Very atmospheric games. The best atmospheric games. Aragami video games

Video games are a great escape, a first class ticket out of reality.

From the rainy streets of Blade Runner, the snowy forests of The Long Dark, to the ruins of a nuclear disaster in Fallout with the underwater city of Bioshock. In some of them you need to understand the combat system or score more points, and in some, the developers create a believable world and send the player there.

The following games managed to stand out from others due to the competent combination of sounds, visual effects and game environment, which in my opinion gives them the title of the most atmospheric games.

This brutal survival simulator can also amaze with its beauty. You literally feel the cold as you make your way through the snow. And sheltering near a crackling fire during a howling blizzard is an incredibly atmospheric scene.

It's a flawed but ambitious point-and-click adventure from Westwood that brilliantly recreates the look and spirit of Ridley Scott's sci-fi film of the same name. The rain-drenched streets of Los Angeles in 2019 look very atmospheric.

Despite its stylized, almost cartoonish visuals, Shoshone National Forest is a great, atmospheric place to take a virtual walk. This reserve is beautiful and eerily deserted, which makes the game absolutely gorgeous.

The same Los Angeles, but this time in the late 40s. Rockstar's meticulous attention to detail and Andrew Hale's memorable quips certainly add to the game's immersion, as if we were re-watching those old Chinatown detective films.

The game developers managed to create one of the most atmospheric gaming settings - the Zone. This is a gloomy post-apocalyptic wasteland in the shadow of the exploded Chernobyl nuclear power plant. Realistic weather effects perfectly complement the already unfriendly .

The hard-edged 1970s technology and muted colors of the Sevastopol space station recreate the atmosphere of Ridley Scott's original Alien film. The perfect setting for this tense, depressing horror masterpiece.

Everybody's Gone to the Rapture

The sleepy village of Yaton and its surrounding valley may seem like the perfect example of rural life in England, but something terrible has happened here. This feeling of unease dominates every scene of the idyll.

The setting of this story is the barren Hebrides. The creators of this game, The Chinese Room, perfectly captured the feeling of the gray, windswept Scottish islands and used it to weave a dark, mysterious plot.

Assassin's Creed IV: Black Flag

All Assassin's Creed games are atmospheric, but Black Flag made me feel like I was somewhere else. Ubisoft's Caribbean turned out to be absolutely gorgeous, especially when a tropical storm approaches.

SOMA

This psychological, sci-fi horror game from the creators of Amnesia is an incredibly detailed, moody underwater game. The consecration is particularly impressive, transporting us into a rich underwater atmosphere.

The huge open world in The Witcher is full of such beautiful places as: the golden fields of Velen and the frozen island of Skelige. These are the places where you can simply lose yourself in the atmosphere for a long time, not to mention the local sunsets.

The underwater city in BioShock is truly impressive. Art Deco skyscrapers looming above us in the murky green water have become classics of the genre in computer games. Columbia from BioShock Infinite is also good, but it still doesn't compare to the atmosphere of the original game.

Wherever you wander in Lordran, you can feel the spirit of antiquity. This place is filled with myths, very old and almost forgotten. It's like we're exploring the ruins of an ancient, long-lost civilization.

Trading and fighting are fun, but sometimes it's worth getting off the ship to get a closer look at the city. Frontier's marvelous Milky Way is filled with amazing views, and the stirring music just adds to the atmosphere.

DayZ

Like the game STALKER, DayZ's Chernarus is a rather bleak, deserted place in the post-Soviet space. It may be beautiful in the sunshine, but mostly Chernarus is a gray, rain-soaked and despairing place.

In video games, we're used to seeing and experiencing nuclear devastation in person, but DEFCON shows a different side: the eerie silence of war in the rooms where world leaders calmly orchestrate the planet's complete destruction.

Here are the consequences of a nuclear war. Like the original game, Fallout 3 features an abandoned wasteland exposed to nuclear weapons, only this time in 3D. The game has its own indescribable atmosphere, which promotes exploration of the game world. At least until the giant ants want to finish you off.

Improved lighting effects make night battles in Arma 3 incredibly atmospheric. And during the day, the sun-drenched Greek islands of Altis and Stratis look very beautiful. When creating the environment, the developers from Bohemia rose to the occasion.

This is another proof of the high level of skill of the Fullbright developers, since an ordinary house turned out to be so atmospheric. The flickering TV in the living room that signals an approaching storm is just a great touch.

No one expected Valve to set the Half-Life sequel in a city in Eastern Europe. City 17 shows us oppressed citizens, abandoned streets, dilapidated Soviet apartments and faded signs in Cyrillic.

The heady, surreal, neon-drenched atmosphere of Hotline Miami combined with the relentless, gun-wielding ultra-violence makes for a very compelling game to play. The pounding, synth-heavy soundtrack only adds to the evil energy of the game, with its 80s-style graphics.

An interesting, abstract adventure game that owes its style to the films of David Lynch. This game is far from a perfect point-and-click game, but the mysterious story and atmospheric visuals make up for it.

Skyrim's snowy mountains, icy rubble, and bubbling hot springs are a joy to explore, especially at sunset. Bethesda still needs to work on the character models, but the world they've created is one of the best yet.

