PC "Stalker" goes gold

Agoura Hills (CA) - Work on the PC shooter S.T.A.L.K.E.R. : Shadow of Chernobyl is complete and the game is ready to ship to stores later this month.

The title of acronymic game, which is published by THQ, stands for "Scavengers, Trespassers, Adventurers, Loners, Killers, Explorers and Robbers," according to the game’s official site. It is a sci-fi first-person shooter (FPS) PC game that also has action, stealth, and role-playing elements, says THQ.

The game puts players in the role of an amnesiac trying to regain his memory. In the course of the game, players can explore several open-ended areas.

Stalker is rated M and will begin shipping to stores during the busy release date of March 20, whic is the slated ship date for more than a dozen other video games.