Video game:S.T.A.L.K.E.R.: Shadow of Chernobyl

Video games continuously stimulate the imaginations of their players. By providing gamers the chance to craft their own destinies, they give new meaning to the term "alternate reality." Games that take place outside accepted history provide even more fodder for the imagination. "S.T.A.L.K.E.R.: Shadow of Chernobyl," released by THQ in 2007, is one such game.

"S.T.A.L.K.E.R." is a first-person shooter game that takes place in an alternate reality in which a second nuclear disaster at Chernobyl took place 20 years after the first. The radiation released by this incident mutated the plants, animals, and humans in the area. The game begins a few years after the second explosion. By this time, several people began coming to the area affected by radiation, known as "The Zone," looking for treasure and information. The plot of the game revolves around a man known as "Marked One" who is searching for information about his past. Because it has a non-linear storyline, the game contains several possible outcomes.

The game's development followed a checkered path. Because of this, players began calling it "vaporware," a game officially under development that never receives a release date. THQ originally set a 2003 release date, but they pushed this back several times. Between 2003 and the game's actual release in 2007, several different versions of the game leaked to the public.

After its release, "S.T.A.L.K.E.R." received positive reviews from critics, as well as the public. Players praised the game for its design, and Jason Ocampo, a critic for GameSpot, wrote, "This is a bleak game, but in a good way, as it captures its post apocalyptic setting perfectly." In December 2007, the game won the Special Achievement award for Best Atmosphere in GameSpot's annual Best and Worst awards.

"S.T.A.L.K.E.R." sold 2 million copies within its first year of release. Because of its success, THQ released two more games in the "S.T.A.L.K.E.R." series: a prequel, entitled "S.T.A.L.K.E.R.: Clear Sky," and the sequel, "S.T.A.L.K.E.R.: Call of Pripyat." The original "S.T.A.L.K.E.R." continues to draw fans with its survival/horror storyline, as well as the opportunity it presents to construct one's own ending.