Everything in Portal 2 is very carefully designed, including the Aperture laboratory itself. Traveling through different eras feels like you've unlocked some ancient time capsule that should never have been disturbed.

Exploring the dark depths of the sea provided an example of the game's atmospheric environments. The whole essence of the story lies in the eloquent lines, but the green illustrations are also a very expressive detail.

If you've ever wondered what it's like to be alone on the planet, only he can convey it to you in more detail. You truly feel like you're in another world as you drive your rover across the desolate red planet.

There are games that can hook you in some way. They don't have the most advanced graphics, the plot has holes and bloopers, and the gameplay itself is not up to par. But they want to forgive all this if the developers did their best and created an attractive atmosphere. It is precisely such games that we will discuss in our top today. Of course, atmosphere is not graphics and it cannot be measured, so all the games presented below are arranged in a very rough and subjective order.

Series S.T.A.L.K.E.R.

S.T.A.L.K.E.R. You can scold for a lot of things. And for unjustified expectations, and for a clumsy plot by modern standards, and for stupid dialogues. However, what cannot be taken away from the brainchild of Ukrainian developers is the meticulously recreated atmosphere of the Exclusion Zone. That's why we fell in love S.T.A.L.K.E.R. Even if he was not what we expected him to be, he plunged us headlong into the rapidly flowing life on this mothballed piece of the Soviet Union. The developers put their soul into every location, every building, every rusting car.

Fallout series

Without a doubt, the Fallout series can be considered one of the best examples of atmospheric games. This epic about the world after the end of the world has left a deep imprint in the heart of every gamer. We love these games selflessly, devotedly, and are ready to forgive them over and over again for their increasing bias towards the mass consumer, just to once again touch this enchanting atmosphere. It is the carefully crafted world and the atmosphere of the post-apocalypse, and not the gameplay or plot at all, that keeps us at the computer when we play Fallout.

Vampires:The Masqarade – Bloodlines

This role-playing game, which became the last for the legendary studio Troika Games, can rightfully be considered one of the most atmospheric games of all time. Excellent design, a gorgeous soundtrack that will definitely be on your playlist after completing it, and rich, vibrant characters create an indescribable atmosphere of night Los Angeles. This was not at all the Los Angeles we are used to seeing in movies. This is a dark place, full of drug addicts, freaks and maniacs, among whom vampires do not look like such scary monsters. Unfortunately, towards the end, the game suffers greatly due to the limited development time. But it's still one of the most atmospheric games ever seen.

Slender: The Eight Pages

Kids, don’t go for a walk in the forest... Especially if it’s a forest from a game Slender: The Eight Pages, in which a creepy creature named Slenderman awaits you. If you still value your mental health, don't touch this game. This horror movie will scare anyone, regardless of age and gender. The creepy game of hide and seek with Slenderman will stay in your memory for a long time, and this huge, mysterious forest will look great in your nightmares. For its frightening atmosphere, Slender: The Eight Pages gets a place in our top.

Manhunt

It's scary to imagine the world of fevered fantasies of developers from Rockstar who were responsible for creating this game. At one time, it challenged all guardians of morality, becoming one of the most brutal games of all time. But besides the senseless violence, it was remembered for its oppressive atmosphere. The creepy TV show for perverts, of which we unwittingly had to be spectators, was perfectly directed and written. The gloomy streets of the godforsaken town left an indelible impression on the soul of everyone who visited here. It's unlikely that Rockstar will ever release a sequel, but maybe that's for the best.

GTA series

We can talk about this series for a very long time and a lot, but since our top is dedicated to the most atmospheric games, we will dwell only on this moment. Whatever era Rockstar wanted to cover in the next game in the series, they always did it well. Whether it was the eighties from Vice City, the nineties from San Andreas or the zeros from GTA IV, each time the developers managed to capture the very essence of the era and meticulously transfer it to our screens. Sometimes you just want to wander the streets of these cities and observe, because Rockstar creates truly living worlds in which the player feels at home. The GTA series has been maintaining the highest level of quality for many years now and it doesn't look like Rockstar is going to stop there.

World of Warcraft

Why World of Warcraft has been alive for 11 years, and his killers, who come out almost once every six months, invariably die a sudden death? What do developers from Blizzard, what others don't have? To answer this question, take a walk through the Elvin Forest during the rain. Ride a swift-winged griffin as you admire the vast expanses of the Eastern Kingdoms. While away an hour drinking rum with friends in Pirate's Cove. Listen to how little children gossip about a huge crocolisk that lives somewhere in the canals of Stormwind. Stand shoulder to shoulder with your allies to once again repel the next Evil that is about to wipe out Azeroth from the face of the earth. I think then you will be able to answer your own question, but this answer will be impossible to express in words.

Journey

This strange, silent game that from the first seconds grabs you by the hand and pulls you somewhere into unknown distances. This is an adventure in which you write your own story, based on your own feelings. The most important thing this game has is the atmosphere of something fabulous, unforgettable, beyond words. Journey It will give you more questions than it will answer, and that’s what’s good about it.

