S.T.A.L.K.E.R. Trilogy Enhanced Edition: Quick Update Rolls Out After Fan Backlash!

The release of S.T.A.L.K.E.R.: Legends of the Zone Trilogy – Enhanced Edition on May 20, which was supposed to delight fans with free “fully remastered and optimized” updates for prior trilogy owners, has instead drawn substantial backlash. GSC Game World, the developer, faced significant criticism as it emerged that they had subtly removed Russian voiceovers and Soviet-era symbols from the game.

This enhanced collection includes revamped editions of the games Shadow of Chornobyl (2007), Clear Sky (2008), and Call of Prypiat (2009), boasting improved graphics, enhancements for next-gen consoles, and broader support for mods. Despite these updates, the games quickly received a “mostly negative” reception on Steam due to complaints about the quality of the visuals and the removal of certain content, which players described as “blurry, censored, and revised, with added advertisements.”

A long-time fan of the series commented, “I’ve played the original versions extensively. When I load an enhanced edition, I expect it to rekindle my excitement for the game with noticeable improvements. Unfortunately, this release doesn’t do that. The graphics improvements are underwhelming, and I’m conflicted about the removal of the Russian elements. The original games were a reflection of their time and cultural context, and while I recognize the developers’ sensitivities, I question what is truly gained by altering these aspects.”

The player added, “It’s a free upgrade, so I shouldn’t complain too much, but it doesn’t feel like a significant improvement over the originals. If someone wants a better version, they might as well mod it themselves or play Anomaly. GSC should have done more, and simple cosmetic changes aren’t enough.”

GSC Game World, headquartered in Kyiv, Ukraine, has faced challenges following the full-scale invasion by Russia in February 2022, which disrupted the development of S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2. The conflict has tragically impacted their team, with at least one former developer, Volodymyr Yezhov, reported killed in action.

In response to the criticism, GSC recently released an update and a patch aimed at addressing technical issues like crashes on unsupported PC hardware and some consoles, saving problems, and missing elements in several game levels.

The development team stated, “Stalkers, we value your input and are actively working to resolve the most pressing issues. We are committed to making your return to the Zone memorable,” and promised continued improvements to the trilogy.

Regarding the removed Soviet symbols, such as the monument outside Chornobyl which was confirmed to have been deleted by PC Gamer, the update did not specifically mention these changes. Only the concrete bases where the monument once stood remain.

The recent updates have been met with some positive feedback. A player on Reddit exclaimed, “THEY LISTENED! THEY LISTENED! THEY LISTENED!” appreciating the efforts to address the game’s issues. Another noted, “This is a great first step. I’m hopeful we’ll see fixes for the blurry graphics and other elements like missing items in stashes soon.”

Read more on how S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2 has transformed the studio’s operations amid the ongoing conflict in Ukraine.