It’s been 15 years in the making, and finally: S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2: Heart of Chornobyl is out now. Made by GSC Game World, available on PC and Xbox Series X/S, and available to Xbox Game Pass Ultimate subscribers.
This version opens into a large world, filled with dangerous enemies, mysterious anomalies, and strange artifacts. All set in a post-apocalyptic Chornobyl Exclusion Zone in Ukraine. A major aspect of the game is that players get to make decisions in the game storyline, affecting the storyline and the ending.
The road to this release was not smooth. Most of the development and even the game’s name were influenced by the war in Ukraine. Chornobyl, the developer’s spelling choice, became a matter of national identity.
Early impressions highlight the disturbing vibe and gameplay but cite some tech issues/bugs. A major day-one patch has been released to fix the issues. The game is indeed large and high quality with a total patch size hitting 146 GB the base and a separate 139 GB patch.
S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2: Heart of Chornobyl is finally available and proposition memorably crafted horror. Fans and newcomers alike can finally jump into this highly anticipated adventure.