Stalker 2's massive open world is built to explore for "as long as you can survive", and it may be the secret weapon that wins over Fallout, Metro, and The Last of Us fans

When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission.Here’s how it works. (Image credit: GSC Game World) Post-post apocalypse (Image credit: GSC Game World) Pack your Geiger counter(Image credit: GSC Game World)Check out our Stalker 2 preview to see what we made of three hours in The Zone Pack your Geiger counter (Image credit: GSC Game World)Check out our Stalker 2 preview to see what we made of three hours in The Zone (Image credit: GSC Game World) Check out our Stalker 2 preview to see what we made of three hours in The Zone Bocharov says it’s hard to pinpoint exactly what “clicks with you” in other post-apocalyptic games, which means newcomers may get into Stalker for completely different reasons. “For some it will be enjoying the gunplay, or the freedom,” he explains. “For some people, obviously, it will be way too difficult […] We’ll have a story mode, but it can be like this! But for those who it clicks with, I think it’ll be for the atmosphere.” Having spent most of my Stalker 2 preview aimlessly wandering The Zone, it’s hard to argue with that assessment. There’s something special about picking through somewhere so openly hostile, appreciating the beauty of rural Ukraine whilst vigilantly looking for the next bandit, anomaly, or mutant that wants you dead. From a practical standpoint, The Zone feels equally busy. The first town I visit, a community of stalkers and occupying Warden soldiers, is dense with things to do, from taking odd jobs from the bartender to wading into inter-factional politics. It’s chunkier than anything I’ve seen in the past trilogy, and although I assumed this would be The Zone’s central hub, Bocharov bursts my bubble. “It’s just one of them,” he says, grinning. “I don’t think that’s thebiggesthub, sorry!” (Image credit: GSC Game World) Sign up to the GamesRadar+ Newsletter Weekly digests, tales from the communities you love, and more Ultimately, I think this encapsulates what will make or break Stalker 2 for a lot of prospective fans. It’s immersion at all costs, regardless of whether that makes things awkward – sometimes even frustrating – at times. Personally, I can’t wait to become The Zone’s biggest tourist, plotting out elaborate journeys and adventures for a chance at coming away from them with a new story to tell. It’s also fair to assume that some players won’t enjoy meticulously walking around a field of anomalies, rather than just warping to their objective on the map. And that’s fine – each to their own! But if the rest of this map is anything like the segment I’ve explored, I sincerely hope The Zone can awaken more Stalker sickos when it launches on November 20. Stalker 2 will be enjoyable to new and returning players, because even its protagonist doesn’t know what’s going on CATEGORIESXbox Series XPC GamingPlatformsXbox CATEGORIES More about fpsMaster Chief’s absence from Halo Wars wasn’t Bungie’s fault, it was a move to make players “care about everybody else” in the RTSA year on, The Finals is still the most exciting new FPS out there - here’s whyLatest"Issues encountered during the initial launch are a genuine part of the game’s history": Wuthering Waves producer on the road to 2.0 and the open-world action RPG’s biggest update yetSee more latest► More about fpsMaster Chief’s absence from Halo Wars wasn’t Bungie’s fault, it was a move to make players “care about everybody else” in the RTSA year on, The Finals is still the most exciting new FPS out there - here’s whyLatest"Issues encountered during the initial launch are a genuine part of the game’s history": Wuthering Waves producer on the road to 2.0 and the open-world action RPG’s biggest update yetSee more latest► More about fpsMaster Chief’s absence from Halo Wars wasn’t Bungie’s fault, it was a move to make players “care about everybody else” in the RTSA year on, The Finals is still the most exciting new FPS out there - here’s why More about fps Master Chief’s absence from Halo Wars wasn’t Bungie’s fault, it was a move to make players “care about everybody else” in the RTSA year on, The Finals is still the most exciting new FPS out there - here’s why Master Chief’s absence from Halo Wars wasn’t Bungie’s fault, it was a move to make players “care about everybody else” in the RTS Master Chief’s absence from Halo Wars wasn’t Bungie’s fault, it was a move to make players “care about everybody else” in the RTS A year on, The Finals is still the most exciting new FPS out there - here’s why A year on, The Finals is still the most exciting new FPS out there - here’s why Latest"Issues