This post-apocalyptic game that spawned the S.T.A.L.K.E.R. franchise is inspired by (but not really based on) the 'Roadside Picnic' novel by brothers Strugatsky and Tarkovsky's movie 'Stalker', borrowing some of the terms and aesthetics from both. S.T.A.L.K.E.R.: Shadow of Chernobyl is set in Ukraine, in the infamous Chernobyl Exclusion Zone. Several parts of the open-world setting were modeled after the real Chernobyl surroundings, including the power plant and the city of Pripyat, although designers took some liberties. The bleak environment and dark ambient music help to create an unsettling atmosphere of this place.
According to the backstory, in 2006, the second Chernobyl disaster occurred, turning the surrounding area into post-apocalyptic ruins, full of grotesque mutants and time-space anomalies. The "stalkers" in this world are the explorers who wander The Zone in search of valuable loot. You play as the Marked One, a stalker who lost his memory. All that remains of his past is a memo that says “Kill Strelok”. The Marked One will have to learn more about himself, Strelok, The Zone, and its mysteries. The plot is non-linear, and there are multiple endings that depend on the quests you completed earlier.