S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2: Heart of Chornobyl

GSC Game World’s Stalker 2: Heart of Chornobyl is the upcoming most eagerly anticipated title in the S.T.A.L.K.E.R. franchise. Since its announcement back in 2010, the game has gone through multiple delays, meaning the game is set to release after nearly 14 years of waiting.

Initially, it was scheduled to launch in 2022, but since then, it has been nothing but delays.

However, you don’t have to wait much longer now that the open-world shooter is coming soon! Fortunately, fans finally got a glimpse of the upcoming game during the Xbox Games Showcase 2024. In this article, we’ll discuss everything there is to know about the survival, post-apocalyptic FPS game, including its release date, gameplay, platforms, and more!

Stalker 2: Heart of Chornobyl Release Date

The Stalker 2 release date has now been set for November 20, 2024. The Shooter was initially scheduled to launch on September 5, 2023, but it underwent yet another delay. In a statement, the Stalker game director, Yevhen Grygorovych, claims the developers needed some extra time to fix some “unexpected anomalies” (IGN). Hopefully, everything will be perfect once it launches!

The history of Stalker 2: Heart of Chornobl’s launch has been a rocky one since the game was originally scheduled to be released in 2012. However, it was canceled during the same year. In 2018, the game finally surfaced again, allowing fans to hope for a more concrete launch date. It was also revealed that the GSC Game World is developing the game on Unreal Engine 5.

Since then, the video game has faced multiple delays, some of which were due to the war in Ukraine, which uprooted the lives of the team members. Even though each Stalker 2 member undoubtedly suffered many hardships and tragedies and had to make many sacrifices, they still refused to abandon the game. The team continued to develop Stalker 2: Heart of Chornobyl.

Stalker 2: Heart of Chornobyl Platform

Stalker 2: Heart of Chornobyl is set to launch on Xbox Series X/S, Steam, and Epic Games. This means it’ll be an Xbox-exclusive game, which is bad news for PlayStation fans. However, GSC Game World might launch the game on other consoles at a later date, so you just have to hold tight. On the other hand, Xbox and PC fans are thrilled to hear the news.

What’s even more interesting is that the upcoming hotly anticipated video game is also launching straight on Xbox Game Pass from day one. Therefore, the Stalker 2 Game Pass version does exist if you are curious, and you can play the game for free if you’re a subscriber. However, if you were busy wondering, “Will Stalker 2 be on PS5?” then here’s your answer.

While there isn’t a Stalker 2 PS5 version at the time of writing, the developers might already be planning on launching it sometime later. For now, we can just sit back and watch the game in all its glory once it launches next month. Stalker 2: Heart of Chornobyl is also available for pre-order, the details of which are mentioned below. Are you ready to take down some mutants?

Stalker 2: Heart of Chornobyl Story

The S.T.A.L.K.E.R. franchise is popular for its narrative and greatly detailed world, with the main focus being the Chornobyl Exclusion Zone. This is a mysterious place that’s surrounded by an ill-famed nuclear power plant. Stalker 2: Heart of Chornobyl is set in an alternate reality, in which a second explosion takes place in 2006. In this game, you’ll return to the irradiated wasteland.

You’ll play as a lone “Stalker” who travels into the Zone to look for artefacts, which are the treasured remains of anomalous activity. The main story features a player’s journey as they venture through the Zone. As the exciting story progresses, a complex narrative will begin to unravel, involving several factions, each with unique rivalries, agendas, and moral dilemmas.

The developer has also hinted that Stalker 2: Heart of Chornobyl is set to explore themes of morality, survival, and the base nature of mankind in extreme conditions. This was interesting news to the fans, making them more eager to dive into the game. Staying true to the nature of the franchise, Stalker 2 also keeps to its traditional roots but spreads its branches far and wide.

S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2 Heart of Chornobyl Gameplay

Heart of Chornobyl is the greatly anticipated sequel to the popular 2009 game Stalker: Call of Pripyat. The upcoming game is a first-person shooter that features impressive survival, horror, and RPG aspects, in which players are supposed to stay alive amid all the different horrors that lurk in The Zone. Even though it’s known as Stalker 2, it’s the fourth instalment in the series.

In the upcoming game, you’ll explore an open-world environment with dynamic weather systems and day-night cycles. Once you’re present within The Zone, you must stand up against different creatures mutated by the nuclear fallout. Players should search for other essential items, manage their health, thirst, and hunger, and also explore a wide range of abandoned cities.

In the meantime, you’ll also be busy avoiding or getting rid of mutated monsters. In addition to this, the developers have also promised to launch two DLC expansion maps and a huge 64km² map for players to explore. It’s so massive that you’ll need over 100 Stalker 2 gameplay hours to thoroughly explore it. Stalker 2: Heart of Chornobyl also features various movements.

Trailer

The gameplay trailer revealed that players can grab attachments present in the environment for their weapons and attach them without losing any time. You can see the player getting their hands on a silencer and a scope and equipping them immediately without being taken to an inventory screen. Therefore, you can continue the battle without wasting any time at all.

The trailer also shows multiple enemy designs, such as an improved Bloodsucher greatly resembling Cthulhu. If you’re wondering, “What engine is Stalker 2 on?” then you’d be glad to know that it’s built on Unreal Engine 5, which is why it’s set to feature insane visuals and graphics. On top of this, survival mechanics are also a huge part of the upcoming video game.

