As a seasoned explorer of the Zone, I must say that this journey has been quite the rollercoaster ride. From friendly Snorks to heavily-armed soldiers, it seems like the world has turned upside down since my last adventure.
Previously, my journey in S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2 was focused on a unique strategy – turning the game’s monsters against its enemies rather than using firearms. My endeavor to live harmoniously with nature had produced varying outcomes, at times even disappointing ones. For instance, I managed to lead some bandits into the lethal domain of a Poltergeist that throws buckets, but my efforts to actively provoke mutated pigs against the Zone’s human antagonists were unsuccessful, despite seemingly managing to tame one on several occasions.
Currently, my sole companion has perished at my side, leaving me in a desperate situation where I need to acquire new creatures to train and some funds. It seems that the fighting style which involves pigs as large as shopping carts nipping at my heels isn’t ideal for my health, and with my savings recently depleted on a mere half sausage, I find myself compelled to redirect my efforts from debt collection towards finding ways to earn money instead.
A trip to rescue a Catholic stalker’s treasured icon nearly solves both my problems at once. It’s a paying gig, and on my way out of the anomalous poppy field he lost it in, a mind-warping roar heralds the arrival of a Bloodsucker. Perfect! These guys are tougher and far more lethal than the stray dogs and Flesh piggies I’ve been counting on thus far, and unlike the one I met in the tutorial, this one has no qualms with chasing me back towards the nearest bandit camp.
Unfortunately, none of the Zone’s most lethal predators can withstand its own perils. A Bloodsucker, in his haste to feed on blood, rushes headlong into a whirligig anomaly that I had cleverly avoided, getting caught in an unseen vortex and spit out as a shattered corpse. Becoming increasingly concerned about the rapid demise of my prospective allies, I make my way back to Zalissya for supplies, then continue to finish any quests I can.
In a surprising turn of events, I found myself accomplishing quite a bit: fixing some radio towers, locating a missing squad of stalkers, and discovering valuable artifacts that could be traded, all without resorting to violence. When I felt ready for another adventure involving wildlife encounters, I was noticeably better-prepared, but even with my new equipment, the newly acquired Flesh gang was quickly eliminated by some thugs just fifty yards from where I had picked them up. It seems that A-Life is still glitchy; why does it continue to spawn groups of troublemakers intent on attacking my companions as soon as they appear?
As a gamer, I’ve realized my mistake – I’m looting resources from the wrong territories. The Lesser Zone, it seems, is a training ground for newbies, and aside from a few extraordinary exceptions, it’s filled with weaker entities. To find the tougher, more valuable creatures, I need to venture north towards the remnants of Reactor Number 4 itself, where the larger, fiercer beasts are likely to gather in greater numbers. In other words, I should go where the real action is!
To reach our destination, there’s a bit more primary adventuring ahead, involving a secret infiltration into a military base – it’s not a mission where you can bring along a pack of growling, radioactive beasts. Despite this, I get spotted by the first patrol guard I meet, and in response, I try out a fresh (but rule-abiding) strategy: simply sprinting past them. This tactic works better than anticipated, especially since I’m frequently using medkits to regenerate the flesh that the shotgun blasts keep eliminating. I even manage to get far enough ahead for an uninterrupted conversation with the most shootable NPC in all of Eastern Europe, but my promise not to fire a weapon outside of cutscenes means he only ends up unconscious from being beaten.
Following my escape, I can now travel away from the Lesser Zone, heading towards the northeast, passing through the picturesquely named Garbage region and into a plain that has been battered by storms. Though it’s not densely populated with the remnants of old bases and construction sites standing tall, I sense this area could prove to be a fruitful source for recruiting my mutant troops.
Without a doubt, the last semi-functioning town in this region is inhabited by creatures known as Snorks – unusual humanoids who have gas masks fused onto their faces and display an uncanny agility for pack hunting. To make matters worse, a group of roughnecks have gathered on the outskirts of the town, oblivious to the peril lurking inside. This situation couldn’t be more ideal: if I guide the Snorks through a nearby grove that borders their nest, I can eliminate the potential danger these three undernourished miscreants pose.