Mafia Series

The great and mighty Grand Thief Auto there is at least one competitor that can compete with it. And we are, of course, talking about the series Mafia, which over and over again pleases us with an excellent plot, interesting gameplay and, what is important in the light of our top, an excellent atmosphere of the 30s-50s. Fans of gangster films will be delighted with this epic, which undoubtedly can be classified as a classic of the genre. Mafia is a truly human, and very human story that takes place in a living and interesting world.

The Elder Scrolls series

This fantasy universe is close to the heart of every gamer. This is a huge world with its own history and mythology, which we get to know better and better with each new game in the series. And every time we give ourselves to Tamriel without reserve. Each game in the series takes us out of our daily routine for a long time. And not the least role here is played by the excellent atmosphere of a real fantasy. Games of the series The Elder Scrolls- this is an excellent fantasy that follows the classical canons and yet is free from outside influence.

I couldn’t ignore this question. Despite the fact that many games have already been mentioned, I will make my contribution.

There are a lot of games with an exciting plot, because this is what all developers strive for at the creation stage, but there is also a narrower category - games without complex gameplay, the so-called “interactive movie”, where you don’t need to shoot at anyone, develop strategies, etc. This genre is now gaining popularity and developers continually delight us with new products.

Among the famous games I can highlight HeavyRain, Beyond: Two Soyls, Until Dawn, which successfully combine beautiful graphics and a plot, a real movie! It’s a shame that it’s only exclusive to Sonya, but you can watch the walkthrough on YouTube, it looks like a TV series.

Life is Strange What can I say, I'm impressed by the game. Even my sister, who is far from gaming, was stuck to the screen, and until we got to the end, she couldn’t tear it away. The game keeps you in suspense until the end, and the ending pulls the rug out from under your feet. The action takes place in a college, in a small town in America, the game has a large number of characters, all of them have secrets that we will get to know during the game. And as we know, it is in such small towns that all the most interesting things happen...

Let's move on to the lesser known ones.

Blues and Bullets It's strange that no one mentioned it. The game is new, interesting graphics, if you watched Sin City, you will understand the Noir style; you will have to play as detective Elliot Ness, the same one who put Al Capone behind bars. Thus, we will investigate the disappearance of children under the control of a historically existing person, surrounded by luxurious scenery against the backdrop of stunning Blues.

To the Moon Just an indie game with a strong story, unusual plot presentation and emotional music. (I’m sure after completing your playlist your playlist will definitely be replenished) And don’t let the graphics scare you, the game is worth your time! By the way, if anyone is interested, then on the Freebird developer website you can find several mini-games, free for download, in the same style, in particular the addition to To the moon - The bird story. The guys try hard and regularly delight fans with art, games and music. For which we have great respect.

Fahrenheit. The oldest of them all, the progenitor of action-choice games. The first game from Quantic Dream, the guys who would later create the aforementioned HeavyRain and Beyond: Two Soyls. Yes, you'll have to tinker a little with the controls, the atmosphere is captivating, you can change your character during the game, and overall, it's a very good toy for its time.

I will include Mafia and Mafia 2 in this list, although this is not an interactive movie, it leaves an aftertaste no worse than others. The first part is generally ingenious, all the houses of the city are not drawings, but real photographs, also a chip with a weapon left on the other side of the city, whoever played will understand, they don’t make such things anymore, which is a pity(

Well, as I said before, there is a demand for such games, so I think our list will soon be replenished)

Games are countless virtual worlds that allow us to become what we want, but cannot in real life. However, among these worlds there are those that have earned the title of the best, both from gamers and from impartial critics.

To select the best games on PC, we studied popular Russian-language resources, such as Iwantgames, Stopgame And Kanobu, and also read reviews of popular games on Metacritic. This is how a list of 20 best PC games of all time which we present to your attention. Game ratings are based on data StopGame.

Genre: MMORPG.

Release date: 2004-present.

Platform: Mac, PC.

One of the best online games for PC offers not only an epic confrontation between two opposing alliances - the Alliance and the Horde, but also a beautiful, very large world, interesting quests, a carefully crafted story and raids.

In them you will be able to fully demonstrate your talent as a healer, melee or ranged fighter, or a powerful defender. Or just kiss squirrels in the nearest forest, if your soul lies only in peaceful pursuits.

The game is quite old by today's standards, but additions are regularly released to it. Next up – Battle for Azeroth will be released on August 14th.

19. Tom Clancy's Rainbow Six Siege

Rating: 8.8.

Genre: Shooter, addon.

Release date: 2015

Platform: PC, PS4, XONE.

According to many players, this is the most realistic and intense tactical first-person shooter. The game does not have a solo campaign, but there is exciting team play. The task of the attacking side is to take the opponents by storm, and the team playing on defense must strengthen its positions as much as possible and set cunning traps for the enemy.

The plot is based on real events that took place during counter-terrorism operations.

Rating: 8.8.

Genre: Shooter.

Release date: 2011

Platform: PC, PS3, X360

As bullets whiz overhead and explosions hurl you to the ground, the battlefield feels more realistic than ever before. In Battlefield 3, players will temporarily transform into elite US Marines. Dangerous missions await them, both solo and cooperative.

