Review: Stalker 2: Heart of Chornobyl Shows Promise, Lacks Polish
It's the dead of night, thunder roars and nothing but a dim flashlight and lightning strikes illuminate the path forward. The vast wasteland between my last safe haven and the current destination is devoid of life, human or animal. Yet, I remain vigilant of my surroundings, questioning if those leaves that whipped by my ear were an omen of a deadly anomaly ahead, or simply just the wind. At last, I hear voices as I approach my objective — a rising altercation between a member of a friendly faction and an unknown instigator. Shots fire and I whip out my rifle, only for my game to turn into a glorified slideshow. The enemy’s shotgun begins to levitate and wiggle in front of his face, before he suddenly contorts himself into an indescribable shape on the ground. Meanwhile, my newfound ally unloads a magazine into the nearby wall. This is Stalker 2 : Heart of Chornobyl .
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PKO4PL8Xzik
In a universe where the 1986 Chornobyl disaster wasn’t an isolated incident, the Zone of Alienation — or simply “the Zone” — is a hostile wasteland inhabited by opportunists seeking to exploit its supernatural properties. You are Skif, a veteran drawn into the Zone after an anomaly destroyed your home, leaving behind a mysterious artifact in its devastation. With nothing but a pistol and the clothes on your back, you must utilize the limited resources of the Zone to survive and uncover the web of conspiracies you find yourself tangled in.
As a first-person shooter, firearms naturally play a central role, but don’t expect to charge in guns blazing. There’s a significant emphasis on vulnerability, where a single mistake often results in another tick on an ever-increasing death counter. Ammo and medkits are scarce throughout most of the game, forcing you to cautiously approach every encounter or to work out how to avoid conflict entirely. Even as resources become slightly more abundant, inventory management remains a constant battle. Each item adds weight to your satchel, forcing difficult decisions between leaving loot behind or becoming encumbered.
Screenshot by Siliconera
The issue with Stalker 2’s combat system is that enemies frequently swing between extremes: laughable incompetence or pinpoint accuracy. Every fight is a toss-up between enemies firing at the wall and running in circles, or barraging you with bullets with impossible aim from across a field. Mutants, on the other hand, will devour your entire stock of ammunition, kick your ass, and (metaphorically) spit on you while you’re down. While also susceptible to broken AI, these bullet sponges are so powerful that this rarely matters. Don’t get me started on those little gremlins that telepathically launch your weapons from your hands.
When combat does work, it works rather well. Between holding my head in my hands, waiting for the loading screen to return me to my checkpoint, there were triumphant fist pumps after defeating tough enemies. There are few feelings better than overcoming difficult sections, whether it’s the relief or survival, the thrill of accomplishment, or a mix of both. Often, the only reward is satisfaction, as mutants don't drop loot.
Image via GSC Game World
Armor and weapons in Stalker 2 are subject to a durability system, gradually deteriorating with use or when damaged. Luckily, most bases have an NPC who can repair and even upgrade your gear, provided you have the cash. This is where side quests come into play, offering a means to earn money, acquire new weapons and gear, and learn more about the Zone and its people. There are several factions to align with, including Spark, a familiar band of stalkers from previous titles; Noontide, a clan of former brainwashed individuals seeking redemption; and the Ward, a military branch “serving” the Zone. You begin on relatively good terms with each of these, but tensions will eventually begin to rise. Difficult decisions must be made eventually, shifting your relationships and the story itself.
The open world of Stalker 2 feels massive, amplified in scale by the absence of vehicles or traditional fast travel. Anomalies mean that navigating the Zone is never a simple task. From gravitational distortions to sudden walls of jagged glass, staying vigilant is essential on every journey. The long walks between objectives offer plenty of time to soak in the game’s incredible atmosphere. I often found myself cranking up the volume of my headphones during storms, immersing myself in the thunderous clashes in the sky above, the patter of rain, and the crunch of leaves underfoot. As frustrating as they could be at times, the “emissions” were one of my favorite examples of how the game builds atmosphere and tension. These deadly surges of energy envelop the Zone in a sinister red mist, gradually intensifying until stepping outside means certain death.
Screenshot by Siliconera
As phenomenal as the atmosphere is, it can only carry the game so far. Eventually, the long treks grow tiresome, and the Zone starts to feel hollow. The once-advertised A-Life 2.0 system, which was meant to create dynamic NPC interactions without player interference, is essentially nonexistent. Aside from a horde of enemies spawning out of thin air, there are no memorable moments that make the Zone feel alive. NPCs are mostly confined to bases and similar areas, offering little interaction and seemingly borrowing one another’s faces.
Unfortunately, Stalker 2 ’s technical issues don’t stop there. As you might have noticed, this review comes nearly a month after the game’s release. Despite my system meeting the recommended specs, the game ran at an unplayable frame rate during my early access period. When the game finally launched, I was greeted with constant crashes. It wasn’t until a week after launch that I was able to actually run the game, but that doesn’t mean it’s smooth sailing. The game still suffers from frequent stuttering, freezing, and occasional moments where I have to manually restart to regain a playable frame rate. There are brief stretches where the game runs buttery smooth, but those moments are typically short-lived.
Image via GSC Game World
Despite its significant technical and performance issues, the allure of the Zone and the intrigue of the narrative drove me forward. From carefully weighting each decision to navigating the many twists and turns, I was hooked . I particularly appreciated how the game avoids clear-cut “good” or “bad” choices, instead opting to mirror real life complexities of morality in dire situations. However, the true intrigue lies in the Zone and its mythic, as many of the characters failed to make a lasting impression. Partially due to the English voice acting, which, aside from Skif himself, was generally lackluster for several main characters and NPCs. Overall, I struggled to form any genuine emotional connection with any character, which is a rare exception for me when it comes to story-heavy titles.
Considering the conditions Stalker 2 was developed in , it's remarkable that it exists at all, but it's clear the game needed more time to fully realize its grand ambitions. The foundations are solid, and beneath the grime of poor optimization, bugs galore, and broken AI lies the potential for a truly excellent game. GSC Game World appears committed to its equally dedicated fans and with any luck, we'll see a Cyberpunk 2077 -esque turnaround in the years to come.
In the end, Stalker 2 is an experience that is as frustrating as it is engaging. It's brutal, unforgiving, buggy, and often unfair — yet it's precisely this combination of atmosphere, world-building, and challenge that earned the franchise its fiercely loyal fanbase. The most dedicated players will likely uncover a brilliant gem beneath the grime, but for many, the game's technical flaws and questionable decisions may prove too difficult to overlook. For now, it's a matter of waiting to see whether GSC Game World can iron out its issues and unlock the true potential of a remarkable foundation.
Stalker 2: Heart of Chornobyl is available on PC and Xbox Series X/S .
The post Review: Stalker 2: Heart of Chornobyl Shows Promise, Lacks Polish appeared first on Siliconera .
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