S.T.A.L.K.E.R. Legends of the Zone Enhanced Edition Out Now

Last year, after decades of cult acclaim on PC, the S.T.A.L.K.E.R. franchise finally made its console debut with the release of S.T.A.L.K.E.R. Legends of the Zone Trilogy on modern platforms. In anticipation for the release of S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2: Heart of Chernobyl, the collection introduced a new generation of players to the tense and atmospheric horrors of the Chernobyl Exclusion Zone. Now a year later, Ukrainian studio GSC Game World has followed up with enhanced editions tailored for the PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S, and PC offering visual upgrades and improved performance that brings the classic survival first-person shooters closer in line with modern expectation. It is available now.

Exclusion Zone

For newcomers, this trilogy pack includes S.T.A.L.K.E.R. – Shadow of Chernobyl, S.T.A.L.K.E.R. – Clear Sky, and S.T.A.L.K.E.R. – Call of Pripyat. All three installments were built on the same engine sharing a cohesive design language and mechanics along with one overarching narrative. Which is why S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2, while technically being the fourth entry, represents a true generational leap, built from the ground up using Unreal Engine 5. Now available as S.T.A.L.K.E.R.: Legends of the Zone Trilogy – Enhanced Edition, these titles have been visually and technically upgraded for modern platforms.

Players can expect enhanced lighting effects, updated textures and models, new shaders for realistic water and weather, along with pre-rendered 4K cinematics. Console users on PS5 and Xbox Series X|S benefit from multiple performance modes, keyboard and mouse support, and robust modding capabilities via mod.io. That right there, is remarkable considering PC games that get console ports never get to experience any sort of modding scene like you do on PC, so this is quite a big deal, if you ask me.

Features and Availability

• Free upgrade for current owners of the game on their respective platforms
• Bundle retails for $39.99. Individual games available for $19.99 each
• Cross-Platform Modding: mod.io enables both PC AND console players to share and use mods.
• Available at launch for PS Plus Extra and Premium Subscriptions
• Steam Workshop and GamePad support for PC players
• Pre-Rendered 4k Cinematics: Emphasizes storytelling cohesion across all three games.

Support for Ukraine

Beyond the technical upgrades, the release also carries deeper significance. GSC Game World, headquartered in Kyiv, continues to develop and support the S.T.A.L.K.E.R. series amid the ongoing war in Ukraine. The studio remains vocal in its support of its homeland and encourages players to contribute to the humanitarian efforts through official channels like President Volodymyr Zelenskyy’s United24 charity initiative. It’s an important reminder that behind this post-apocalyptic fiction, is a very real and present struggle for sovereignty and survival.

You can support the Ukrainian people by donating at the official UNITED24 website.

My Thoughts

I’ve always been curious about this series ever since I reviewed a similar, yet separate, game a couple years back called Chernobylite. Like S.T.A.L.K.E.R., that game was also a survival horror shooter featuring supernatural shenanigans set inside the Exclusion Zone. I actually purchased the trilogy pack a while back around the time S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2 was released, so I’m excited to know that I qualify for the free upgrade. Perhaps now this news will encourage me to sit down and actually dive headfirst into the world of S.T.A.L.K.E.R.