Stalker 2: Heart of Chornobyl review: "The best but most broken game I've played all year"

GamesRadar+ Verdict GamesRadar+ Verdict TODAY’S BEST DEALS$59.99at Amazon$179.99at Amazon TODAY’S BEST DEALS$59.99at Amazon$179.99at Amazon TODAY’S BEST DEALS$59.99at Amazon$179.99at Amazon TODAY’S BEST DEALS $59.99at Amazon$179.99at Amazon $59.99at Amazon $59.99at Amazon $179.99at Amazon $179.99at Amazon Pros+Gunfights are phenomenal+The Zone is an atmospheric, one-of-a-kind open world+Very challenging, making this perfect for anyone who likes their survival games with grit Gunfights are phenomenal The Zone is an atmospheric, one-of-a-kind open world Very challenging, making this perfect for anyone who likes their survival games with grit Cons-Riddled with bugs that range from immersion-busting to game-breaking-Weapons and gear degrade too quickly, making it hard to stick with your favorites-English voice acting is a little inconsistent in quality Riddled with bugs that range from immersion-busting to game-breaking Weapons and gear degrade too quickly, making it hard to stick with your favorites English voice acting is a little inconsistent in quality Why you can trust GamesRadar+Our experts review games, movies and tech over countless hours, so you can choose the best for you.Find out more about our reviews policy. Why you can trust GamesRadar+Our experts review games, movies and tech over countless hours, so you can choose the best for you.Find out more about our reviews policy. In The Zone (Image credit: GSC Game World) Fast factsRelease date:November 20, 2024Platform(s):PC, Xbox Series X|SDeveloper:GSC Game WorldPublisher:GSC Game World Fast facts Release date:November 20, 2024Platform(s):PC, Xbox Series X|SDeveloper:GSC Game WorldPublisher:GSC Game World Release date:November 20, 2024Platform(s):PC, Xbox Series X|SDeveloper:GSC Game WorldPublisher:GSC Game World (Image credit: GSC Game World) It’s a breathless throughline that makes Stalker’s gunfights best-in-class, but battling mutants is a lot less fun. Fending off their melee attacks is a limp game of whack-a-mole, as smaller enemies like feral dogs will often clip through your legs and run away after attacking. Facing off against tentacled Bloodsuckers should be more exciting, but in reality they just soak up more bullets and turn invisible between swipes. It’s painfully dated, and lacks any of the texture that defines Stalker’s hectic shootouts. These encounters feel even more jarring because they stick out in one of the most engrossing open worlds I’ve ever explored. Radiation and psionic energy have warped the Ukrainian landscape in new and dramatic ways: between verdant green shrubland and plodding swamps are poppy fields that lull visitors into an eternal sleep, vast crimson forests, and long-abandoned brutalist concrete buildings. It’s treacherously pretty, as The Zone is pocked with anomalies – warped pockets of energy that can toss you like a ragdoll, ignite anything in range, or lash you with electricity. Just as your Geiger counter will crackle into life when radiation levels are high, a second device will beep when an anomaly is near. This means that you can neverreallydrop your guard (remember that path to Zalissya?) and as a result you’ll wander The Zone with cagey admiration, ogling its vistas whilst nervously watching for telltale ripples in the air that mark an anomaly. Rad-ical (Image credit: GSC Game World) Harsh climate(Image credit: GSC Game World)GSC Game World’s Zakhar Bocharov tells us of The Zone’s harshness:“It’s a level of freedom that you can explore yourself, as long as you can survive in this world of hard rules.” Harsh climate (Image credit: GSC Game World)GSC Game World’s Zakhar Bocharov tells us of The Zone’s harshness:“It’s a level of freedom that you can explore yourself, as long as you can survive in this world of hard rules.” (Image credit: GSC Game World) GSC Game World’s Zakhar Bocharov tells us of The Zone’s harshness:“It’s a level of freedom that you can explore yourself, as long as you can survive in this world of hard rules.” (Image credit: GSC Game World) However, the real drama comes from Stalker 2’s ludicrously ambitious main quest. Numerous factions war over the region’s future, and you’ll need to determine how that goes across a branching story. The Ward are a bunch of militarized fascists who want to rid the world of The Zone for good, while Spark – a less-organized gaggle of Stalkers – have come to almost revere The Zone, and fight to preserve it. Throw in ethically dubious scientists from the “mainland” and a commune of former cultists, and there are plenty of agendas that vie for Skif’s allegiance. You’re frequently forced to choose between these groups, and these decisions have tangible consequences. After pissing off The Ward I couldn’t safely travel to certain areas, while their wandering patrols around the world would try and kill me on sight. Even a couple of scheming Spark members – who I was meant to be working with – tried to ambush and kill me, purely because I helped The Wardoncemuch earlier in the game. Stalker 2 does a fantastic job at recognizing your choices and branching the main quest around them, with The Zone itself feeling livelier for its factions' constant back-and-forth. Not an anomaly (Image credit: GSC Game World) Stalker 