As you move through The Zone, getting closer to Chernobyl itself, you realize more and more just how alive the world around you is. The world itself will try to kill you, radioactive explosions and electric bursts, and even vortexes to pull you in and kill you, if you don’t watch out for them.

This isn’t like most FPS games, where once you kill enemies in a certain area, more will replace them. If you kill a bunch of military, you might find bandits there later, checking the bodies for ammunition or food. Some areas, like small village-like settlements of mercenaries, will get attacked every so often. And humans aren’t all that are in this area. Mutants, ranging from radiation damaged canine type animals, to zombies, all the way to horrible creatures that seem to be created by The Zone itself. There is quite a bit awaiting you around Chernobyl, all in a very real feeling world.

While the world might not be seamless as other ‘open world’ single player titles, it doesn’t feel as broken up as it is. There is a nice friendly window that asks you before you cross from one area to another, to avoid unwanted load times. Given the type of game this is, they did an excellent job on the world itself, seamless or not.