The graphics engine isn't as cutting-edge as some seen in newer games, but GSC Game World has managed to turn that into a plus. The environments in multiplayer are incredibly detailed. The multiplayer levels that we've seen are fairly complex, offering plenty of places to hide and fight from. The three modes in the beta are deathmatch, team deathmatch, and artifact hunt, which is basically a variation of the popular capture-the-flag mode. We had a chance to check out the multiplayer beta test going on right now, and the multiplayer is going for a more traditional run-and-gun style of action that shooter fans are familiar with. Then there's the multiplayer game that will let you run-and-gun online with and against other players. There's the ambitious single-player game that will put you in the midst of the exclusion zone that surrounds the infamous Chernobyl nuclear reactor. When it finally ships next month, S.T.A.L.KE.R. Survival gameplay and first-person action will blend together in S.T.A.L.K.E.R.: Shadow of Chernobyl, the long-awaited game from THQ and GSC Game World.
