The original trilogy of Stalker games have been "refined for console" and are out now on Xbox and PlayStation in the form of a new collection called the Stalker Legends of the Zone Trilogy.
Released for Xbox One and PlayStation 4, but also available on Xbox Series X|S and PlayStation 5 via backward compatibility, the release brings the cult classic series to modern consoles for the first time.
Historically only available on PC, the arrival of these original games on modern consoles is a welcome move for fans of the series, or for anyone who's looking forward to Stalker 2: Heart of Chernobyl, the sequel that's due to release later this year.
You can check out the trailer from last night's Xbox Partner Preview that showed off the trilogy's re-release below.
At the moment, how exactly the games have been "refined for console" is a little unclear, with only the above trailer to go on in terms of how they look and play. The games themselves look very close to the original release versions, though a high-fidelity mode has been confirmed to be present on Xbox Series X, with additional graphical enhancements and other features to come later this year.
These latter details were confirmed by Xbox Wire, who spoke to developer GSC Game World's PR Specialist, Zakhar Bocharov. Additionally, Bocharov spoke about why it was also important to the Stalker 2 team that players had the opportunity to visit or replay the original games ahead of the release of the sequel: "S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2 is a direct continuation of the plot and a standalone title, but obviously knowing the previous events and characters would help you to enjoy certain story moments, nods, and Easter eggs better.” We couldn't agree more and are already lining up a full playthrough of the originals in the lead-up to Stalker 2.
As a result, there's never been a better time to dive into Stalker to immerse yourself in its post-apocalyptic world. Stalker Legends of the Zone Trilogy is available to download now on the Xbox and PlayStation storefronts.
Looking for more games like Stalker? Check out our guides to the best FPS games, as well as the best PS5 games and the best Xbox Series X games you can play.
