STALKER 2: Heart of Chornobyl looks fancier, but is still tough as nails
6.10.2024
By Diego Nicolás Argüello, Contributor
During a hands-on demo during Summer Game Fest, we were able to tackle the first half-hour of the first-person open-world shooter. The section served as a tutorial that introduced the story and its stakes, culminating on a cliffhanger that set the tone for what to expect in the full game.
Based on our time with STALKER 2, there's a bigger focus on narrative and dialog this time around, as characters talk to the protagonist during cutscenes and over the radio. It might sound surprising when you consider how the story never got in the way of previous entries in the series. Here, it didn't feel intrusive, acting in service of the tutorial as we got a feel for the modern controls and fresh mechanics.
Structure-wise, the tutorial was quite linear, and felt more on-par with the Metro series in terms of pacing. The full game, however, will feature a non-linear approach to missions in an open world, leading to multiple endings depending on the path you follow and the decisions you make along the way. It seems like the tutorial is there to onboard new players before opening the doors to the proper experience.
Thankfully, there are glimpses of the old STALKER games everywhere, from the type of loot scattered around the world to the enemies in the demo, which included the classic raiders, flesh mutants, and bloodsuckers. In case you're wondering, yes, the gunplay is much more refined than its predecessors, yet it doesn't feel like it's overcompensating in any way.
During combat encounters, I was quickly overwhelmed by enemies; I had to run away and find a structure to hide in so I could recover my health. The bloodsucker continues to be an elusive foe that is bound to surprise you thanks to its ability to turn invisible. Though raiders are only human, they're quite aggressive, and would often follow my tracks and attempt to flank me. Even within my short time with the game, I had to be mindful of ammunition, and I'm not ashamed to admit I died quite a few times. Exposing myself to enemy fire came at great cost, which is both exciting and daunting to keep in mind, considering this was only the tutorial.
In terms of what to expect, the mission objective had me taking a scanner into the Zone to scan anomalies. At times, I would hold both the pistol and a smaller scanner to find objects of interest, trying to stay away from environment hazards and radiation. They're as unpredictable as ever, with an electricity anomaly coming out of nowhere to shock me to death on the spot.
There wasn't a lot of room for exploration in this short demo—something that the STALKER series has always embraced—but it seems it'll be just as important. I looted an SMG from a dead NPC inside an easily missable room within a bunker, and some crates often hide some ever-useful medkits inside. The inventory screen is fairly similar to the classic ones, which makes for a welcoming sight.
Amid the new features showcased in the demo, there's a radial wheel menu that you use to quickly access weapons and items of interest. You can also switch weapons using the top row numbers of your keyboard if you're on PC, but the wheel seemed perfect for controller users.
Overall, our time with STALKER 2: Heart of Chornobyl made a promising first impression. Its gorgeous environments and lighting make it shine, while both the subtle and bigger refinements make for modern distinctions.
Even in just a half-hour, I was reminded of how daunting the Zone can be, reassured that the series' roots weren't left behind after all these years. There have been plenty of games in recent times that aren't afraid to put difficulty front and center. STALKER 2 is as unapologetically unforgiving as ever, elevating its setting in the process.
STALKER 2: Heart of Chornobyl releases on September 5 on Epic Games Store.
For more on Summer Game Fest, check out our full recap of the live presentation here. We also have rundowns for the rest of the festivities, including the PC Gaming Show, the Future Games Show, and Guerilla Collective.