S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2: Heart of Chornobyl Review – Bleak Beauty in a Dangerous Open World

As a seasoned gamer with a soft spot for games that delve deep into the human condition and offer an immersive, gritty experience, I find myself captivated by the upcoming release of S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2. My gaming journey has taken me through various worlds, but none have quite resonated with my soul like this bleak, haunting landscape that is the Zone.

The sequel to S.T.A.L.K.E.R., titled S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2: Heart of Chornobyl, begins in a dismal fashion. You trudge across an expanse of barren land, illuminated only by the eerie glow of the moon. Your flashlight provides little help, much like a dimly glowing cigarette. Your Geiger counter chirps frantically, as if you’re amidst a playful group of dolphins. And there are pools of bubbling slime that emit humming noises and cause harm. Matters worsen when a group of soldiers surprise-attack you, knocking you unconscious. Upon regaining consciousness, you find yourself in daylight, allowing for a clearer view of the area: a forest devastated by time, with browns dominating the landscape – dead branches, rust, and excrement. Some might find the post-apocalyptic setting quite romantic.

To put it bluntly, I’ve grown tired of the Fallout series, with its post-apocalyptic setting adorned with kitsch elements such as desolate highways and retro diners, the atmosphere tainted by the echoes of rockabilly music. It’s time for something gloomier. What’s the point of laser guns and humorous robots when you can have a sky washed out to pale and a forest rotting away? Admittedly, the setting of S.T.A.L.K.E.R. hasn’t been completely destroyed, but it is confined within a limited area known as the Zone. This Zone is encircled by a grey wall and laced with barbed wire. It was created by Ukrainian game development studio GSC Game World, who have combined elements of fiction with real-world tragedy. You’ll recognize traces of Tarkovsky’s 1979 film Stalker and the book that inspired it, Roadside Picnic, both of which feature alien peril. On top of these stories, a layer of the Chernobyl disaster has been added, leading us to explore a reimagined version of the Chernobyl Exclusion Zone, including the deserted city of Pripyat.

In the game called Skif, a character named Skif wakes up abruptly one night due to his kitchen being obliterated cosmicly. The ceiling has burst, flames dance on the walls, and a glowing piece of rock now belongs to him. With the assistance of an expert, Skif ventures towards the Zone, scanner at the ready, pondering if this mysterious object might fetch a good price. Despite its peculiar setting, money is often undervalued compared to genuine intentions. Interestingly, this game avoids providing much backstory; details are scarce in the Zone, and like Skif, we’re given only enough information to keep moving forward.

This game seems somewhat similar to modern-era Fallout, but at the same time, it’s not quite fair to make that comparison. It shares elements such as a variety of quests, scavenging for loot, and an abundance of bugs (which will likely be fixed post-launch). However, the gameplay experience is more reminiscent of S.T.A.L.K.E.R.: Shadow of Chernobyl, which was actually released a year before Fallout 3, and it leans more towards survival horror shooter genre.

Although this sequel has taken fifteen years to be released, it doesn’t necessarily represent a fifteen-year leap in innovation. Graphically speaking, it could have been launched as early as 2011 and would have fit nicely among its predecessors such as S.T.A.L.K.E.R.: Clear Sky (2008) and S.T.A.L.K.E.R.: Call of Pripyat (2009). However, the fact that nothing quite like it has emerged since then is significant. The game exhibits a unique, resilient charm – much like an old rusty nail defying modern efforts to flatten and polish everything. For an intense contrast, I’d suggest jumping right into this after playing Call of Duty: Black Ops 6 for maximum shock effect.

the satisfaction of overcoming tough odds, strategizing, or taking down multiple enemies with just a grenade and strategic positioning, as well as the heart-stopping fear when your rifle malfunctions in the heat of battle.

The last instance of experiencing feelings such as cynicism and harsh scarcity, punctuated by unexpected misfortunes, seemed strikingly familiar to the narrative portrayed in “Far Cry 2”. As its director, Clint Hocking, expressed in an interview last year, he often views the world as something to challenge, protest, or fight against. I believe that the team behind S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2 would concur with this sentiment. The development of S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2 began in 2010; however, financial difficulties and layoffs led to the company’s dissolution in 2011. It was reestablished in 2014, but progress on the game didn’t resume until 2018. The game was revealed only a few months prior to the start of the Russian invasion of Ukraine in February 2022. Subsequently, it was placed on an indefinite hiatus, with employees based in Kyiv eventually relocating to Prague.

If the sense of rebellion is noticeable here (the title adjustment to Chornobyl, following Ukrainian romanization), it’s evident in the heartfelt portrayal of homeland. The Zone might be marred by unsightliness, with skies that twist into Dijon mustard and emit radiation, but it’s challenging not to recognize its charm. Just as the African nation in Far Cry 2 was visually captivating despite its outbreaks of intense unpleasantness, this landscape is unique – haunting, enchanting, and infused with a fundamental fear. Take a look at the Soviet silo, opened like a ribcage in the rain, with debris floating in the air. Here, there are anomalies where physics behave abnormally. Small orange sparks on the ground that flare into bursts of flame upon approach, and swirls of leaves that might trap you in a mini-cyclone or merely be a breeze. Can you recall when a game made you concerned about wind before?

In this game, there are numerous other concerns to deal with. Unlike traditional RPGs, it doesn’t follow the typical leveling system. Instead, you can gather equipment, enhance your weapons at survivor outposts, find artifacts that grant supernatural abilities but require a small dose of toxic substance, and engage in firefights. Additionally, there are loyalty conflicts to navigate, bounties to pursue, and if you’re curious, an intricate plot to explore – something about military betrayals and Skif’s past. Frankly, I wasn’t particularly captivated by the story of STALKER 2; it just is what it is: a unique game, developed independently from popular genres, set in a damaged environment. The appeal might lie in its enigmatic nature or simply in being weary of other games. As one character says to another at a camp, “The Zone has you,” and the response is, “No, it’s the Mainland that finally set me free.

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2024-11-20 17:12