It’s time to get honest about S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2: Heart of Chornobyl

I know such topics of discussion don’t work on Reddit because of the downvoting/karma system, but hear me out, I love GSC (at least the old devs) and we all knows about the disaster in Ukraine. But let’s spare a few moments to look at the objectivity of this game.

Scroll down for a TL;DR.

If you love the series you’ll be honest with yourself on what the next generation of STALKER truly means.

  1. Failed NFT/Metaverse attempt by the new GSC (Few of the original devs even still work there, that’s why the A-life designer is so notable).

  2. Multiplayer cosmetic skins, season passes, and items for extra money (Unironically selling guitar tracks).

  3. Multiple editions of the game, (literal DLC for a stalker game).

  4. Unbelievably high PC requirements for its mostly third-world audience (legitimate lag, even in the trailer, don’t even get me on that file size).

  5. The game might be streamlined to appeal for a younger/Western audiences and for porting to Xbox consoles.

  6. English voice acting (The game basically sounds like a first person Resident Evil 4).

  7. Quality from recent gameplay trailers look nothing like the original reveal, indicating pre-renders were used. (No offense and not that I care for graphics, but if you’re going to run Unreal Engine 5 and ask for NASA specifications, at least look a little better than the average GAMMA repack).

  8. Developers are mostly silent. Promised release, delayed release, promised release, delayed release, and so on. (Don’t be surprised if the game doesn’t even come out).

  9. The game is attempting to flagship with Microsoft, which we all know as the dispatcher of a series’s reputation.

  10. GSC’s little “reveal” at gaming conventions was subpar, a hidden embarrassment of unfinished work.

All these reasons can be debated, but in the end, I wouldn't be too surprised if STALKER 2 releases as a soulless Game Pass exclusive—a crude mockery of STALKER that is more akin to the Metro series in style, yet neither here nor there, a ditch effort to reap from the pockets of loyal fans… We'll see, though.

TL;DR: NFT/Metaverse attempt, multiplayer monetization, high PC requirements, and possible streamlining for Western audiences. Concerns include lack of original devs, questionable quality, and frequent delays, with fears it may become a soulless Game Pass exclusive.