It’s even more frustrating because nothing I expect happens. Inside the town, The Snorks eagerly approach me for food, but as soon as I enter the woods, they lose interest and scamper away. Similarly, the bandits shoot at me from afar, yet never move past their camp towards where the Snorks can smell them. For several minutes, I run back and forth between them like a persistent mediator trying to get two shy party guests to interact, but eventually, I abandon my efforts when I realize how much it’s draining my healing supplies.
In much the same way, it seems I’m once again stuck in a rut. It’s as if the very Zone is determined to thwart my progress – strange as it may seem, even when I’m attempting to steer clear of conflict, both humans and mutants appear to relentlessly chase me, much like the relentless T-1000. This persistent pursuit in defense makes it difficult not to feel this persistent defense as a personal slight. Interestingly, when I venture too near a vehicle yard, the solitary gunman who shoos me away with a Kalashnikov doesn’t seem keen on pursuing me any further than his small concrete domain. Nevertheless, I comply, diverting my course to examine the landscape and ascend an unfinished skyscraper.
Following a prolonged journey without any beasts accompanying me, I was summoned by Lieutenant Semydomov from the paramilitary Duty group. He asked for my assistance in cleansing a nearby facility of more gang members, and I agreed – even though it doesn’t truly matter, having allies handle the fighting for me is essentially what I prefer. If things go well, I might catch a glimpse of what successful beastmastering could loosely resemble. Interestingly enough, the Duty group does manage to sweep the criminals away, although Lieutenant Semydomov expresses his disappointment at my reluctance to participate, delivering a harsh post-apocalyptic scolding.
It seems the Zone is proving to be quite elusive, what with its semi-peaceful Snorks and a neutral group that can handle things on their own. Just when I was contemplating moving to Garbage, a Bloodsucker’s scream pierced my senses. Looks like I’ve found another ally.
Recently, I’ve gathered additional supplies for medication and identified potential danger areas for anomalies. However, the main challenge now is locating a suitable target for the mini-Cthulhu release. To the south, there lies an abnormal mountain fortified with safes, which has been guarded by raiders in the past but seems empty at present. Additionally, the bandits who were earlier causing trouble have vacated their camp.
As the sun sets, the menacing figure continues attacking me, when suddenly, a place I had avoided gunfire before comes into sight – the vehicle compound. Just like the first time, I’m not welcomed with open arms this time, as I lead him inside. Instead of a group of disorganized crooks, I find armed soldiers instead. Maybe the first person left, but I don’t have time to wonder about it, because the menacing figure is already tearing through the soldiers, slashing one down quickly and forcing another outside. The relentless figure shakes off multiple close-range shotgun blasts before taking down the second soldier as well. I jump onto a stack of old cable spools to avoid being his next target, watching as he wreaks havoc through a loading bay before finally falling to a hail of bullets from an unseen third soldier.
The lone survivor is graceful in victory – he must presume the creature’s arrival 0.0045 seconds after mine was an unfortunate coincidence, and doesn’t even consider the possibility that I’d just dragged it over half of Ukraine looking for lives to end. I’m satisfied, though, with this positive K/D ratio. That leaves little left to do but respectfully loot the bodies, including that of a Lt. Sem… Semydomov. Oh. Ohhhhhh. This was the place from earlier, but also the place from earlier-earlier, just approached from a different angle so I didn’t… ohhhhhhhhhhh. Hey Semy, isn’t that funny?
Alright, “Get lost”, I hear ya.
Read More
- BCH PREDICTION. BCH cryptocurrency
- TRX PREDICTION. TRX cryptocurrency
- RUNE PREDICTION. RUNE cryptocurrency
- ADA PREDICTION. ADA cryptocurrency
- JASMY PREDICTION. JASMY cryptocurrency
- TWT PREDICTION. TWT cryptocurrency
- QUBIC PREDICTION. QUBIC cryptocurrency
- ENJ PREDICTION. ENJ cryptocurrency
- REI PREDICTION. REI cryptocurrency
- ROSE PREDICTION. ROSE cryptocurrency
2024-12-06 14:55