Excellent graphics, a wide variety of vehicles, a well-designed environment and pleasant rewards for good team play - this is what even very picky gaming publications praise Battlefield 3 for.

Rating: 8.8.

Genre: Arcade.

Release date: 2015

Platform: PC, X360, XONE

This is perhaps the most beautiful platform arcade game in our game rating. From the very first minutes, its unusual graphics attract attention and do not let go until the game is completed. An atmospheric world, a pleasant and unobtrusive soundtrack, RPG elements, a cute hero who will appeal to both young and adult gamers - what else is needed to while away a couple of evenings in front of the computer?

Rating: 8.9.

Genre: Strategy.

Release date: 2017

Platform: Mac, PC.

For many people, the sci-fi strategy game StarCraft represents one of the greatest computer games of all time. And StarCraft: Remastered lives up to the high bar set by its predecessor. With stunning new Ultra HD visuals, re-recorded audio and updated online support, this game comes highly recommended.

15. Assassin's Creed 2

Rating: 8.9.

Genre: Action

Release date: 2009.

Platform: PC, PS3, X360.

The product of more than two years of intensive work and part of the popular Assassin's Creed franchise. In a vast open world environment, the game invites you to play as Ezio, a young nobleman living during the Renaissance. An interesting story of revenge and retribution is successfully complemented by a variety of missions, unusual gameplay elements, a wide selection of weapons and character development, which fans of the original Assassin’s Creed love so much.

Rating: 9.0.

Genre: Shooter.

Release date: 2007

Platform: Mac, PC, PS3, WII, X360.

This game was amazing for its time, thanks to the atmosphere of a real war, a clear plot, an exciting multiplayer mode, hundreds of beautiful scenes and a meticulous design of the game environment. Even now, the military blockbuster Modern Warfare can provide several hours of exciting gameplay.

Rating: 9.0.

Genre: Action

Release date: 2012

Platform: PC, PS3, PS4, X360, XONE

The main character of the game is Jason Brody, a man stuck on a mysterious tropical island. In this wild paradise, where lawlessness and violence reign supreme, Brody will determine the outcome of the war between rebels and pirates for control of the island.

Rating: 9.1.

Genre: RPG.

Release date: 2017

Platform: PC, PS4, XONE

Twenty hours into this RPG, you'll still be discovering new mechanics you never knew about. In this regard, Original Sin 2 is not very friendly to beginners, and requires some persistence and patience from them.

At the same time, the huge number of quests and secrets, the non-linearity of the game, and its world, which is almost unparalleled in terms of scale and detail, are an experience that should not be missed.

Rating: 9.2.

Genre: Action, RPG.

Release date: 2010

Platform: PC, PS3, X360.

This exciting space saga takes players to unknown alien civilizations and battles with aliens, mercenaries and sentient robots. Additionally, it offers one of the most interesting and well-designed characters in RPG games.

Rating: 9.2.

Genre: RPG.

Release date: 2011.

Platform: PC, PS3, X360.

Bethesda Game Studios' open-world adventure doesn't boast the best combat or magic systems, or even better graphics, than the competition. Instead, it offers something much more - one of the biggest, richest and most immersive worlds you've ever seen.

Traveling through locations in Skyrim will take so much time that you can lose sleep, take time off from work, and test the patience of family and friends while playing.

Rating: 9.2.

Genre: Action, racing

Release date: 2013

Platform: PC, PS3, PS4, X360, XONE

The best games of all time would not be complete without this superbly optimized, atmospheric game. Its action takes place in the sunny city of Los Santos, in which a criminal trio operates:

• Franklin, a young thief looking for an opportunity to get his hands on some serious money.
• Michael, a former bank robber whose retirement wasn't as rosy as he thought it would be.
• Trevor, a violent guy suffering from a mental disorder.

Players can switch between characters at any time, and it's definitely worth doing. After all, each character has his own set of quests, as well as primary and secondary skills that help him survive and get the most out of the world of GTA5.

Rating: 9.3.

Genre: Strategy.

Release date: 1999

Platform: PC.

This legendary game has become the most popular title in the Heroes of Might and Magic series. Compared to previous parts, it offered new types of cities, seven small story campaigns for each faction, and at the same time ran even on low-power computers. Thanks to good localization, The Restoration of Erathia was a huge success in Russia.

Rating: 9.3.

Genre: RPG.

Release date: 2009

Platform: Mac, PC, PS3, X360.

As the spiritual successor to Baldur's Gate, one of the most successful role-playing games in the industry, Dragon Age: Origins combines the best elements of fantasy with stunning visuals. It cannot be called a revolution in the RPG genre, but rather an evolution.

The story of Dragon Age: Origins is exciting and action-packed, the characters are unforgettable, and the journey through the game world inhabited by people, dwarves and elves is something that will captivate you and will not let you go until the very end.

Rating: 9.3.

Genre: Puzzle.

Release date: 2011

Platform: Mac, PC, PS3, X360.

