STALKER: Shadow of Chernobyl is an atmospheric, open-world first-person shooter set in the post-nuclear disaster zone surrounding the Chernobyl Nuclear Power Plant in Ukraine. Players take on the role of a stalker – an illegal scavenger and explorer of the Chernobyl Exclusion Zone – as they search for artifacts and valuable equipment in the irradiated environment. The game features intense firefights with mutants, scavengers, and the military, as well as a compelling and twisted narrative involving a mysterious “Zone”. Players must use a combination of stealth, quick-thinking, and powerful weapons to survive the harsh world of STALKER: Shadow of Chernobyl and uncover the secrets of the Zone.
Stalker is a single-player open-world role-playing game, while Escape from Tarkov focuses on the MMO aspect.