GSC Game earth
Rumblings about a subsequence to the cult classicS.T.A.L.K.E.R , an atmospheric , yet janky supernatural shooter set within the radioactive zone around Chornobyl , have been around since 2010 . The current version of the sequel from GSC Game World has been talk over since 2020 . It was ab initio going to set in motion as early as April 2022 , but due to Russia ’s encroachment of Ukraine , its development has been predominant with delays , andS.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2 : Heart of Chornobylwas pushed back again and again , all the way until this September .
With only a few month to go until launching , GSC Game World ultimately had the game playable atSummer Game Festthis year . I went hired hand - on withS.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2,and it ’s shaping up to be a vicious survival of the fittest torpedo that will be well worth the postponement .
During my demonstration ofS.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2,I play through the first 30 minutes or so of the game . From the get - go , it ’s clear that the game accept place in a savage and relentless worldly concern , with the player character physically jeopardise the very person who ’s helping him sneak into the Chornobyl Exclusion Zone . From there , I had to easy sneak through cracks in wall as I hide from helicopters flying overhead that were look for intruders . I also saw some of the supernatural occurrence of the Exclusion Zone , too , and forthwith felt like something was off and unsafe . I was eventually able to get into the Exclusion Zone safely ( for now ) , and my next task was to reckon for a bunker with the information I demand .
Of course , everyone was dead when I stick there ; that seems like it will be a vernacular mickle in the Exclusion Zone . After retrieve what I needed , I was back out in the rough outdoors environment and got to see some of its supernatural occurrences for myself . There are radiated puddles players will sometimes have to navigate through to nibble stuff up , and small electric stream can overtake theatrical role of the background when sure objects are activated . That ’s not to mention the deadly mutated tool I finally had to defend , as well as the every bit baneful humans .
All of that alone makesS.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2a very tense game , but GSC Game World goes a step deep and reflects that intensity through endurance gameplay mechanics . If I walked too far into a radiated domain , I ’d get radiation poisoning that would finally defeat me if I did n’t pledge something . If I was shoot , I needed to bandage myself as quickly as potential or hazard bleeding to destruction . There ’s also a hungriness organization that will need player to eat eventually if they want to survive . With limited inventory space for weapon and all the item that can aid alleviate those health - draining effects , S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2constantly made me feel like I was at risk of exposure of die .
Thankfully , that ’s exactly the kind of tactual sensation I wanted to get out ofS.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2 . A survival gunman with repulsion undertone should experience this unforgiving , even in a brief 30 - mo demonstration . GSC Game World had a clear visual modality for what it wantedS.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2to be , and despite all the ugly tribulations that the growing squad has had to face during developing , it reckon like they powered through and delivered something that is unabashedly their unique vision . That should make this game worth the 14 - year wait .
While I know I ’m going to die a bunch , I ca n’t wait to play more whenS.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2 : Heart of Chornobyllaunches for PC and Xbox Series X / S on September 5 . It will be useable on Xbox Game Pass from 24-hour interval one .