2, in its current state, has too much baggage to overlook Stalker 2, in its current state, has too much baggage to overlook Issues with AI became more prominent the further into Stalker I got, as many enemies seemingly forgot they were meant to be killing me. These bugs also make it hard to tell when something is working: is there still a killable enemy I haven’t found for this quest, or has Mr Stalker decided to become one with the concrete wall again? Likewise, AI detection fluctuates between hawkish vigilance and willful ignorance, which makes relying on stealth pointless. Disclaimer Looking for more? Ourbest survival gameslist will point you towards some similarly unfriendly plays. Or want more power? Then ourbest FPS gamesmight be more what you’re looking for! $59.99View$179.99View $59.99View $59.99View $59.99View $59.99 $59.99 $179.99View $179.99View $179.99View $179.99 $179.99 We check over 250 million products every day for the best prices CATEGORIESXbox Series XPC GamingPlatformsXbox CATEGORIES 2024 was the year I rekindled my love of shooters – and it’s all thanks to Stalker 2, Black Ops 6, and Space Marine 2Massive Stalker 2 patch starts chipping away at the notoriously glitchy game’s worst problems, including over 80 cutscene problems and nearly 2,000 more bugs 2024 was the year I rekindled my love of shooters – and it’s all thanks to Stalker 2, Black Ops 6, and Space Marine 2 2024 was the year I rekindled my love of shooters – and it’s all thanks to Stalker 2, Black Ops 6, and Space Marine 2 Massive Stalker 2 patch starts chipping away at the notoriously glitchy game’s worst problems, including over 80 cutscene problems and nearly 2,000 more bugs Massive Stalker 2 patch 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Overwatch that it forgets to play to its own strengths” 5Marvel Rivals review: “So preoccupied with trying to be like Overwatch that it forgets to play to its own strengths” 5 Marvel Rivals review: “So preoccupied with trying to be like Overwatch that it forgets to play to its own strengths” 1Sonic the Hedgehog 3 review: “Keanu Reeves as Shadow is wasted whilst Jim Carrey steals the show” 1Sonic the Hedgehog 3 review: “Keanu Reeves as Shadow is wasted whilst Jim Carrey steals the show” 1 Sonic the Hedgehog 3 review: “Keanu Reeves as Shadow is wasted whilst Jim Carrey steals the show” 2Mufasa: The Lion King review – “It’s no Hakuna Matata but this Disney origin story is a class above the 2019 movie” 2Mufasa: The Lion King review – “It’s no Hakuna Matata but this Disney origin story is a class above the 2019 movie” 2 Mufasa: The Lion King review – “It’s no Hakuna Matata but this Disney origin story is a class above the 2019 movie” 3Kraven the Hunter review: “The insistence on an R-rating helps save this, with a decent helping of bloodthirsty action” 3Kraven the Hunter review: “The insistence on an R-rating helps save this, with a decent helping of bloodthirsty action” 3 Kraven the Hunter review: “The insistence on an R-rating helps save this, with a decent helping of bloodthirsty action” 4The Lord of the Rings: The War of the Rohirrim review – “An uninspired expansion of the most iconic screen take on Tolkien” 4The Lord of the Rings: The War of the Rohirrim review – “An uninspired expansion of the most iconic screen take on Tolkien” 4 The Lord of the Rings: The War of the Rohirrim review – “An uninspired expansion of the most iconic screen take on Tolkien” 5Nightbitch review: “Amy Adams' disappointing dark comedy is all bark and no bite” 5Nightbitch review: “Amy Adams' disappointing dark comedy is all bark and no bite” 5 Nightbitch review: “Amy Adams' disappointing dark comedy is all bark and no bite” 1Squid Game season 2 review: “Secures its place as one of the best shows on television right now” 1Squid Game season 2 review: “Secures its place as one of the best shows on television right now” 1 Squid Game season 2 review: “Secures its place as one of the best shows on television right now” 2Doctor Who 2024 Christmas special review: “Ncuti Gatwa is as magnetic as ever in this delightful festive treat” 2Doctor Who 2024 Christmas special review: “Ncuti Gatwa is as magnetic as ever in this delightful festive treat” 2 Doctor Who 2024 Christmas special review: “Ncuti Gatwa is as magnetic as ever in this delightful festive treat” 3Secret Level review: “An uneven experience with serious highlights that ultimately make up for the misses” 3Secret Level review: “An uneven experience with serious highlights that ultimately make up for the misses” 3 Secret Level review: “An uneven experience with serious highlights that ultimately make up for the misses” 4Skeleton Crew review: “Perfectly captures the vibes of classic Star Wars with a swashbuckling twist” 4Skeleton Crew review: “Perfectly captures the vibes of classic Star Wars with a swashbuckling twist” 4 Skeleton Crew review: “Perfectly captures the vibes of classic Star Wars with a swashbuckling twist” 5Creature Commandos review: “James Gunn’s heartwarming, R-rated tale about super-monsters proves that the DCU is in good hands” 5Creature Commandos review: “James Gunn’s heartwarming, R-rated tale about super-monsters proves that the DCU is in good hands” 5 Creature Commandos review: “James Gunn’s heartwarming, R-rated tale about super-monsters proves that the DCU is in good hands”