‘STALKER 2: Heart of Chornobyl’ Is a Walk Through Hell I Can’t Put Down (Review)

“It is easy to go down into Hell; night and day, the gates of dark Death stand wide; but to climb back again, to retrace one’s steps to the upper air — there’s the rub, the task.” This quote, attributed to Roman poet Virgil, is one of the best ways to describe my time in the brooding, dark world of STALKER 2: Heart of Chornobyl. Even though I knew I was in immediate danger with every step I took? I couldn’t help but return as often as I could. The Zone has me in a chokehold, and at this point, I don’t want it to let go.

Every Fight Is a Battle for Your Life, Regardless of the Difficulty You Select

Let’s get this out of the way first off. STALKER 2 is not going to be a game for everyone. It’s not going to hold your hand. Rather, it takes delight in spitting in your face while you wallow in sorrow on the ground. A brief tutorial is all you’ll receive before setting off into the wasteland known as The Zone. You’ll need to rely on your natural wit and cunning to survive beyond this point.

STALKER 2 is a brutally difficult experience. And I wouldn’t have it any other way. Every battle felt like it was moments away from spelling my demise. My heart pounded and my pulse quickened every time I heard the ring of a gunshot from an unknown direction.

I had to lower my standards and fight like a rat more times than I’d like to admit, but if I wanted to survive? I didn’t have a choice. Even playing on a controller, gunplay felt satisfying. Needing to retreat to unjam a gun during a fight that just took a turn for the worse is exhilarating.

Learning all of the ins and outs of navigation took a little time. But after immersing myself in STALKER 2, it feels like second nature. I’m finding myself zipping through my pack in the middle of a fight with no problem. Keyboard and mouse players shouldn’t have any issue with this, as everything has been streamlined significantly.

As long as I was playing smart and using my brain over my brawn, I was able to leave most fights with nothing more than a few scrapes and maybe a bruise to my ego for missing a headshot I knew I should have nailed.

Putting the Pieces Back Together After a Scrap Is Surprisingly Satisfying

STALKER 2 is a hardcore game. Genuinely brutal at times. It requires patience before all of the building blocks fall into place. At first, battles may feel stressful and unfair. But as you learn the STALKER ways, you’ll become a legend among mortals. It’s a much better game than it has any right being because of this, setting itself apart from droves of first-person shooters with its careful and well-crafted systems.

Rather than just getting to explore at my own pace, I needed to keep an eye on Skif and his general well-being. If I got clipped in the middle of a firefight? I would need to retreat to tend to his wounds. Is Skif hungry? Trade an energy drink to a local for a Sausage so you can quell the hunger within. In a way, needing to take these extra steps to keep myself alive and healthy invited me to become as immersed as I would like to be in this world.

The level of simulation is unlike anything I’ve experienced in other single-player games. Most shooters require me to turn off my brain, rush into a room, and exit while watching a score counter go up. Here, I need to watch every dark corner to prevent a mutated creature of the night from potentially blindsiding me. And if that happens, I need to act quickly before I succumb to my injuries.

One of my favorite parts of STALKER 2 had to be how dynamic the world felt. Going back and reloading a save to see how I could have approached a mission differently was extremely satisfying. I already know I’m diving in for a second playthrough, but now I know I can do things differently.

‘STALKER 2’ Is the Best and Worst of Unreal Engine 5 at Its Core

The Zone and everything that surrounds it is as atmospheric and moody as it is depressing and oppressive. A heavy feeling of sadness lingers in the air, yet I find myself absorbed more into the world of STALKER 2 than most open-world games. No matter if I was exploring the ruins of an abandoned building or going off the beaten path in search of anomalies, I never wanted to put my controller down.

The impressive environments contain small details. Every corner of this world feels as if it was created with love and attention, and it’s easily apparent to see. And, yes, for those asking: you can turn off the yellow paint. I was genuinely happy to see that setting, as it can be distracting and out of place.

However, some technical mishaps do detract from the overall level of immersion. Some characters phased into one another. Others get trapped in invisible walls that are only detrimental to them. Even in Performance Mode, the framerate can get a little out of hand when in a Shelter with many other characters.

It’s not “Skyrim on PS3″ levels of bad by any means. Some players may be taken aback by these issues. The known blur of Unreal Engine 5 was a little distracting at times. But, I couldn’t resist The Zone. I was willing to overlook the small technical hiccups I experienced, especially with how well it ran and looked 90% of the time.

Gorgeous Visuals Pair Well With Sublime Sound Design

What good is a gorgeous game if it sounds like garbage? The same careful craft was delivered on a silver platter. People always say we eat with our eyes first, but in this case, we’re eating with every sense in our body. While the visuals of STALKER 2 may be striking, the sound design is impeccable.

I spent my time in STALKER 2 with a pair of RIG-800 PRO HX on my head. If you have the facilities to do so, I would strongly suggest playing through this one with the best set of headphones you have. The sound design of STALKER 2 whispered sweet nothings into my ear, transcending this experience to another plane.

An incredibly bleak soundtrack fills the air when exploring The Zone. Pulse-pounding beats are blasted into my ears when I’m in the middle of battle. Sounds of bullets pass near me as I desperately try to unjam my gun in the middle of a firefight.

The AI is smart enough to call out my location, using the sound I mistakenly made to pinpoint exactly where I was. Nothing can quite prepare a person for the quiet, yet deafening thud of a grenade landing next to their feet.

You’ll Instantly Know if ‘STALKER 2’ Is the Game for You

STALKER 2 is not a game for everyone. This experience feels like it was handcrafted for people like me. Those willing to sink the time into a shooter to become fully immersed in its world, and learn what makes it tick. It’s not a game you can walk right into and succeed at, but rather, one that grows with you as you learn from it.

Even if the technical mishaps may sound daunting at first, I suggest sticking it out. STALKER 2 is one of the most mechanically satisfying shooters I’ve ever had the pleasure of experiencing. There is nothing quite like exploring The Zone in the dead of night, hearing the whisper of the wind through the tree branches as you trod your way toward what may be your final destination.

Plus, how many other shooter games let you munch down on a tasty Sausage in the middle of a firefight? This is Slavjank at its highest quality yet. Cheeki Breeki to everyone embarking.

Verdict: Highly Recommended

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STALKER 2: Heart of Chornobyl will be available on November 20, 2024, on Xbox Series X|S and PC. A code was provided by the publisher for the sake of review. Screenshots captured on Xbox Series X. (Performance Graphics Option)