encountered during the initial launch are a genuine part of the game’s history": Wuthering Waves producer on the road to 2.0 and the open-world action RPG’s biggest update yetSee more latest► Latest “Issues encountered during the initial launch are a genuine part of the game’s history”: Wuthering Waves producer on the road to 2.0 and the open-world action RPG’s biggest update yet “Issues encountered during the initial launch are a genuine part of the game’s history”: Wuthering Waves producer on the road to 2.0 and the open-world action RPG’s biggest update yet “Issues encountered during the initial launch are a genuine part of the game’s history”: Wuthering Waves producer on the road to 2.0 and the open-world action RPG’s biggest update yet See more latest► Most PopularI’m fed up of pretending The Nightmare Before Christmas: Oogie’s Revenge isn’t a Christmas game, and a hauntingly good one at thatSilent Hill 2 Remake’s reinvention of its most underrated character means so much more in 2024"This is incredibly rare": How Mouthwashing quietly became 2024’s breakout horror hitI’m no Grinch, but will someone please direct me to the good Christmas games?This canceled Netflix fantasy series was one of the best shows of 2024 – and deserves a second chancePatton Oswalt and Jordan Blum explain why comics are still the perfect medium for superhero stories - “Visuals that will never be achieved in TV or movies can be achieved in comics"Team Asobi’s gigantic 2024 proves it’s time to free Astro Bot from PlayStation’s pastWarhammer 40,000: Space Marine 2 was the favorite shooter of the year, and it also made me fall even harder for my fiancé17 years on, Sam Barlow reflects on Silent Hill: Origins: “To pull it out of the bag with a seven-out-of-ten game was incredibly rewarding"Here’s our Black Ops 6 multiplayer playlist to keep you and your pals connected over ChristmasSpy x Family season 3: Everything we know so far Most PopularI’m fed up of pretending The Nightmare Before Christmas: Oogie’s Revenge isn’t a Christmas game, and a hauntingly good one at thatSilent Hill 2 Remake’s reinvention of its most underrated character means so much more in 2024"This is incredibly rare”: How Mouthwashing quietly became 2024’s breakout horror hitI’m no Grinch, but will someone please direct me to the good Christmas games?This canceled Netflix fantasy series was one of the best shows of 2024 – and deserves a second chancePatton Oswalt and Jordan Blum explain why comics are still the perfect medium for superhero stories - “Visuals that will never be achieved in TV or movies can be achieved in comics"Team Asobi’s gigantic 2024 proves it’s time to free Astro Bot from PlayStation’s pastWarhammer 40,000: Space Marine 2 was the favorite shooter of the year, and it also made me fall even harder for my fiancé17 years on, Sam Barlow reflects on Silent Hill: Origins: “To pull it out of the bag with a seven-out-of-ten game was incredibly rewarding"Here’s our Black Ops 6 multiplayer playlist to keep you and your pals connected over ChristmasSpy x Family season 3: Everything we know so far Most PopularI’m fed up of pretending The Nightmare Before Christmas: Oogie’s Revenge isn’t a Christmas game, and a hauntingly good one at thatSilent Hill 2 Remake’s reinvention of its most underrated character means so much more in 2024"This is incredibly rare”: How Mouthwashing quietly became 2024’s breakout horror hitI’m no Grinch, but will someone please direct me to the good Christmas games?This canceled Netflix fantasy series was one of the best shows of 2024 – and deserves a second chancePatton Oswalt and Jordan Blum explain why comics are still the perfect medium for superhero stories - “Visuals that will never be achieved in TV or movies can be achieved in comics"Team Asobi’s gigantic 2024 proves it’s time to free Astro Bot from PlayStation’s pastWarhammer 40,000: Space Marine 2 was the favorite shooter of the year, and it also made me fall even harder for my fiancé17 years on, Sam Barlow reflects on Silent Hill: Origins: “To pull it out of the bag with a seven-out-of-ten game was incredibly rewarding"Here’s our Black Ops 6 multiplayer playlist to keep you and your pals connected over ChristmasSpy x Family season 3: Everything we know so far Most Popular I’m fed up of pretending The Nightmare Before Christmas: Oogie’s Revenge isn’t a Christmas game, and a hauntingly good one at that Silent Hill 2 Remake’s reinvention of its most underrated character means so much more in 2024 “This is incredibly rare”: How Mouthwashing quietly became 2024’s breakout horror hit I’m no Grinch, but will someone please direct me to the good Christmas games? This canceled Netflix fantasy series was one of the best shows of 