Valve has created a fun puzzle game with excellent gameplay mechanics. It offers players not only a single-player game for the main character Chelsea, who has to escape from the Aperture laboratory, but also a co-op mode for two players. The main characters in it will be the robots Atlas and P-Body. The storyline of the co-op mode does not intersect with the plot of the single-player mode, which leads to unexpected endings.

Rating: 9.3.

Genre: Action, racing.

Release date: 2002

Platform: PC

One of the best games in history still evokes warm and nostalgic feelings among those who played it. And those who did not pass can do so for three main reasons:

1. The huge map of Lost Haven is filled with diverse and magnificent places. Each area has a unique appearance, has its own unique atmosphere and even musical accompaniment.
2. The core gameplay can be summarized by simply saying that it consists of shooting and driving from a third-person perspective. However, in reality it offers much more: from a variety of missions to dialogues and interactions with many NPCs that inhabit the streets of The City of Lost Heaven.
3. An unusual and very beautiful main musical theme, created under the direction of the Czech composer Vladimir Simunek, and with the participation of the Bohemian Symphony Orchestra.

The only weak thing in the game is the imperfect AI of the heroes' enemies and companions. On the other hand, the fact that Los Have Haven's police officers are not geniuses further enhances the realism.

Rating: 9.3.

Genre: Shooter.

Release date: 2004

Platform: PC.

This game was very loved, and fans of the series are still waiting for the release of the third part. Half-Life 2's graphics engine was so realistic that players felt like they were in the movie. Excellent character animation, an original way of presenting the plot, a variety of environments and ways to interact with them, and most importantly, a charismatic protagonist made the first-person shooter Half-Life 2 what it is to this day. Namely, one of the most popular games in history.

Rating: 9.4.

Genre: RPG.

Release date: 1998

Platform: PC.

An amazing atmosphere, great music, and an exciting story make Fallout 2 a diamond in the RPG genre. This is a real non-linear game that allows you to do whatever you want in a world full of mutants, radiation, and hundreds of other dangers.

Rating: 9.5.

Genre: RPG.

Release date: 2015

Platform: Mac, PC, PS4, XONE.

The game about the adventures of Geralt of Rivia set a new standard for quality in open-world RPG games. Diverse and exciting locations, full of important decisions, interesting characters, and cruel enemies, excellent graphics and music, a thoughtful plot, funny and dramatic moments - all this gave players more than 100 exciting hours of gameplay.

For anyone who doesn't know the magical universe created by Andrzej Sapkowski, The Witcher 3 explains the history of all the important characters and what connects them to Geralt. This way, even beginners quickly get up to speed.

Rating: 9.6.

Genre: Addon, RPG.

Release date: 2016

Platform: PC, PS4, XONE.

The Witcher 3 is one of the highest rated games on PC. And its Blood and Wine addon is better made than most games released in 2016. Even players who have spent hundreds of hours in The Witcher greeted the new addition with an interesting storyline with surprise and delight. It is an excellent ending to the story about the White Wolf.

The quantity and quality of content in this addon is simply stunning, making it a full-fledged game. Many quests, dialogues and, of course, monsters await you in the new Toussaint location.

Why atmosphere?

For me, the most important thing in games is the atmosphere.

The atmosphere in games is a combination of surroundings, supported colors and soundtrack with a unique sound pattern in the context of the game's plot.

I decided to make a selection of games that seemed to me the most atmospheric. The games are in order, there will be no ratings or comparisons, because each game is good in its own way.

For the entire impressive set of advantages of the Metro shooter series, and first of all the unique atmosphere - so thick that you could eat it with a spoon - there is one big minus.

Whatever one may say, the shooters from these games turned out so-so. There are no normal ballistics, the enemies are stupid and do not react to hits, the weapons are unconvincing - a set of symptoms is generally typical for shooters made in the post-Soviet space, S.T.A.L.K.E.R. suffered from the same disease. Neither the interesting arsenal nor the ability to attach the stock and optical sight to a regular revolver helped.

But timid hope still glimmered, especially considering that the developers, without being modest, stated that, following the graphics, the gameplay would be improved in the updated version.

In addition to the visual part, the developers have tidied up the gameplay. Metro 2033 was a good shooter, but there were frequent stealth episodes and no possibility of normal silent kills. Now everything is as it should be, that is, as in Last Light. We can sneak up on the enemy from behind, kill him or stun him - the karmic system, we can’t live without it these days. Your decisions do not affect the ending: we still make the final choice at the very end of the game. Convenient throwing knives are still a great help in difficult situations when it is desirable to complete levels quietly. There are no problems with the warriors, but the monsters could be weaker: even at the basic (“normal”) difficulty level you need to land 3-4 machine guns to kill some of the reptiles.

The developers clearly wanted to emphasize the difficult life in a post-apocalyptic world and even divided the game into two styles: “Spartan” and “Survival”. The latter speaks for itself: emphasis on quiet passage, little ammo, enemies are accurate and sensitive, it is strongly recommended to play only in stealth mode. “Spartan” is more suitable for fans of noisy gunfire and explosions: there is enough ammunition, and first aid kits are not a problem to find either. Although situations where you are left with virtually no ammunition are very real. In addition, do not forget that one type of bullet is considered currency here, and it is better not to waste money in the literal sense of the word. These rounds in Metro 2033 Redux are now incendiary, as implemented in Last Light.

