In an alternate timeline, ex-scientists from the Soviet Union unintentionally developed a hazardous area teeming with mutants and unusual occurrences. It’s been 15 years since we last ventured there, and in this review of STALKER 2, I’ll discuss how GSC Game World has managed (and faltered) at updating this classic survival game for the present day.
Once again, Stalker has been drawn into a Russian propaganda effort targeting Ukraine. As per 404 Media’s report, reporters have noticed an unusual occurrence: a video supposedly from Wired falsely alleges that the game Stalker 2 is assisting the Ukrainian government in identifying citizens for mobilization by utilizing data-mining technology that cannot be deactivated.
Despite not being the top technological marvel of the year, Stalker 2 did receive two updates over the weekend, addressing over 650 bugs. Regrettably, it appears that these updates didn’t resolve all issues as some players have reported the game title crashing at random instances post-patch 1.01. Additionally, there are still numerous irritating glitches, particularly those resulting in the enigmatic vanishing of characters Guide and Richter from Yaniv Station.
The Diamond Exoskeleton Suit boasts exceptional ratings for shielding against both physical and radiational harm, as well as robust performance in terms of heat, electricity, chemicals, and psychic forces. This makes it one of the top gear sets within the game. Typically, players have to wait until later stages of the game to acquire this suit, but a method has been discovered to obtain it earlier on.
In Stalker 2, side quests serve as a significant income source for players, and fortunately, there’s no shortage of these tasks scattered across the map. One such task is “The Mysterious Case,” where players are assigned to retrieve a foreboding briefcase for Sultan, a prominent Bandit leader within the Zone.
In the game Stalker 2, players will traverse various locations within the Zone, inevitably encountering a diverse array of individuals, some morally questionable. Nimble, similar to numerous other Stalkers, leans toward being neutral at best, but he significantly influenced the event that ignited Skif’s adventure in the initial game.