2024 – and deserves a second chance Patton Oswalt and Jordan Blum explain why comics are still the perfect medium for superhero stories - “Visuals that will never be achieved in TV or movies can be achieved in comics” Team Asobi’s gigantic 2024 proves it’s time to free Astro Bot from PlayStation’s past Warhammer 40,000: Space Marine 2 was the favorite shooter of the year, and it also made me fall even harder for my fiancé 17 years on, Sam Barlow reflects on Silent Hill: Origins: “To pull it out of the bag with a seven-out-of-ten game was incredibly rewarding” Here’s our Black Ops 6 multiplayer playlist to keep you and your pals connected over Christmas Spy x Family season 3: Everything we know so far GAME REVIEWSMOVIE REVIEWSTV REVIEWS1Nemesis review: “A magical sense of tension"2Arcs review: “A whole lot of game in a small package"3Path of Exile 2 review: “A stellar start to a thrilling and brutal dark adventure"4Indiana Jones and the Great Circle review: “The best adventure Indy has embarked on in over 30 years"5Marvel 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"2Mufasa: 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"4The 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"1Squid 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"3Secret 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"5Creature Commandos review: “James Gunn’s heartwarming, R-rated tale about super-monsters proves that the DCU is in good hands” GAME REVIEWSMOVIE REVIEWSTV REVIEWS1Nemesis review: “A magical sense of tension"2Arcs review: “A whole lot of game in a small package"3Path of Exile 2 review: “A stellar start to a thrilling and brutal dark adventure"4Indiana Jones and the Great Circle review: “The best adventure Indy has embarked on in over 30 years"5Marvel 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"2Mufasa: 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"4The 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"1Squid 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"3Secret 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"5Creature Commandos review: “James Gunn’s heartwarming, R-rated tale about super-monsters proves that the DCU is in good hands” GAME REVIEWSMOVIE REVIEWSTV REVIEWS1Nemesis review: “A magical sense of tension"2Arcs review: “A whole lot of game in a small package"3Path of Exile 2 review: “A stellar start to a thrilling and brutal dark adventure"4Indiana Jones and the Great Circle review: “The best adventure Indy has embarked on in over 30 years"5Marvel 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"2Mufasa: 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"4The 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"1Squid 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"3Secret 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"5Creature Commandos review: “James Gunn’s heartwarming, R-rated tale about super-monsters proves that the DCU is in good hands” GAME REVIEWSMOVIE REVIEWSTV REVIEWS1Nemesis review: “A magical sense of tension"2Arcs review: “A whole lot of game in a small package"3Path of Exile 2 review: “A stellar start to a thrilling and brutal dark adventure"4Indiana Jones and the Great Circle review: “The best adventure Indy has embarked on in over 30 years"5Marvel 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"2Mufasa: 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"4The 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"1Squid 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"3Secret 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"5Creature Commandos review: “James Gunn’s heartwarming, R-rated tale about super-monsters proves that the DCU is in good hands” GAME REVIEWSMOVIE REVIEWSTV REVIEWS 1Nemesis review: “A magical sense of tension” 1Nemesis review: “A magical sense of tension” 1 Nemesis review: “A magical sense of tension” 2Arcs review: “A whole lot of game in a small package” 2Arcs review: “A whole lot of game in a small package” 2 Arcs review: “A whole lot of game in a small package” 3Path of Exile 2 review: “A stellar start to a thrilling and brutal dark adventure” 3Path of Exile 2 review: “A stellar start to a thrilling and brutal dark adventure” 3 Path of Exile 2 review: “A stellar start to a thrilling and brutal dark adventure” 4Indiana Jones and the Great Circle review: “The best adventure Indy has embarked on in over 30 years” 4Indiana Jones and the Great Circle review: “The best adventure Indy has embarked on in over 30 years” 4 Indiana Jones and the Great Circle review: “The best adventure Indy has embarked on in over 30 years” 5Marvel Rivals review: “So preoccupied with trying to be like 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”