If “Survival” doesn’t seem enough, welcome to the “Ranger Hardcore” difficulty level: plus devilish difficulty, minus the interface. The only thing that helps is the initial machine gun, which can be used to determine the number of cartridges in the clip by eye - the magazine goes into the barrel as you fire.

What we have left is a well-remade Metro 2033, which is still interesting, and a couple of changes in Last Light purely for fans. It makes sense to purchase both parts only if you have not played Last Light before.

The universe of the game "Stalker" is large and vast, full of secrets and mysteries that fill every corner of the Forbidden Zone. The primary source is, of course, the work of the Strugatsky brothers “Roadside Picnic”. The idea existed - it was loneliness, a feeling of deep melancholy, dull colors and constant danger, because of which you had to be on guard everywhere.

The first part of the saga about Marked, the lone stalker, came out back in two thousand and seven. At that time, the little-known company GSC Game World released a game, the setting of which was not the surroundings of Chernobyl and Pripyat. Sights were present: the fourth power unit, the Prometheus cinema, a dump of abandoned equipment and much more. The player was told the story of a tramp who had lost his memory, a hunter of the wealth of the Zone - artifacts. On behalf of the hero, the gaming community observed a new, unlike any other world after the apocalypse in the north-west of Ukraine.

The seemingly lifeless landscape was diluted with millions of small details. The flora was noisy, the fauna was running about its business, both could do harm! People went about their daily lives - mostly sitting safely in improvised bases, occasionally making forays into dangerous parts of the contaminated territory. The picture that opened up was captivating; there was a sense of the reality of what was happening. Melancholy could penetrate to the depths of the soul if the player happened to fall under acid rain in one of the buildings of the Zone. The atmosphere of loneliness was conveyed with rare skill. Despite this, I didn’t want to quit the game. For eight whole years, “Shadows of Chernobyl” has not lost its relevance, forcing fans of the series to return to familiar places.

Two thousand and eight was marked by the release of the second part - the prehistory of the first part, in which they explained to us how the Zone became the way the players saw it a year ago. The developers managed the impossible - to show a completely different show on the old map, the development of the plot and the atmosphere of which still fit perfectly into the world of the Zone. A relatively densely populated area where a war is being waged for areas of influence, terrible thickets of forest, new secrets, the disclosure of which could lead to far from happy consequences. The picture of the history of the contaminated area began to be put together into a bizarre mosaic, the plot developed, and the players, having completed the second part, waited with even greater hope for the appearance of the third. What can you do if the writers, having answered all the questions of the first part, accidentally dropped a dozen more, forcing loyal fans to scour the Zone in search of answers that could not be found.

The final, third part, being a sequel to the first, was released in two thousand and nine, immediately recouping the development costs. The player was placed in the very center of the contaminated area - the vicinity of the ghost town of Pripyat, again left alone with a seemingly simple mission. The third adventure lasted much longer than the first two - three huge locations allowed fans to unfold in full force. The developers should also be given their due. Few third parts can boast such rapid development and such high quality content. New opportunities, interesting tasks, old acquaintances and the unique, but nostalgic spirit of “Stalker” has returned, allowing the gaming community to once again enjoy the game that has sunk into the souls of many.

The Elder Scrolls series is unique in its own way - among old-school Western role-playing games, it is almost the only one that continues to live and develop. You can only name the post-apocalyptic saga Fallout, but at some point it almost sank into oblivion, and it was Bethesda, the developer of The Elder Scrolls, who saved it from this fate. The most surprising thing is that the series is also extremely in demand. The release of a new episode is a global event. Almost no other modern game comes close to what The Elder Scrolls offers. The player is given a huge fantasy world where he is free to do whatever he wants. Of course, there is an ultimate goal, you must certainly prevent some ancient Evil from causing another dirty trick for everyone, but the emphasis is not on this, but on various kinds of side activities. They are available in abundance in any Western RPG, and in The Elder Scrolls they are completely placed in the foreground. Sometimes you can’t even call them side stories - they are, rather, alternative storylines. They are less epic, but certainly no less exciting.

The action of the fifth part takes place in the northern province of the Tamriel Empire - Skyrim. This meteorologically unfavorable region is inhabited mainly by Nords - stern, blond warriors who are clearly based on the Vikings. The situation in the region is deplorable: a war is raging there between the nationalists and the imperial legion that has arrived to pacify them. Freedom fighters believe that the Empire infringes on the rights of the Nords on their own land, and the authorities of Tamriel have decided that the law is the same for everyone. Anyone who thinks otherwise is a criminal. The game begins when the hero, along with the leader of the rebels, is led to execution. At the most crucial moment, it turns out that his name is not on the list of those sentenced, but this hesitation does not bother the imperial officers. To avoid bureaucratic red tape, they decide to behead the stranger anyway. The unfortunate man's life is saved by a dragon that suddenly attacks the settlement. In the chaos, the hero frees himself and escapes, after which the player is left to his own devices.

