S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2: Heart of Chornobyl

Like any other Eastern European over the age of thirty, I grew up hearing all manner of wild stories about the Chernobyl nuclear disaster, some more believable than others. From nightmarish descriptions of the effects of radiation poisoning on the human body to urban legends and crude jokes about monsters and mutated wildlife in The Zone, Chernobyl routinely popped up in conversations. Both as a cautionary tale about the potential dangers of nuclear power and as an overly-embellished post-apocalyptic hellscape haunted by all manner of paranormal entities.

S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2: Heart of Chornobyl masterfully combines multiple genres to deliver an unmissable and entirely unique open world horror experience. Touting unparalleled emergent gameplay, stellar atmosphere, a captivating story, and gorgeous visuals, this is easily one of the best games available on Xbox Series X/S, even with the technical issues that hamper it.

You play as Skif, who is drawn to the Zone because it practically requested his presence by mysteriously destroying his house with an Artifact, a fist-sized, anomalous object that has lost its reality-warping powers precisely because it is now located outside the Zone. Seeking a way to restore the Artifact's power, Skif ultimately begins the life of a Stalker, a title given to eclectic loners who broadly seek personal enrichment via the Zone's mysteries, whether that be monetarily or spiritually. In the STALKER universe, the Chornobyl Exclusion Zone suffered a second disaster in 2006, mutating...

Stalker 2 is a punishing survival FPS that can be extremely rewarding for those who take the time to get comfortable in its playground. A few technical issues aside, there's not much else out there like this.

Stalker 2‘s bugs and issues are numerous and severe, but it stands as a testament to how great the game buried underneath them is that it still manages to shine.

Stalker 2: Heart of Chornobyl is rough around the edges, but its propensity for creating emergent moments in a deadly and alluring world makes this trip back to the Zone a fraught and compelling experience

Full of anomalies in more ways than one, Stalker 2 is a mess of bugs and jank that nonetheless stays faithful to the open world survival shooter of yesteryear.

Discover the vast Chornobyl Exclusion Zone full of dangerous enemies, deadly anomalies and powerful artifacts. Unveil your own epic story as you make your way to the Heart of Chornobyl. Make your choices wisely, as they will determine your fate in the end. PC version reviewed. Review copy provided by company for testing purposes.

S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2: Heart of Chornobyl (Which we’ll be calling Stalker 2 for the sake of our fingers) has some big lead shoes to fill, given it’s been 15 years since its highly revered predecessor, S.T.A.L.K.E.R.: Call of Pripyat released. Yet while the sequel brings back the grimdark designs fans loved, it does get snowed under by its shortcomings.

Stalker 2 could be a great game in a few years, but what's presented at launch is a technical mess that doesn't capitalise on its best ideas. Compelling side stories and a brilliant setting do a lot of the heavy lifting, but at launch Stalker 2 isn't an adventure we'd fully recommend embarking on.

Believe me when I say you will be blown away by the depth and detail in STALKER 2. The sheer level of attention and painstaking effort poured into the creation of STALKER 2 by GSC Game World is nothing short of utterly incredible, and I am so happy that this game was finally delivered after all these years.

Come for the Zone, stay for the people.