STALKER 2: This FPS which took 15 years to release is not the long-awaited slap in the face, but there is hope

History

Stalker 2 tells the story of Yevhen, a money-making stalker searching for answers after his home was destroyed by an anomaly. Skif, his nickname, enters the exclusion zone to find an artifact likely to bring him the jackpot, but nothing obviously happens as planned. This second canonical episode of the saga begins after Stalker of the first name and nothing is the same as before. A second explosion which took place in 2006 spectacularly disrupted Chornobyl and its surroundings, creating various anomalies and mutants which made the area particularly hostile.

It is in this post-apocalyptic context that our stalker ignores the warnings in the hope of making his fortune and finding the sad truth hidden at the heart of the Zone. The Ukrainian teams at GSC Game World even made sure that everyone could fully enjoy Stalker 2. You don't need to have survived the first game to challenge the second. And that’s excellent news!

Graphics

STALKER: Shadow of Chernobyl was cutting edge when it was released in 2007 and GSC Game World planned to do the same again 17 years later. Unfortunately, STALKER 2: Heart of Chornobyl is in no way a technological flagship although it does not deserve it in the least. This FPS lags behind the competition somewhat without being completely overtaken by the latter, and suffers in particular from a blatant lack of optimization. It is advisable and even necessary to have a very powerful machine to play in optimal conditions and allow the title to express its full potential. Otherwise, regular framerate drops risk ruining the adventure.

Ukrainian studios are working on refining their creation and have already corrected many bugs. The latest fixes have greatly improved the overall experience and stabilized everything. However, there are still many technical anomalies and other bugs in Chornobyl. Between the wild clipping of decorative elements – especially vegetation – and texture problems, the Exclusion Zone is not free from all criticism. However, it is very pleasant to spend dozens of hours in its apocalyptic environments. Stalker 2 stands out with its end-of-times atmosphere and an artistic direction from Eastern Europe that immerses us 100%.

Chronobyl is a timeless place, an open world which extends over no less than 64km² and which offers the curious unique panoramas. The Exclusion Zone has no equal to amaze us with its different exotic biomes and terrorize us with its capricious weather and a day/night cycle which greatly impacts our approach to missions. Stalker 2 compensates for its lack of technique with an atmosphere equal to no other, both visual and sound. Sound design helps immerse us body and soul in these forbidden places cut off from the world. Chornobyl is the ideal destination to experience a survivalist epic and emerge as paralyzed as it is satisfied.

Gameplay

GSC Game World takes the formula that made the franchise famous and refines certain details in order to bring it up to date. Players will be on familiar ground with this immersive simulation which gives pride of place to survival and gunfights. Stalker 2 is deliberately austere, not very attractive at first glance. The first moments in Chornobyl are harsh, difficult and that is the whole point of this experience which forgives us nothing… or almost. Here we learn the hard way…one failure after another.

This uncompromising adventure revolves around a principle as simple as it is effective… survival of the fittest and that's what makes the game so exciting. Stalkers cannot go on an expedition without first carefully preparing. This involves the choice of equipment, weapons and ammunition as well as their repair because, in Stalker 2, wear and tear must be taken into account otherwise your weapon will jam in the middle of combat. Character constants are another element to monitor closely at all times. Whether it's health, endurance, radiation rate or even hunger… the stalker's life depends on his ability to meet his needs in real time.

Because almost everything tries to get under your skin in this Exclusion Zone which forces us to constantly be on our guard and to listen. The environment is the first threat to take into account and not to be neglected. Between the anomalies, the deadly emissions and the mutants who haunt the place, death follows us like our shadow. Then Man is a wolf for Man and that could not be more true in these places. The fights are intended to be sporadic, but intense, despite a summary artificial intelligence which, if not surprising, is present. GSC Game World even offers infiltration sequences and a few boss fights which turn out to be anecdotal and uninspired.

What strikes us in Stalker 2 is the absence of RPG mechanics that have flooded the majority of games for a decade. In Chornobyl, Skif's rise to power involves acquiring new weapons and new armor and not by obtaining a skill or increasing a statistic. The experience is intended to be as realistic as possible, or at least credible in a supernatural post-apocalyptic context. We must therefore explore the environment and carry out dangerous missions in order to obtain the equipment necessary for our progress.

Stalker 2 can be played entirely with keyboard/mouse – which is obvious as the saga is intrinsically linked to the PC – but also with the controller. Steam announces partial compatibility, but in fact the GSC Game World title can be played entirely on the pad without suffering the slightest loss. There is, however, one limitation that may make you think twice before grabbing a pad. This FPS encourages headshots, especially at the end of the adventure, and suffice to say that with a controller… the difficulty goes up a notch as Heart of Chornobyl is a PC game at heart.

Scenario

Stalker 2 relies on a mainly environmental narrative punctuated by scripted sequences which struggle to fit in with the immersive simulation imagined by GSC Game World. The story mainly involves dialogues, sometimes multiple choices which influence the progress of the plot but not its outcome, and some good cutscenes. The strength of Stalker 2 lies in its ability to parachute us into the Exclusion Zone in media res and into its alternate universe. The story turns out to be linear and often confusing, the fault lying in an experience which favors survival and which shines too little through its scripted passages. Heat of Chornobyl nevertheless has a quality that seems essential to us… The game is fully dubbed into Ukrainian and subtitled in French.…and that makes all the difference.

Content

Stalker 2 requires around forty hours in a “pseudo” straight line to see the end of it, which means being content with a few secondary missions and limiting exploration to the strict minimum. Out, this FPS is experienced at the chosen pace, one discovery after another and with this vision the lifespan explodes. Those who want to visit every corner of the map, explore every landmark and complete the dozens of available quests may find themselves camping in Chornobyl for a while. Small downside, the Ukrainian studios abuse at the end of the adventure the incessant back and forth which, as a reminder, is done on foot. The change of scenery then gives way to a slight feeling of weariness.

Conclusion

STALKER 2: Heart of Chornobyl is not the video game miracle we hoped for, but it does not deserve it. This open-world survivalist FPS is a unique experience that shines with its immersive universe, its survivalist vision of video games and its unique atmosphere. Unfortunately, several elements make it an imperfect game, first and foremost its technical delay, its summary artificial intelligence and its story which struggles to keep us in suspense. It was pleasant to return to the Exclusion Zone…no more, no less.