STALKER 2: Heart of Chornobyl was a major game release in 2024, especially for fans of survival and first-person shooter games. Developed by GSC Game World, it’s a long-awaited sequel to the popular STALKER series that first came out in the 2000s. The game received good reviews on both Xbox Series X|S and PC, and the developer has continued to make it even better with regular updates.
After being available on Xbox Game Pass for almost a year, STALKER 2 recently left the service. This is probably because the game is about to be released on PlayStation 5, ending its status as an Xbox exclusive. Just before its launch on Sony’s platform, a large new update has been released.
The latest update, version 1.7, is called the “Expedition Update” because it introduces a new Expedition mode to the game. Along with this mode, the update includes a lot of other changes and improvements. It’s been released about a month and a half after Update 1.6, which mainly improved combat and added night vision goggles.
I’ve reviewed the full patch notes for STALKER 2’s Update 1.7, and I’ll walk you through the most important changes below. GSC Game World also put together a video highlighting the key improvements, which you can find embedded here.
This update to STALKER 2 introduces two major new features: Master difficulty and Expedition Mode. Master difficulty is an even tougher challenge than Veteran, making enemies, mutants, and environmental hazards much more dangerous. It also increases the impact of survival elements like radiation, hunger, and fatigue, while making resources harder to find and equipment less reliable. Everything from buying supplies to repairing gear will also cost more.
Playing on the hardest difficulty prevents quicksaving, which can be nerve-wracking in the unpredictable world of The Zone. The game only saves automatically when you reach safe areas like towns or during key story moments. You can also enable this limited saving feature in Expedition Mode, regardless of the difficulty level, to make traveling between locations feel more challenging and like a true expedition.
STALKER 2’s AI system, called A-Life, has been significantly improved. This means the game world will feel more dynamic and populated, with more frequent conflicts between enemies and creatures.
STALKER 2’s AI system, called A-Life, has been significantly improved. It now allows different groups of characters to actively move around the game world, sending members to take and defend important locations. This will make the game world feel more dynamic and alive, with more frequent conflicts between both rival groups and dangerous creatures.
Here’s a short list of some other noteworthy additions and tweaks:
- In-game Immersive Mode that disables HUD for taking screenshots
- New steam and antigravity anomalies
- New “Light Rainy” weather scenario
- New animations for mutant deaths
- Improved UI elements for consumables, artifacts, and gear stats
- Enemies properly struggle to see through grass and reed
- Better locking and reaiming at enemies when using a controller
- Jogging state added when running low on stamina while sprinting
- Tremor effect added when using too many energy drinks that impedes aiming
Update 1.7 is a fantastic improvement to STALKER 2, thanks to all the changes, bug fixes, and refinements. It’s inspired me to start a new game! I haven’t been back to The Zone in a while, but the Master difficulty setting seems like the perfect challenge for a long-time STALKER player like me.
I’m really looking forward to seeing the new A-Life system in action – it should make the game world feel much more alive. I also can’t wait to jump into the conflicts between different groups scattered throughout the map. These encounters will not only make The Zone feel more dynamic, but they’ll also provide plenty of the intense, exciting gunfights and valuable loot that STALKER 2 is known for. Just be careful not to rush into things – you might find yourself in a battle you can’t win!
STALKER 2 is out now for Xbox Series X|S and Windows PC, and it’s coming to PlayStation 5 on November 10th. The game usually costs $59.99, but right now you can find the Xbox version on Amazon for just $42 – a great discount!
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2025-11-18 04:10