STALKER 2: Heart Of Chernobylis finally arriving afteryears of delays, letting fans return to the iconic Exclusion Zone. While its multitude of delays can be a cause of worry for fans,each trailer that’s released has revealed even more exciting features and additions to the long-awaited sequel. With a long life ahead ofSTALKER 2thanks to its planned updates, there should be plenty to see in the estimated 100 hours of content to experience.
WhileSTALKER 2will look familiar to franchise veterans, each iconic location of the game has been painstakingly remade with new areas to discover. Players can jump right into the immersive and horrifying action on either PC or Xbox consoles whenSTALKER 2releases on November 20th, 2024.With the game adding a plethora of new mechanics to aid immersion, there’s even more reason to return to the Exclusion Zone in search of greater treasures.
STALKER 2’s Story And Gameplay
Continuing The Story Of The Franchise
As a direct sequel to the events of the original franchise,STALKER 2will feature multiple familiar faces and key locations from the past. Despite the story connections, however,it won’t require prior knowledge of theoriginal games in the seriesto enjoy,acting as the perfect gateway for new players to jump into the franchise.
10 Most Exciting Features Coming To STALKER 2: Heart Of Chornobyl
STALKER 2 plans to take everything that made the original series so beloved and enhance them, adding plenty of new features for fans to enjoy.
The story ofSTALKER 2: Heart of Chornobylfollows a new Stalker named Skifon a mission to charge a mysterious artifact using the paranormal power sources of the Zone. Ambushed and left for dead by fellow Stalkers, the protagonist will have to navigate the treacherous factions and dangers of the Zone in search of lost possessions while uncovering the secrets of the unique post-apocalyptic world of the Exclusion Zone.
TheSTALKERfranchise is no stranger to offering multiple endings to choose from, andSTALKER 2keeps this up with theinclusion of branching storylinesthat let players mold the outcome of the story through their actions.STALKER 2’sstory itself is a non-linear experience, with players learning more about the world and interacting with characters at their own pace however they want, rather than following a strictly defined story path from start to finish.
Is STALKER 2 On Xbox Game Pass?
Offering Players A Chance To Try STALKER 2 For Themselves
WithSTALKER 2’s release on the 20th,players can jump right into the Zone on Xbox Game Pass on the day of release on either Xbox Series X/S or PC with Game Pass Ultimate, with no word of a PlayStation release yet. While consoles are still a great way to play fan-favorite titles, they normally lack the modding features that made theSTALKERfranchise so popular over the years. Thankfully for Xbox fans, the developers have announced thatSTALKER 2will receive full modding support on consoles, much like the Bethesda games of recent years.
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For non-Game Pass owners,STALKER 2will cost the standard $60, which is still cheaper than the price increases of recent AAA games likeSilent Hill 2. Given thatSTALKER 2offers a hundred hours of gameplay on top of future planned DLC and a free multiplayer update, the price point may be a bargain for the experience on offer. For fans who want to access everything they can inSTALKER 2, there’s also a premium-priced digital deluxe edition that offers a new questline alongside a plethora of in-game cosmetics.
Everything Else We Know About STALKER 2
New Features And Content To Come
Those new toSTALKERwill have to get used to the unforgiving but incredibly rewarding gameplay mechanics, which provide real challenges to overcome throughout the game. Luckily for those who prefer a more story-driven experience,STALKER 2will have multiple difficulty modes alongside a setting that disables most HUD and UI options for added immersion. The massively increased map size will also host several new enemies and even deadlier supernatural threats to come across, with players needing to prepare their gear before every journey into the unknown.
Console players can pre-downloadSTALKER 2before release already, with no option yet for those on PC.
Every environment and location within the newly expanded map is also entirely hand-crafted, featuring interesting stories to experience and gear to collect for players who know where to look.STALKER 2’snew survival mechanics also make traveling more of a risk, as players left unprepared for the dangers of the Zone will find themselves surrounded by hostile Stalkers, deadly mutants, or caught in apocalyptic anomaly storms. While players will have to wait for the full release to see ifSTALKER 2: Heart of Chornobyl’s delays were worth the wait, there’s a lot to be excited about.
