S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2: Heart of Chornobyl PS5 Review – Haptic Radiation

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Holding the PS5 DualSense controller, I entered Zalissya, the first main settlement in STALKER 2. It’s a rundown crossroads with dark bars and places to rest. The guards asked me to put my weapon away, which I gladly did. After barely surviving my first night in the Zone, I was already on edge. I didn’t get to play STALKER 2: Heart of Chornobyl on Xbox or PC when it was first released, but I expected to have a general idea of what to expect on PS5, since the core gameplay is mostly the same, with some PS5-specific features and improvements from Update 1.7.

Just hours before, I’d been climbing the decaying walls around the Zone, carrying Dr. Hermann’s TOPAZ Scanner like a heavy backpack. My goal was simple: find a place to recharge the mysterious object that had destroyed my apartment. But now, sneaking into the pitch-black night, I experienced the PS5’s incredibly realistic immersion for the first time. As I felt the gravel crunch under my fingers, static-filled radio chatter came through the controller’s speaker. Someone already knew I was here, and the 3D sound clearly showed me where two soldiers were hiding in the darkness. I still wasn’t ready when bullets started whizzing past my head and gunfire echoed across the marsh, making it terrifyingly clear how vulnerable I was.

“Visually, everything renders well on the base PS5, some asset and texture pop-in aside.”

I quickly noticed that the PS5 version of STALKER 2 feels different than the Xbox and PC versions. It takes full advantage of the PlayStation 5’s features – like adaptive triggers, detailed vibrations, motion aiming, the light bar, touchpad controls, and immersive 3D audio – to create a truly atmospheric experience. GSC Game World has maximized the PS5’s capabilities, and the result is a perfect fit for a game so focused on immersion.

The area of Zalissya in STALKER 2 feels incredibly immersive, with a strong sense of atmosphere. Every building shows its age – rusted metal, decaying wood, and crumbling concrete – while nature slowly takes over, covering paths to buildings that are too damaged to use. The developers at GSC Game World haven’t just recreated the Soviet-era setting; they’ve also captured a realistic sense of decay. As evening falls, Zalissya reveals the Zone’s strange and melancholic beauty. Once-proud structures like bus stops, monuments, and radio towers now stand worn and weakened by years of radiation.

The game looks good on the standard PS5, although you might notice some textures and objects appearing as you play. The more powerful PS5 Pro takes the graphics even further with improved shadows, reflections, fog, clouds, and lighting. If it weren’t for all the dangers, the game’s environment would be a beautiful place to explore.

Seriously, if you can, please play this game with headphones! The sound design is incredible, and you’ll miss so much of what makes it special if you try to use TV speakers or the PlayStation Portal’s built-in ones. It really needs headphones to fully appreciate the atmosphere.

Even knowing the dangers, I have to explore this place on foot. And honestly, the soundtrack by Yaroslav Odrin is perfect for it. It’s these long, flowing pieces that actually blend with the static from my Geiger counter. It’s not catchy or based around themes, it just feels like the tension I’m experiencing – sometimes airy and oppressive, other times wistful or lost in thought. It really sounds like a search, which fits perfectly with the game because you spend so much time as Skif, looking for things within the Zone.

Sounds like rustling leaves, distant voices, and animal growls constantly surround me, carried on the wind thanks to the PS5’s 3D audio. The forest is full of subtle sounds that keep me on edge. Even when things quiet down for a moment, the game’s music and sound design are so well done that they never let me relax – instead, they expertly build tension and shape how I feel.

The freedom to explore at your own pace is a hallmark of open-world games, but I’ve never experienced a game where sound so powerfully controlled my speed. While the game developers suggest taking your time in this world, it’s the audio design that truly makes me slow down and be deliberate. The more I listen, the more the game subtly teaches me how to stay alive.

Simply put, the sound design in this game is incredibly immersive – truly the best I’ve ever heard. To fully appreciate it, you really need to use a good pair of headphones. The game’s amazing soundscapes won’t come through properly with typical TV speakers or the PlayStation Portal’s built-in sound.

I highly recommend adding Ukrainian voiceovers to enhance the game’s immersion. The current English voices with American accents don’t quite fit the game’s setting. It’s disappointing that the new “Immersive Mode” in Update 1.7 – which removes the HUD and widens the field of view – doesn’t include subtitles. Otherwise, it’s a great feature for widescreen gameplay, and it would be fantastic if GSC Game World added an option to customize the HUD and text display to make the mode more accessible to a wider audience.

While exploring an old, rundown house, I heard a disturbance – a group of Stalkers were fighting with a pack of wild dogs outside.

Update 1.7, released alongside the PS5 version, includes several improvements like enhanced AI, changes to stamina, and a redesigned inventory. While still difficult even on the easiest setting, STALKER 2’s updated enemy behavior in version 1.7 makes combat feel more balanced and unpredictable.

Okay, so in the latest version, enemies are smart. They keep their distance to use their weapons effectively, but if I stand still for too long, they’ll try to get the drop on me. Luckily, bushes and trees actually provide some cover now – their vision isn’t perfect. And if a fight starts going badly for them, they’ll actually try to run away! Things are also way more intense with factions constantly battling over territory. Honestly, all these changes in 1.7 just make STALKER 2’s gameplay even more unpredictable and awesome – it already felt really alive, but now it’s on another level.

While searching an old, run-down house, I heard a fight happening outside – a group of Stalkers were battling a pack of wild dogs. Looking through a window, I saw one of the Stalkers being attacked and killed. I went outside to help, but the Stalkers had already moved on, so I killed the remaining dogs myself.

I hadn’t long started looking for the missing shipment when I was attacked by bandits. As I ran for cover, I encountered a lone Stalker. He seemed friendly – he mumbled something about not liking the sound of the gunfire through his gas mask – so we teamed up and fought back. We drove the bandits off, and the last one fled into some ruined buildings. My new ally pointed him out, and we quickly finished him off, each taking a different side. He looted the body before I could, and after a brief conversation, we went our separate ways.

“STALKER 2 on PS5 delivers the most immersive and reactive version of the Zone to date.”

These exciting new developments show how the game’s recent updates go beyond just adding features and fixing problems. Similar to the improvements made for the PS5, it feels like the hardware and game are working together to create experiences that feel natural, responsive, and even surprising.

The developers are paying close attention to small details, like how a rifle feels as you load bullets and the unique resistance of each weapon’s trigger. They’re also using the controller’s features – the light bar, touchpad, and motion sensors – to enhance the experience, for example, syncing the light with a detector or using motion controls for aiming. Rather than just adding flashy features, they’re carefully crafting a realistic and immersive feel for STALKER 2 on the PS5.

Despite a few flaws, the game is incredibly immersive. While the characters’ faces sometimes look unnatural and the story starts slowly, these issues are easy to overlook. Many of the missions involve collecting items, which feels a bit old-fashioned. However, the game truly shines because of its world – especially on PS5 with Update 1.7, which makes an already captivating experience even better. The game’s characters are scavengers, so even though the missions aren’t particularly innovative, they actually fit the game’s setting.

STALKER 2 on PS5 offers the most realistic and dynamic experience of the Zone yet. It truly feels alive, both visually and in terms of atmosphere. Unlike some open-world games that are just about exploration, STALKER 2’s world is designed to be both enjoyed and survived in. On PS5, this unique combination is even more impactful, making even a single night of survival feel like a real accomplishment.

This game was reviewed on the PlayStation 5.

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2025-11-18 21:13