Interview with a Member!

Today’s interview is with Siem, a passionate gamer and devoted fan of the S.T.A.L.K.E.R. series. He’s here to tell us all about his fascination with the game’s rich, immersive world and why he keeps coming back to it—even if it means playing late into the night.

What exactly is S.T.A.L.K.E.R., and what’s the game all about?

Siem breaks it down for us. “The title, S.T.A.L.K.E.R., is actually an acronym for ‘Scavengers, Trespassers, Adventurers, Loners, Killers, Explorers, Robbers,’ which gives you an idea of the variety of characters and motives in the game.” The series is set in an alternate reality around the Chernobyl Exclusion Zone, where a second disaster in 2006 turned the area into a surreal “Zone” teeming with mutants, anomalies, and mysteries.

He explains that the anomalies are rifts in reality that can create everything from electrical explosions to localized gravity wells. They even produce artifacts, strange objects with unique properties—like one that protects against bullets but causes radiation sickness. Various factions roam the Zone, including the Ecologists, the military, and the Loners—independent explorers seeking artifacts and riches. “And then there’s the Monolith,” Siem says, describing them as a brainwashed faction guarding the Zone’s enigmatic center.

In S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2, the player’s journey is deeply personal. “Your house gets destroyed by an artifact that was launched from the Zone into your kitchen,” Siem recounts. “As an ex-soldier with nothing left to lose, you venture into the Zone seeking either purpose or fortune.”

If you were dropped into the Chernobyl Exclusion Zone, what would you do?

Siem laughs. “Realistically?? I’d be too terrified to move without an anomaly detector.” Assuming he survives the initial panic, his first step would be to find a neutral group of Loners to get his bearings. “If I earned enough gear, I’d try to join Clear Sky,” he says, referring to his favorite faction. However, he admits that the Zone’s mystique might lure him in for longer than is wise. “In the regular Chernobyl Zone, though? I’d probably just get arrested.”

If you had to pick one mutant as a pet, what would it be?

“Assuming it wouldn’t eat me?” Siem grins. For life outside the Zone, he’d choose a pseudodog, a mutant resembling a particularly ugly wolf. “They’ve already been domesticated in the game, so it’s realistic.” He’d name it Magnolia. In the Zone, though, his pick would be a Chimera—a fearsome two-headed predator. “It’d help fend off other mutants and bandits. I’d call it Shredder. Very practical.”

What keeps you playing S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2?

“The Zone itself,” Siem says without hesitation. “The gameplay is solid, but it’s the immersive world and its mysteries that keep pulling me back.” He describes the dynamic interactions between factions, the secrets hidden in crumbling Soviet architecture, and the eerie beauty of the environment. “Whether it’s fighting mutants in a lab, protecting a village from a brainwashed army, or just sitting by a campfire with fellow stalkers listening to guitar music as rain hits a metal roof… the atmosphere is unmatched.”

Despite the late nights it often demands, Siem insists it’s worth it. “The game deserves the time I put into it,” he says.

After hearing his passionate take on the series, it’s clear why S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2 has such a dedicated fanbase.

And finally, what’s been your favourite Ockham activity?

Siem laughs. “Probably the upcoming one where I get my cup,” he says, winking.