S.T.A.L.K.E.R. fans can finally return to the Chornobyl Exclusion Zone again, as GSC Game World"s next entry in the popular survival shooter franchise is now available across PC and Xbox consoles. Following a range of delays due to the Russian invasion of the studio"s home country, Ukraine, S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2: Heart of Chornobyl is finally here. It returns with an open world filled with danger, both human and mutated and creepy locations to explore.
The Unreal Engine 5-powered game is touted as being a "blend of FPS, horror, and immersive sim." The non-linear story is delivered on an open world that"s 64-km² in size, featuring factions to meet with, highly radioactive zones to avoid or force through, abandoned structures for exploring, and over 30 types of weapons to loot. There"s a deep customization system for weapons, too, letting players make their own style of lethal firearms.
As for non-human dangers, anomalies can be found throughout this supernatural environment that offers both valuable artifacts and weird fights. Plenty of "horrifying mutated creatures" have spawned from the radiation, with subtypes that can range from disfigured animals to invisible predators.
Here"s how the studio describes the setting:
Chornobyl Exclusion Zone has changed dramatically after the second massive explosion in the year 2006. Violent mutants, deadly anomalies, and warring factions have made the Zone a very tough place to survive. Nevertheless, artifacts of unbelievable value attracted many people called S.T.A.L.K.E.R.s, who entered the Zone for their own risk, striving to make a fortune out of it or even to find the Truth concealed in the Heart of Chornobyl.
S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2: Heart of Chornobyl is now available on PC and Xbox Series X|S platforms. Xbox Game Pass Ultimate and PC Game Pass members can also jump in now for no extra cost. The PC version is available across Steam, Epic Games Store, Microsoft Store, and GOG (DRM-free). Find the system requirements here.