After spending 28 hours with this masterpiece, I gotta say it was one of the most enjoyable games I've played in years. It has its share of problems: Doesn't perform that great in dynamic lighting mode, a little stuttering while running across the map, and there are a few minor quest bugs, but none of these could ruin the absolutely fantastic experience I had with the game.

28 hours for a single player FPS, and I was never bored. I was always finding new equipment, discovering new areas, and exploring the large world always brought about new and exciting gameplay aspects.

Above all, though, was the raw atmosphere soaking through this game at every turn. It's already impressive when simply starting the game out. The first of 5 or 6 "dungeon" areas was creepy enough. But by the time you approach the various labs where you're going crazy with Psychotic interference, you'll be constantly amazed at how much this game draws you in.

And finally, the last part of the game. No spoilers here, but wow - I don't think I've experienced such an intense gameplay run since the first time I played Call of Duty. While the ending could have been better, the last few hours of gameplay could have been worth the price of admission alone.

GSC Gameworld, well done. You deserve every sale you get and more. Pirates, shame on you for not supporting a small development studio who took a risk and succeeded marvelously. This is what PC gaming is all about, and I look forward to my next visit to The Zone.