We can all agree that there’s nothing quite like the S.T.A.L.K.E.R. games. The closest might be the Metro series, but those offer a more linear experience. Those of you who have been aching for some stalking and some zoning need only wait a few more months. One of Summer Game Fest‘s Xbox highlights is S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2: Heart of Chornobyl. For the record, Chornobyl is the Ukrainian spelling; Chernobyl is the Russian spelling.
S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2: Heart of Chornobyl is set to be released on September 5, 2024, for the PC and Xbox Series X|S. It will also be on Game Pass, thankfully.
But apart from that, there’s plenty more to be excited about. S.T.A.L.K.E.R. has never looked this good before, not even with Call of Pripyat‘s hundreds of mods and 12 layers of ENB (and a bunch of crashes-to-desktop).
Like the old S.T.A.L.K.E.R. games, S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2 will take place in the Chornobyl Exclusion Zone. It’s a fictional and supernatural take on the real-life Chornobyl Exclusion Zone– a disaster caused by the Chornobyl Nuclear Plant when Ukraine was still under Soviet control.
You play as a mercenary or stalker out to discover the mysteries of the zone.
S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2 Brings the Next-gen Experience to the Old Franchise
Right off the bat, you can easily see some crisp and jaw-dropping texture work that’s a far cry even from some of the latest games these days.
The lighting also looks phenomenal and at a glance, you might even spot some interesting use of ray tracing (hopefully not too heavy on the hardware).
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Summer Game Fest 2024 GuideBut the true marvel here is that all of this is part of a full open-world ecosystem. Because quite frankly, the old S.T.A.L.K.E.R. games have some of the most unique atmospheres and ideas in gaming and the only thing holding them back were their severely outdated graphics and visuals.
In true Eurojank fashion, the S.T.A.L.K.E.R. games were ambitious and were held back by the technology of their time (pre-2010).
Now, with S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2: Heart of Chornobyl, the franchise is looking as strong as ever. It’s what S.T.A.L.K.E.R. fans have wanted all along– a S.T.A.L.K.E.R. game with contemporary graphics.
It’s worth noting that S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2: Heart of Chornobyl was developed by the same Ukrainian studio that made the first three pre-2010 S.T.A.L.K.E.R. games, which is frankly impressive. Even more impressive is that the development team forged on despite the ongoing war in their country.
If you want to see the product of their hard work and sacrifices, check out S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2: Heart of Chornobyl when it releases on September 5, 2024, for the PC and Xbox Series X|S.