Therefore, hunger, radiation, and stamina should be managed properly in this open-world game. In addition to mutated animals and huge monstrosities roaming around in The Zone, you’ll also find safe zones where you can interact with NPCs. You can potentially trade with them for items and essential supplies. Unfortunately, there won’t be a Stalker 2 Co-Op feature at launch.

If you were busy wondering, “Will Stalker 2 be Multiplayer?” then there’s your answer. You can check out Stalker 2 new gameplay demo on YouTube. The fans of the series will also be thrilled to hear that both customization and progression will continue to remain essential aspects of Heart of Chornobyl’s gameplay.

You’ll be able to upgrade your equipment, like weapons and armor, with the help of other items and materials found in the environment. In addition, both repairing and crafting gear will play a crucial role in surviving the Zone’s harsh conditions. Once players got a look at the Stalker 2 character screenshots, they quickly wanted the game to launch so they could jump into it.

Stalker 2: Heart of Chornobyl Cast

Like every other aspect of the upcoming game, the Stalker 2 main cast is also an epic one, including David Bowles as Strelok. The game also features Kevin Michael Clarke and James Beaumont, but their roles haven’t been confirmed yet. It was also reported that a Stalker 2 main cast van was destroyed in Ukraine some time ago. Fortunately, no one was injured here.

S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2 Heart of Chornobyl Pre-Order Details

Preorders for Stalker 2 were temporarily discontinued in the middle, but they’re now back up and running. Despite the version you wish to purchase, every preorder comes with an exclusive preorder pack, which consists of exclusive weapons, armor skins, extended campfire content, an early bird multiplayer badge, and so much more. You have multiple editions to choose from.

Similar to many other games, Heart of Chornobyl has several editions, each with its own price tag and unique content. You can purchase the game on the official game website, Steam, the Xbox Game Store, or the Electronic First website. The game comes in digital and physical formats, so to make it easier for you, here’s a list of all the versions and their content below:

Standard Digital Edition – $42.99

• Base Game
• Steam Exclusive Content (if bought through Steam)

Deluxe Digital Edition – $57.99

• Base Game
• Steam Exclusive Content (if bought through Steam)
• Special Extra Quest
• Digital Artbook
• Official Soundtrack
• 1 Costume, 3 Weapon skins (For Single-Player Campaign)
• 2 Costumes, 3 Weapon skins (For Multiplayer Campaign)

Ultimate Digital Edition – $78.99

• Base Game
• Steam Exclusive Content (if bought through Steam)
• Special Extra Quest
• Digital Artbook
• Official Soundtrack
• 1 Costume, 3 Weapon skins (For Single-Player Campaign)
• 3 Costumes, 7 Weapon skins (For Multiplayer Campaign)
• 2 Story Expansions
• Season Pass

Standard Physical Edition

• Everything included in the Standard Digital Edition
• Letter From Developers
• Steel Book
• Sticker Pack
• Souvenir Zone Permit

Ultimate Physical Edition – $350

• Everything included in the Ultimate Digital Edition
• Art Book
• Artefact Container Lamp
• Faction Patches
• Keychain (Multi-tool) with Fire Starter
• Letter From Developers
• Military Token
• Poster
• Sticker Pack
• Stalker Figurine
• Souvenir Zone Permit
• Steel Book (Ultimate art)
• S.T.A.L.K.E.R. Backpack
• Zone Map

Stalker 2 Collector’s Edition – $180

• Artbook
• Deluxe DLC
• Keychain with firestarter
• Letter from developers
• Poster
• Patches
• Sticker Pack
• Stalker Figurine
• Souvenir Zone Permit
• Steelbook (Collector’s Edition art)
• Token (dog tag)
• Zone Map

S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2 Heart of Chornobyl System Requirements

Since Stalker 2: Heart of Chornobyl is set to be a next-gen video game that’s built with exciting, cutting-edge technology, it’ll be pushing your system to its limits. To ensure that you can spend plenty of hours seamlessly playing the game without any lags or glitches, you should definitely check out the minimum and recommended system requirements for PC. Here they are:

Minimum System Requirements

• OS – Windows 10, 11
• Processor – AMD Ryzen 5 1600X / Intel Core i5-7600K
• Memory – 8 GB RAM
• Graphics – AMD Radeon RX 580 8GB / NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1060 6GB
• Storage – 150 GB available space

Recommended System Requirements

• OS – Windows 10, 11
• Processor – AMD Ryzen 7 3700X / Intel Core i7-9700K
• Memory – 16 GB RAM
• Graphics – AMD Radeon RX 5700 XT 8GB / NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2070 SUPER 8GB / NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1080 Ti 11GB
• Storage – 150 GB available space

Conclusion

While there wasn’t a S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2 Heart Of Chornobyl Beta Test to offer a proper glimpse into the game, we’re sure the developers are making a game that’s worth the wait. Keep an eye on Stalker 2 news since you’ll hear more on the topic as we get close to the launch date. Over the years, GSC Game World has launched multiple trailers to share details about the game.

If you want to get another good look at the game and catch up on some more details regarding it, then you should definitely check out some of its trailers from the developer’s official YouTube page. However, for the time being, mentally prepare yourself to take down mutated creatures!

Related Posts: