STALKER 2: Heart of Chornobyl was supposed to come out in 2012, but due to a brutally troubled development, it was not meant to be. It was cancelled and revived once again, later in 2018, yet it still faced troubles when the Ukrainian developer found itself in the midst of the Russian invasion in 2022. Some staff got drafted and died during development, the world was on the verge of a third World War, and all hope seemed lost. Despite the incredible odds, STALKER 2: Heart of Chornobyl emerged…but was the wait worth it?
There are moments where STALKER 2: Heart of Chornobyl seems like it could be the ultimate survival-horror experience. Regrettably, it horribly undermines itself due to the utterly rough and broken state. Fans of STALKER: Shadow of Chernobyl and its sequels will feel right at home at first. Like always, players assume the role of an explorer who infiltrates an ominous radioactive Ukrainian wasteland known as “the Zone”. A lot of weird things happen in the Zone and explorers can find plenty of dead bodies, too. Usually there are mutant creatures or abominable anomalies – fearsome humanoid threats that can move like lightning and vanish without a trace, and will rip stalkers to shreds.
The days of Strelok and Scar are long gone. Skif takes on the mantle of protagonist in this adventure after a routine assignment leaves him stranded and robbed of all his gear. Unlike prior heroes of the Zone, Skif is a young cadet with much less field experience. His reasons for entering the Zone are motivated by earning enough money to buy a new apartment and the only way he can is by retrieving the scanner he lost during the ambush in the intro. He will have to contend with other Zone stalkers, inhabitants, and monsters if he hopes to earn his keep.
On the surface, STALKER 2: Heart of Chornobyl may seem like Fallout 4 or Metro: Last Light, but it is truly its own thing. It does offer a sprawling non-linear open world and there are many RPG mechanics, but it is also a survival-horror game with limited inventory and immersive sim elements. Skif has to manage hunger, the weight he carries, and count every bullet, while also maintaining his weapons so they don’t break. He may not grow with a levelling system, but can equip superior gear, modify his weapons, and most importantly use the mysterious powers of the artefacts found in the Zone.
Artefacts are how players make the most dramatic enhancements to Skif and adjust their playstyle. These objects of power can be found throughout the Zone, on bodies, in derelict structures, or in hostile territory. Equipping them will usually grant a critical passive boost, but it comes at the cost of increased radiation. It’s on the player to weigh the pros and cons, but even if they are put off by the notion of getting radiated, artefacts are worth a lot of money and can be sold to buy better gear. There is always a way to improve Skif, but no matter what he wears, the best perks will come from artefacts. Want improved stamina, regeneration, or fire resistance? Better carry around that radiated alien thingy.
The best way to describe STALKER 2‘s experience is that it drops the player into a vast environment and says “go”. Early on, Skif is given a lead, but shortly after he learns how to throw steel bolts at bone crunching whirligig anomalies, he is expected to figure out where and what to do by himself. It can be very overwhelming, especially since Heart of Chornobyl is much bigger than any STALKER game before it. Events will happen and it is up to the player if they want to get involved. Factions can turn on Skif if he helps their rivals and there’s four endings that depend on whose side he helps.
There is a lot to like about STALKER 2. It’s an utterly elephantine horror game with incredible vistas and bizarre imagery. The atmosphere is dreary with weird bouts of Eastern European sardonic humour and ultra violence. The density of the 3D models is impressive, and the grit and grime can be felt from the textures. The open-ended and free-form gameplay won’t be for everyone since it is also extremely punishing; even on the easiest difficulty mode expect Skif to get mutilated.
The problem with STALKER 2: Heart of Chornobyl is its rough and unfinished state. This is one of the buggiest releases since Cyberpunk 2077‘s launch. Some standout moments of frustration are quests that cannot be completed. Even story missions can lock up due to NPCs or artefacts failing to spawn. It is common for the game to effectively come to an end due to some of these issues. Other bugs like weapons missing ammo and the 3D models getting stuck in their low-level-of-detail mode will disappoint and distract. There is never a moment when STALKER 2 will not start puking all over itself. Until there are some dramatic overhauls and updates, expect to encounter glitches every playing session.
This is a long and epic game in which the story develops very slowly. Expect over 40 hours for the main story alone and maybe double that for completionists. Most of the time, STALKER 2 expects players to make their own fun. This is a very hardcore kind of game and it is surprisingly devoid of modern hand-holding game design. Heart of Chornobyl is a true STALKER experience, bugs and all. At times it can feel like a large scale and expanded remake of the originals with modern graphics.
