Via the strange magics of download service Gametap, the original STALKER: Shadow of Chernobyl (not its deflating sequel Clear Sky) can now be played for precisely zero pennies. No region restriction (apparently), and it joins a freebie roster that also contains the stalwart likes of Deus Ex, Hitman: Blood Money, Psychonauts and – yes! – Hotdog King.
The twin sacrifices necessary to gain this gratis copy of one of the most original and atmospheric FPSes of recent years are 1) installing Gametap’s adverty download app all over your PC and 2) Gametap’s despotic encryption system ridding you of the ability to mod STALKER in any way. While the vanilla game is many splendids, the huge modding scene improves it exactly thirteenfold. I guess you could consider the Gametap version the demo, and buy a non-nerfed copy elsewhere if you like it. Where? Here.
Edit – 64bit Windowses are not supported, by the sound of things.
Edit edity Mcedit – sounds like this may only be the case until the end of this week. Get your blinkin’ skates on. Seems savegames will be transferable from Gametap’s paranoiaware version over to the standard version, at least.
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Why wait for GoG when it’s cheaper in a box now? Although of course you get scary scary Securom in the box too…
Because the nearest game shop to me is … I don’t even know. Plus I’m supposed to not be buying any more games, so if I keep making excuses I’ll save money. In theory, anyway. In practice, I keep checking RPS and going “oooh!” like an eejit.
@Vagueism: Actually, Stalker keeps its saved games in the All Users\Shared Documents folder, well outside of GameTap’s firewall of DRM encryption. I know this because I didn’t even consider backing up the All Users directory last time I wiped and reinstalled windows.
@sinister agent: Considering GOG’s entire launch day catalog of titles were all available at the time on GameTap too, I’d guess a game’s presence on GameTap is anything but detrimental to its chances of appearing on GOG.
Yeah, Gametap don’t seem to do exclusivity on anything. They’re not stepping on the toes of any other digital distro platforms, as they offer a very different service. A subscription-rental kinda deal, rather than outright purchasing. I doubt they’ll ever be interfering with the likes of GOG.
It’s good for people who want to try out a lot of stuff, and aren’t bothered by the lack of finer customization, and for the price ($60 annually), I’m usually satisfied with the 3-4 must-play games it gets a year, with a bunch of lesser ones to try out.
Meh. Gametap seems basically fine, but I always feel as if there’s something missing that keeps their model from being truly great.
Maybe it’s the whole “licensing” philosophy and the service running “secretly in the background”. I can’t help but constantly searching for a catch.
Just pirate it, fuck a gametap.