Once you get out into the vastness of Skyrim, you can go anywhere, even to the opposite edge of the virtual world. There are plenty of places to visit: forts, castles, huts, ruins and caves. Initially, only cities are marked on the map; other locations are displayed as you visit. The game allows you to move freely between known places, which significantly saves time. A compass is an indispensable aid in navigation. It shows in which directions nearby houses and attractions worthy of the hero’s attention are located. In addition, the compass marks destinations for active quests. Thus, despite the impressive size of the game world, it is difficult to get lost in it.

Quests - both large and small - await you literally at every turn. In the nearest large village, Whiterun, they will try to lure you into a squad of werewolf mercenaries. Their elderly captain is concerned about finding a cure for lycanthropy: he is afraid that after the death of such a bloodthirsty beast like him, they will not be allowed into the paradise for Sovngarde warriors. You can move to the separatist stronghold, Windhelm, and join the ranks of the rebels, fortunately the hero had the opportunity to meet their leader on the scaffold. The headquarters of the Imperial Legion is located in the capital of Skyrim. The Imperials are tough but pragmatic people, and for the sake of promising cooperation they are ready to forget the “misunderstanding” that happened. Riften in the southeast is notorious for being home to a thieves' guild in its sewers. She once held the whole of Skyrim in her fist, but for several decades she has been haunted by a series of failures. For some unknown reason, its patron, the goddess of shadows, turned away from the guild. If you are attracted to the witchcraft path, your path lies to the north - to the college, where warlocks teach the basics of magic to everyone. Don't forget about the main plot related to the return of dragons after centuries of sleep. After completing several assignments, it turns out that the hero is the reincarnation of the legendary dragon slayer. Revelation unlocks a special type of magic powered by the souls of defeated dragons.

Where The Elder Scrolls has always differed from other role-playing games is its hands-on approach to character development. There is no distribution of points according to parameters; all qualities improve themselves as they are used. The degree of mastery of a certain type of weapon increases in parallel with how the hero shreds enemies with this weapon. To master any school of magic, you need to regularly use spells related to this school. Unlocking locks becomes a little easier with each broken master key. Unlike Oblivion, where the hero’s level increased only by leveling up basic skills, in Skyrim all skills without exception are counted. As you level up, you can improve your health, stamina (consumed when running and swinging strikes), or your magic reserve, as well as choose one perk. So, when you bring your oratory to “30”, a perk is unlocked that allows you to bribe guards. The system is simple: in most role-playing games everything is much more complicated, if not more complicated. For The Elder Scrolls, however, it is optimal, since the dominant place in the series has always been occupied not by numbers, but by the virtual world.

“I dreamed of money, cars, women, respect, freedom. I think I got it all... more or less” - these words of Vito Scaletta, the protagonist of Mafia 2, best express the essence of the game. Even if there is not so much (or rather, not at all) freedom here, there are women, money, good music, enemies and especially cars - even freight cars.

The cars in the game are made almost better than anything else. Besides the fact that the era itself is conducive to this (be sure to check out our material comparing game models and their real prototypes), it is also a pleasure to drive them. Driving on a slippery road in slow and heavy cars is somewhat reminiscent of balancing on a tightrope: if you make a slight mistake, your out-of-control suitcase will already end up in the oncoming lane. Of course, in order not to deprive yourself of this pleasure, you need to enable “simulator” physics in the game settings. There are not so many car models this time - only 37, but each is designed with manic attention to detail (the only thing missing is the view from the cockpit) and is recognizable even by its sound. In a word, if we consider Mafia 2 as a simulator of cars from the era of the 40-50s, then it has no equal in this.

As, indeed, in the attention to detail. For some reason, some blame the game for the complete lack of activity and side quests in the city, but who needs to deal with driving stolen cars and robbing stores if every gateway, every facade in Empire Bay is sculpted by hand? During missions, you look around every now and then, amazed at the detail of the interiors, and going down the stairs, you can meet a cleaning lady listening at the door, who is immediately embarrassed by our appearance. It is clear that all these mise-en-scenes are calculated in advance and occur almost exclusively on our way, but you never cease to be amazed at the meticulousness of 2K Czech even the second and third time.

The only thing that gives the Czechs away is the typical Eastern European approach to polishing the game - in this regard, Mafia 2 differs from GTA 4 about as much as a Skoda differs from a Volkswagen. The camera in rooms often shows only a piece of the ceiling instead of the hero’s back, checkpoints are placed in such a way that the same mission has to be completed several times due to a stupid design error, and people are killed in the game quickly and unexpectedly (enemies are often not visible due to cover ). It's a shame that Take-Two Interactive's huge budgets were spent just on creating a beautiful world, amazing cars and licensing all the best music from the 50s.

The plot is well done, the characters are well done, and their animation is satisfactory. But there is no desire to break down Mafia 2 into its components, because its main advantage is its era and history. Which, however, is about an errand boy. If we put aside both the plot and the fashionable decorations, we have to admit that Mafia 2 does not fully meet the expectations of the best game of the year, and even more so of the decade. But whatever one may say, they waited for it for so long that the ratings hardly matter.

