The S.T.A.L.K.E.R. series has long held cult-classic status among PC gamers, renowned for its oppressive atmosphere, open-ended survival mechanics, and immersive Eastern European setting. With the launch of the Enhanced Edition of S.T.A.L.K.E.R.: Legends of the Zone Trilogy, GSC Game World reintroduces this beloved franchise to modern audiences on PC, PlayStation 5, and Xbox Series X|S, offering upgraded visuals, improved performance, and long-requested quality-of-life improvements. We revisited the Zone to evaluate all three titles — Shadow of Chornobyl, Clear Sky, and Call of Prypiat — across visuals, gameplay systems, and technical execution.
The Trilogy: A Breakdown of Titles
Each of the three titles brings its own unique flavor to the S.T.A.L.K.E.R. experience:
- Shadow of Chornobyl – The most atmospheric and narratively focused, introducing players to core survival and faction mechanics.
- Clear Sky – A prequel with a stronger focus on dynamic faction warfare and AI behavior.
- Call of Prypiat – The most polished and expansive of the three, with better pacing and balanced difficulty.
Visual and Performance Enhancements
The Enhanced Edition delivers a noticeable facelift: higher resolution textures, revamped lighting with screen space reflections, volumetric fog, and global illumination lend the trilogy a more modern sheen. Character and weapon models have been touched up, and foliage density has been increased to more closely resemble the real-life Exclusion Zone.
On PS5 and Xbox Series X|S, the game supports multiple graphical modes:
- Quality: Native 4K at 30 FPS
- Balanced: Upscaled 4K at 40 FPS
- Performance: Upscaled 4K at 60 FPS
- Ultra Performance: Upscaled 2K at 120 FPS (VRR required)
PC players benefit from full mod support via mod.io and higher frame rates with DLSS and FSR support — though some quirks remain.
Gameplay Experience and Mechanics
Gameplay remains faithful to the original design — slow-paced, weighty, and steeped in environmental storytelling. Resource management, radiation exposure, and anomaly avoidance are still central to survival. Gunplay feels slightly updated but still favors tactical precision over run-and-gun chaos. We’ve played the original entries and there is a reason this franchise is beloved – its steeped in atmosphere and great gameplay even all these years later.
If you have never played a game in the series, this is a great entry point and a fantastic package pickup.
Mission design, however, remains rooted in its 2000s heritage, with basic fetch quests and predictable enemy placements. Its age is showing of course, despite that, the emergent gameplay provided by the A-Life AI system still allows for unpredictable and dynamic encounters.
Criticisms and Missed Opportunities
The Enhanced Edition is not without controversy. Soviet-era symbols and Russian voiceovers have been removed — a politically charged decision that has divided fans. We are not a fan of removing content at all, preserving a game’s original vision is very important, so the lack of these original assets is saddening.
In addition, some players have reported performance issues on PC, including stuttering, missing DLSS options, and awkward control bindings in the UI. Performance was great for us, but there were the occasional Bethesda-esque bugs and graphical glitches that need some work still.
The user interface remains dated and clunky on consoles, and despite the graphical uplift, the engine still shows its age in character animations and asset streaming. This is to be expected as these aren’t full remakes, but it still
Mod Support and Community Involvement
One of the biggest wins for this release is official mod.io integration across all platforms. That alone makes this package worth the entry fee – there are already some decent mods coming and if the community supports this it could be incredible. Console players can finally enjoy curated mod support, while PC modders can continue enhancing gameplay and visuals through community tools. Mods such as HD texture packs, gameplay overhauls, and story expansions are already in development.
Conclusion – Legends Return with Caveats
S.T.A.L.K.E.R.: Legends of the Zone Trilogy – Enhanced Edition is a loving remaster of three iconic titles, offering meaningful visual and performance upgrades. While it retains the soul of the originals, it doesn’t escape their flaws. For returning veterans, this is a welcome excuse to dive back into the Zone. For newcomers, this version offers the most accessible entry point yet — with the caveat that some elements remain stubbornly archaic.
Final Score
- Shadow of Chornobyl (Enhanced): 8/10 – Atmospheric, iconic, lightly modernized
- Clear Sky (Enhanced): 7.5/10 – Faction intrigue, buggy at times
- Call of Prypiat (Enhanced): 8.5/10 – The most complete and rewarding experience
- Overall Trilogy Score: 8/10 – A definitive if imperfect return to the Zone
S.T.A.L.K.E.R.: Legends of the Zone Trilogy – Enhanced Edition: S.T.A.L.K.E.R.: Legends of the Zone Trilogy – Enhanced Edition is a loving remaster of three iconic titles, offering meaningful visual and performance upgrades. While it retains the soul of the originals, it doesn’t escape their flaws. For returning veterans, this is a welcome excuse to dive back into the Zone. For newcomers, this version offers the most accessible entry point yet — with the caveat that some elements remain stubbornly archaic. – Mario Vasquez