allowing me to take them out a ways up. I stood for a few more moments and scanned the area, all clear, and the compass confirmed it.
The storm was still in full swing, unyielding in the night. The constant flashes of lighting illuminating the bleak landscape below me as I stood on the steel tower. The rain was never ending, as though the clouds were attempting to wash away all traces of what had happened to this land. Beep, Beep, Beep chirped the compass. “What’s this?” I said to myself as I looked around, a cluster of red dots had appeared; interlopers approaching from the road.
The lightning flashed again and again, as though begging me to take notice of those who come near. At last I see them, more shadowy figures slowly moving towards the cement factory. This time I had the high ground, and I did know h0w to use it!
Bang! One by one the shots rang out, Bang Bang Bang! One after another, and one by one in the darkness they fell unaware, unknowing, uncaring. One by one the numbers died down to zero. A moment’s repose to rest once again in the darkness, in the rain. But wait, something not right anymore.
The unrelenting storm which had offered me flashes of light to see my way was now bringing its anger upon this land. The air began to taste foul, bringing a metallic taste into my mouth. My eyes began to sting, my skin began to burn and itch. No, this wasn’t just rain anymore, this was chemical fallout!
I had to find shelter and fast! Holstering my riffle I began searching the structure on top of the tower hoping for an entrance or an opening I could sneak into. The south side, nothing. The east side, nothing. The north side, nothing! “I have to get into the factory and find a shelter before the chemicals burn me inside out!” I panicked as I sprinted towards the stair case, hoping I could get down in time.
The air was getting thicker with each passing second. The taste, the smell, the burn! It was becoming almost too much! But at last I had made it off the tower. Not breaking my stride I ran towards an opening in factory building, but the chemicals were still two strong! I needed to get deeper.
Frantically looking around for a safe haven I noticed a set of rusty stairs to my left, leading down deeper into the building, but mercifully away from the outside. Clunk clunk clunk clunk boof, echoed my boots on solid ground again as I careened into a tunnel.
I made it! The air was still foul but at least it was breathable enough to let me take shelter until the fallout passes. Suddenly…
Screeeeeech! “Oh no!” I though “If it’s this close, that means…” the rat is back, and it brought it’s pack with it!
Not wasting any time I fumbled for my gun as the sickly mutant rodents scurried towards me. I’m backed into a corner, but at least they only have one way to come at me now.
Bang bang! Flashes of light and thunderous noises started filling the tunnels. Bang bang! The bullets tore through the malicious creatures effortlessly, but they kept on coming. Bang bang! My clip was starting to run low. Bang! The last shot fired, the last rat dropped to the ground, motionless. My ears ringing, my heart pounding.
Outside the lighting continued to flash its might. Thunder continued booming across the land. The air was foul and thick, but in my little corner deep in the tunnel I was still alive and that’s what mattered.
“Whew” I sighed “Times like these I wonder why I ever came here”. Cold and wet I popped in a fresh clip. Beep, Beep, Beep went the compass. Not a moment too soon.
All of this took a minute or two in game time, but man, it was awesome! :D
Until next time!