Over the course of several years, CD Projekt RED managed to accomplish something that other development companies can only dream of - creating a gaming analogue of “Game of Thrones” and achieving worldwide recognition, expanding the target audience of The Witcher from a group of fans of the brainchild of Andrzej Sapkowski to everyone gaming community. In addition to the unique world in The Witcher, there is something that radically sets it apart in the RPG space - this is the stunning naturalism of everything that happens. The developers do not conform to the toothless norms of artistic expression, which dictate that naked bodies and pools of blood should be bashfully hidden, that women and children should not be offended, and, of course, that as many representatives of all kinds of races and minorities as possible be included in the frame, even where they are inappropriate.

Both in terms of plot and the severity of the questions raised, the authors remain faithful to the spirit of the original. There is no good and evil here, the ideals of justice give way to real social problems. Tyranny, infringement of the rights of population groups, widespread cruelty and, of course, the struggle for power - politicized fantasy is very popular in popular culture today, but in the world of role-playing games it is a rare bird. The Witcher is tightly integrated into the artistic framework and confidently uses its resources. Did the developers manage to finally reveal the potential of the universe in the final chapter of the story of Geralt of Rivia?

Both in terms of the degree of elaboration of the plot, characters and voiced social problems, and geographically, the world of “Wild Hunt” has become larger and more holistic than in previous parts. In this case, it would be quite correct to compare not even with them, but with the standard of “large sizes” - The Elder Scrolls. However, unlike the latter, scale in The Witcher is not a goal, but a condition for immersion in what “The Scrolls” is precisely lacking - in the spiritual atmosphere of the Slavic epic.

Galloping on horseback through dense forests and endless plains, strolling through the streets of local villages, climbing the snow-capped mountain peaks of the Skellige Islands, you not only receive aesthetic satisfaction from the grandiose landscapes and incredibly beautiful graphics, but also feel the scale and significance of what is happening. Every frame of The Witcher 3 is filled with life: trees sway from gusts of wind, village children frolic by the lake, bandits and warriors pass along the roads. In the tavern you can play Gwent (this is a local card game) and drink beer. In Novigrad you can listen to a sermon by a priest, and in a tavern you can reminisce to the delightful song of Priscilla. The living world of the game, full of romantic adventure, is beautiful.

Dark Souls is an action RPG that uses a simple but fair combat system based on focusing the camera on an enemy, circling around them, waiting for the right moment to attack, rolling, blocking and parrying. The fame and popularity of Souls came from its complexity, which never exceeded reasonable limits, but always kept you in suspense. Every enemy dies in just a few hits, as does the hero. Death threatens the loss of souls, which are both money and experience for leveling up: caution will not hurt, but no loss will be truly critical, since everything can be replenished.

The feeling of hopelessness and despair has been firmly associated in the minds of the series before, but in Dark Souls 3, in every grain of the story it is felt that this journey is the last. We have never seen this world in such a deplorable state. But we should not forget that the history in the games in the series does not tolerate superficial study. It reveals itself only to the most meticulous. You need to look very closely. Peer into the abyss for a long, long time. Everything is not as it seems to you. The next chosen dead will follow the paths of his heroic predecessors, but it is not so easy to discern familiar outlines in new lands. Time is merciless - impregnable fortresses have long since turned to dust, new walls have grown in place of majestic castles, once blooming gardens are drowning in poisonous liquid, and where the sun once shone, a merciless cold reigns. Today these lands and kingdoms are called completely differently, but we will remember their true names. Or is it just an illusion? An evil joke of the abyss, which has been trying to devour the world for centuries? In Dark Souls you need to look with all your eyes, but, as before, do not blindly believe everything you see.

The possibility of inadvertently “messing up” your passage hasn’t gone away either. For example, I played through the game as a mage, and the only NPC teaching new spells, after I killed the next boss, for no apparent reason, disappeared forever because I did not bring him a single scroll of those that he was looking for. A wizard armed with only variations of the Soul Arrow is truly a pitiful sight. And I had to either start the game over, or put up with the inferiority of the character. However, be that as it may, among Dark Souls, the third part is, perhaps, still the best. It focuses on the right things, it learns from the experience of its predecessors, it offers what many games cannot do. This is a long, intense and exciting journey through vibrant and memorable places. This is a wonderful, beautiful and truly three-dimensional world that is extremely interesting to explore. These are all battles that are growing in complexity, forcing you to act more carefully, quickly, and cunningly.

On the other hand, DS3 has the main thing that distinguishes the entire Souls series - mystery. The developers of modern blockbusters are accustomed to not just putting all the most interesting things on display, but actually poking the player into this “most interesting” face. Here, on the contrary, all the most delicious things are hidden from inattentive eyes; the game is filled with secrets, non-obvious moments, and even entire plot branches that are easy to miss if you play through it carelessly. And for such a unique approach and technical roughness, you can once again forgive. The graphics in the game are not very good, but the atmosphere does everything for it, and in general the game is not about that at all. A funny paradox emerged with DarkSouls: the third part became exactly like this, which at one time they wanted to see the second, but from the triumphant conclusion of the trilogy they still wanted more. A repetition of what has been done, even if more or less justified, remains a repetition. The series is marking time, and this is not the best solution with so many rough edges and elements that frankly need a major overhaul.