Scouting further in several directions, we kept coming slap-bang into what appeared to be borders of the land, a chain link fence. However, additional wandering toward a train line - while a military helicopter circled overhead. Looking for us? Maybe - resulted in a couple of things. 1) We found a tunnel will crazy electrical storm-things going off in it and 2) we found a safer opening out of what we'll term the "starter zone."

However, attempting to go either route proved futile. The crazy electrical storm-things killed us and the second way resulted in death by radiation. It suggests that there's one or two other missions we need to complete to receive items that will allow us to overcome these obstacles. Well, that's the way these things usually work, anyway.

We've so far only tickled the surface of S.T.A.L.K.E.R., but we have to say "So far, so good." Although we're disappointed to discover lack of character development in the game - and we don't really see the necessity for weapon degradation - there's a lot of promise here and still great depth.

You also get the sense that the game world is huge, and there's definitely that "just one more mission" factor to it with so much seemingly to discover.

More soon.