The big 1.7 update to STALKER 2 is out. The post-apocalyptic FPS got more realistic, and factions have started fighting each other

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Following previews in October and teasers on social media, GSC Game World has released the highly anticipated update for S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2: Heart of Chornobyl. This is one of the game’s biggest updates yet, offering a wealth of improvements to gameplay and performance, as well as new modes and features.

Before I explain the update, I recommend checking out the video showing what the developers have been working on.

In a statement on Steam, the developers address the players with the words:

Hello Stalkers! We’re excited to share the latest update for S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2: Heart of Chornobyl. We’re happy to have you back and can’t wait for you to see all the new features we’ve added to the Zone.

And there are indeed plenty of new “toys.” Among the most important are:

  1. a refreshed A-Life system, allowing factions to actively fight for new areas, losing or reclaiming them during dynamic skirmishes;
  2. a new difficulty level – Master – designed for those who want the most challenging gameplay;
  3. Expedition Mode, allowing players to focus on exploration, resource gathering, and survival in unpredictable conditions;
  4. expanded and more natural NPC behaviors, including better threat detection and reactions to the environment;
  5. new anomalies changing the way you navigate the map;
  6. Immersive Mode, which limits interface elements and focuses on a more realistic experience;
  7. improved gamepad controls, enhanced aim assist, and noticeably better weapon responsiveness.

However, these are just general points – the detailed list of improvements is extensive.

AI, combat, and more natural enemy behaviors

We’ve put a lot of effort into improving the AI and combat. Enemies are now less likely to spot you when you’re hidden in tall grass or reeds, their shots are less accurate when fired through bushes, and they make smarter decisions during fights. Basically, this means they’ll be more challenging and realistic opponents.

  1. flank the player more often;
  2. can assess the situation and retreat from combat;
  3. choose the appropriate distance depending on the weapon they have;
  4. react to explosions and do not hide in illogical places.

Mutants now have more realistic death animations, and we’ve fixed several issues with their behavior, like awkward movements during jumps or mistakenly attacking the wrong enemies.

Mission and open world event fixes

Besides making combat better, the developers fixed a lot of problems with the game’s story. Update 1.7 resolves dozens of bugs involving characters, conversations, and in-game videos that were preventing players from completing quests and progressing through the game.

We’ve refined how characters act during emission sequences, added back missing cut-scenes, and resolved numerous issues where the player character or their companions could become stuck or vanish from the game.

Improved performance

Okay, so GSC Game World just dropped a massive update, and honestly, it’s a game-changer. They’re saying it’s one of the biggest optimization pushes they’ve ever done! Basically, they squashed over 90 different crashes, and the game is running way smoother now. It’s a huge improvement in performance, which is awesome.

The most important changes include:

  1. improved vegetation meshes and materials;
  2. enhanced building geometry and collisions;
  3. lighting and shading optimization;
  4. improved physics and object animations.

The game S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2: Heart of Chornobyl will launch on PlayStation 5 on November 20th. Early reviews are beginning to surface, and while the game isn’t without technical issues, reviewers note it’s a significant improvement over its initial PC and Xbox release last year.

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2025-11-18 12:34