As the bots take over Verdansk, Warzone and Stalker are beginning to meld in my brain

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In all my interactions with artificial intelligence, it has often left me astounded by its human-like actions that caught me off guard. I can vividly remember the moment a Wolfenstein paratrooper executed a bunny-hop on the spiral staircase in the church rafters, and I still have a clear image of the orc bandit snatching a warhammer from my grasp along the road south of Cyrodiil. Despite myself, I dangled the weapon in front of him, tauntingly, only to witness him grab it back mid-air and continue his assault.

In designing Stalker: Shadow of Chernobyl, GSC Game World aimed to create instances like these. As they crafted the Ukrainian shooter, they gave non-player characters (NPCs) ambitions and motivations. These characters would traverse the Chernobyl Exclusion Zone in search of artifacts, trade them with vendors, and accept new missions. If NPCs happened to cross paths with adversaries on the road, the game would randomly determine whether they’d engage in a deadly battle, exchange goods, or steer clear of conflict. The developers even considered allowing NPCs to unravel the Zone’s mysteries independently, leaving the player somewhat superfluous.

According to various reports, the A-Life system had been significantly softened when Stalker was launched, but remnants of it still carry a powerful impact. The most memorable and recurring image associated with Stalker is the depiction of NPCs migrating within the Zone – a campfire scene where masked wanderers gather, strumming guitars and nibbling on whatever scant resources they can find.

When battles commence, NPCs become even more unpredictable, offering a fresh twist. Over the past few decades, we’ve grown accustomed to enemies in shooter games behaving in a largely foreseeable manner. They tend to stick to cover and pop up exactly where we expect them to. While this might provide a smoother gaming experience, Stalker serves as a reminder of what we’re missing out on. It’s thrilling to round a corner with a shotgun only to find your enemy isn’t where you anticipated. In Shadow of Chernobyl, enemies are just as likely to ambush you as the other way around, and engaging in firefights with multiple adversaries demands constant alertness to stay alive.

During my latest game session, I found myself remarking on how the back-and-forth encounters closely mirrored the pulsating tempo of a battle royale scenario. To me, the defining Warzone moment is the playful yet tense game of hide-and-seek that unfolds when one team rushes another into a confined space like a house; the exhilarating sequence of leaping from an attic window, darting around to the front door, and firing on the enemy sneaking up the stairs, who was aiming at my initial hiding spot. The Shadow of Chernobyl game manages to capture this same feeling of locating and being located in the midst of combat. However, it offers this experience within a single-player setting.

The uncanny resemblance is even more noticeable within the setting – a grimy warehouse in Stalker’s main hub, where ruthless competitors battle to their deaths for the amusement of a boisterous audience. This combat zone closely resembles a congested maze constructed from shipping containers, which might have been incorporated into Activision’s series of gulags. Each victory I achieved there was heavily influenced by my knowledge from Warzone’s 1v1 arena, where I honed the skill to pay attention to footsteps in order to secure a decisive advantage over my adversary. However, it’s essential to note that Stalker isn’t actually imitating Warzone; instead, Stalker was developed long before its introduction.

The unexpected connection between these two games has grown stronger since Warzone came back to Verdansk. The original map designed by Infinity Ward during the pandemic era is packed with decaying Cold War symbols and structures, much like those found in Stalker. Although some Soviet monuments have been removed from Stalker’s remaster, they were eventually reinstated.

In simpler terms, although Verdansk isn’t modeled after any specific nation, its Khrushchevka-style buildings hint that it was once part of the Soviet Union. Various elements scattered across the map also connect it to Eastern European countries that ceased to exist in the early ’90s. Longtime Warzone players will recognize the striking and symbolic monuments around Verdansk’s borders, which resemble the Spomeniks found in former Yugoslavia. Just like The Zone in Shadow of Chernobyl, this battle royale map serves as an unexpected burial ground for the fallen republics and empires of the 20th century. As a result, both games have a similar melancholic ambiance.

The reappearance of Verdansk has significantly altered the balance in Warzone, creating a tranquil yet momentous change that brings the battle royale experience remarkably close to the A-Life ideal. Lately, if you’ve logged in, you may have observed that the usual mode is now referred to as Casual – a more relaxed take on Warzone gameplay where a few human squads are paired with a full plane of AI bots. In my personal experience and that of my friends, it has become challenging to find a traditional match filled with numerous other real players.

As a dedicated Warzone gamer, I must say that the recent changes have sparked quite a discussion within the community. However, one thing that’s undeniable is the thrilling addition of NPC interaction to the battle royale experience. These NPCs, similar to the stalkers in A-Life, are relentless in their pursuit of objectives. They scavenge for better weapons and avoid the approaching gas just like us players do. It’s not that they’re out to entertain me, but rather, they’re equally determined to secure the same victory I am, right at the heart of the circle.

In a somewhat indirect manner, Warzone appears to be moving closer to the ambition that GSC originally set with A-Life in the 2000s. The impact of Chernobyl seems more prominent than ever.

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2025-08-09 19:12