STALKER: Legends of the Zone is being enhanced further for PS5, Xbox Series X|S and PC next week

STALKER: Legends of the Zone is getting a new Enhanced Edition, taking the 2024 console port and further enhancing it to take advantage of PS5, Xbox Series X|S and modern PC hardware. STALKER: Legends of the Zone – Enhanced Edition is launching next week on 20th May.

STALKER: Legends of the Zone – Enhanced Edition gives the original trilogy of STALKER games – Shadow of Chornobyl (2007), Clear Sky(2008), and Call of Prypiat (2009) – a visual spruce with upgraded visuals, optimisations specific to newer consoles and mod support. The 2024 Legends of the Zone port previously ran in backward compatibility on PS5 and Xbox Series X|S consoles, so this is GSC Game Worlds spreading their wings with more specific support. Additionally, where Legends of the Zone wasn’t released on PC last year, it is now getting a PC version with these same enhancements.

These include:

• Enhanced lighting with godrays, screen space reflections, and global illumination for a more immersive atmosphere.
• Upscaled textures and detailed 3D models for NPCs, weapons, and environments.
• Advanced shaders for water and wetness effects, paired with upgraded skyboxes for a more dynamic world.
• 4K pre-rendered cinematics for dramatic storytelling and improved weapon FOV for better combat visibility.

On consoles, you now have the following graphics modes.

Xbox Series X, PlayStation 5, PlayStation 5 Pro:

• Quality (native 4K/30 FPS)
• Balanced (upscaled 4K/40 FPS)
• Performance (upscaled 4K/60 FPS)
• Ultra Performance (upscaled 2K/120 FPS)

Xbox Series S:

• Quality (native 2K/30 FPS)
• Balanced (upscaled 2K/40 FPS)
• Performance (1080p/60 FPS)

(“2K” seemingly refers to 1440p)

There’s also keyboard and mouse support, and Mod.io integration to allow for mod sharing across both PC and consoles.

On PC, the trilogy is now Steam Deck optimised, there’s Steam Workshop integration, cloud saves and gamepad support.

For all existing owners, you’ll get a free upgrade. From the PS4 and Xbox One Legends of the Zone release last year, the Enhanced Edition on the respective current gen consoles will be free. Additionally, owners of the original STALKER games on PC get the Enhance Editions for free, and the same works in reverse as well – handy in case there’s any mod incompatibility that is introduced here.

STALKER: Legends of the Zone was a great way for console gamers to experience the original late noughties trilogy for the first time, ahead of STALKER 2’s release at the end of 2024. This Enhanced Edition looks to go further as a remaster, but we originally said of the console release, “On the sliding scale of remasters, the Legends of the Zone Trilogy is more of a port rather than an attempt to give these games a total makeover. […] As someone who struggled to get them running on my own PC back around the time they launched, being able to finally venture into the Zone on console has been immensely satisfying, even if these ageing first person shooters don’t cater for modern gamer sensibilities.”

Source: press release