As a seasoned gamer with years of traversing virtual landscapes under my belt, let me tell you, STALKER 2: Heart of Chornobyl has truly outdone itself! This game is an absolute treasure trove for those seeking a challenge, and it’s especially rewarding for those who dare to venture off the beaten path.
In STALKER 2, advancement primarily revolves around discovering and enhancing superior equipment items. It’s understandable if one might initially believe that the gear in the early stages is subpar and needs to be swapped out frequently. However, contrary to this assumption, I discovered that a trio of exceptional pieces of equipment found early on were more than sufficient for over 30 hours of my ongoing 40+ hour gameplay.
In the initial stages of STALKER 2, here’s an essential trio of items you should aim to gather: a rifle, suit of armor, and artifact. Surprisingly, you can secure these prized possessions without facing significant peril during the game’s early hours. These aren’t just any items; they’re crucial gear that you certainly won’t want to overlook! To help ensure you don’t miss out on them, I’ve prepared a concise guide below detailing their locations and explaining why they are so valuable. If you’re eager to acquire the top-tier early game gear in STALKER 2, give this guide a read.
Valik Lummox’s AKM-74S location
As an analyst, I can tell you that the first piece of equipment on my early game shopping list that’s readily accessible is Valik Lummox’s AKM-74S. It’s a standard AKM-74S, but what sets it apart is the convenient scope already attached. When engaging with other stalkers in The Zone, headshots are crucial and this scope will significantly simplify landing them. In fact, I found myself relying on this weapon for an extended period because headshot capabilities were hard to come by with other scoped options at my disposal.
The rifle is located atop a water tower, situated northwest of the initial settlement you’ll encounter, known as Zalissya in the Lesser Zone. For clarity, it’s perched on top of a climbable structure. Keep in mind that you might need to complete the quest “Warlock’s Debter” initiated by Warlock, the bartender in Zalyssia, before the weapon appears. This can be accomplished once you enter his establishment and witness the ensuing cutscene.
On this adventure, I found myself hot on the trail of a debtor named Valik Lummox, a man who owed Warlock some significant coin. Rumors whispered that he had taken refuge atop the water tower. Upon my arrival, I encountered a group of roughnecks, extorting money from him under false pretenses, claiming he owed them as well. In a moment of choice, I decided to aid him, and in a casual remark, he mentioned a rifle.
The one drawback of Valik Lummox’s AKM-74S is that you can’t detach its scope, so it can be difficult to use in close-quarters. You’ll eventually get a unique AKM from the main story and a scope in a stash at the top of the Slag Heap in the Garbage area that can be freely added to and removed from weapons — together, those two items replaced this rifle in my loadout, as the added flexibility is nice to have. Until that happens, though, I recommend using this as a marksman’s rifle of sorts while keeping a shotgun or SMG handy for dealing with close-range threats.
Weird Ball artifact location
The object to locate next is the enigmatic Weird Ball artifact, which immediately became indispensable in my equipment once I obtained it. Unlike many other artifacts, it significantly decreases the damage you sustain from enemy gunfire without any detrimental side effects to consider, making it an essential treasure to possess.
The Weird Ball stands out from other artifacts as being one-of-a-kind and uniquely detectable by human senses rather than technology. You can locate it to the east of Zalissya in the Lesser Zone, positioned near an ambulance that’s close to a large anomaly in a pond known as Bulba. However, this location won’t be marked until you approach it closely, so refer to the provided image for assistance in finding it.
You’ll see that the Bulba anomaly in the pond regularly increases and decreases, drawing nearby items towards it as it grows and pushing them away when it shrinks. To prevent being damaged, drawn in, and potentially destroyed by the Bulba, it is advisable to take cover behind the vehicles and rocks in the pond during its growth phase. Once it contracts, you can then move closer to the ambulance. Hiding behind the ambulance offers a safe position from which you can later securely pick up the Weird Ball when it’s safe to do so.
It’s crucial to be aware of this: Never attempt to jump into the pond. Doing so could result in the Bulba quickly dragging you underwater, leading to an immediate and fatal outcome (a lesson I unfortunately had to learn firsthand).
PSZ-5V Guardian of Freedom Suit location
Last but certainly not least is the PSZ-5V Guardian of Freedom Suit, which is excellent armor I used for 30+ hours. It’s undoubtedly the most well-rounded suit I found in the early game, with a great balance of weight, damage protection, good resistances to anomalies, and two slots for artifacts. It also has a good suite of upgrades that allow you to add extra damage reductions and artifact slots, and isn’t unreasonably expensive to repair.
This is the last of these three items you’ll find, as you’ll need to head to the Garbage to get it. Specifically, you’ll find the suit to the west of the Slag Heap at the Brood bandit hangout on top of a structure you can reach by climbing on the roof of a bunker entrance and walking across some pipes. Once up there, you’ll see the armor sitting next to a basic stalker stash labelled “Tucked-Away Loot” on your map. Note that the Brood bandits are neutral unless you decide to attack them, so don’t worry about them coming after you.
Among various good armor sets in the Lesser Zone and the Garbage, I previously utilized the Light Mercenary Suit from a cache discovered during The Journalist’s “Seek, and you shall find” mission before stumbling upon this one. However, I found the PSZ-5V Guardian of Freedom to be the top choice overall. Its excellent protection, versatile early game artifact compatibility, robust upgrade possibilities, and reasonable repair expenses earn it an S-tier ranking, making it a must-find item as soon as possible.
The highly anticipated game, STALKER 2: Heart of Chornobyl, is now available on Xbox Series X|S and Windows PC. This year, it’s been ranked among the top Xbox games and top PC games due to its exceptional quality. Retailing at $59.99, you can currently find a discount on it at CDKeys. Additionally, you can play it through Xbox Game Pass, PC Game Pass, and Xbox Game Pass Ultimate.
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2024-11-20 23:09