Looking back at 2024, there have obviously been a lot of fantastic games. No doubt about it - it's been a great year for pretty much anyone who loves turning on their PC, console, or phone and just throwing dozens of hours to the wind. But there is only one game that has truly astounded me this year. Not only on its own merit (a huge open world packed with mystery, secrets, and perilous dangers) but for the context outside of the game, too. Stalker 2 is a miracle game, and it deserves its flowers.
]]>Stalker 2 developer GSC Game World has been gradually working to fix as many of the bugs and issues that plagued the game at launch, and today it's relased a pretty huge swing at solving a heap of stuff. This latest patch comes with over 1,800 fixes, making it worth of being dubbed the game's "first major patch".
]]>Stalker 2 has you exploring the perilous Zone, packed with dangerous anomalies, threatening creatures, and hostile humans who aren’t prepared to share their loot. To make this gargantuan game the experience you want it to be, whether that’s with quality of life improvements, cheaper repairs (they’re pricey, right?), or something to make things a little less terrifying, there’s fortunately plenty of mods for that.
]]>Stalker 2 is getting a wave of gameplay improvements in another hot new patch, which includes a much-needed fix to one of the game's most excruciating bugs.
]]>After dropping Stalker 2's first patch on Friday, GSC Game World has already released another one, and it's quite helpful too.
]]>As you explore the Zone in Stalker 2, it won’t be too long before you run into your first Controller. These are gruesome, hostile mutants are incredibly tanky, and capable of manipulating your mind. They can pose quite the threat if you don’t have enough ammo or Psi-Protection to take them on, but that’s where this guide comes in.
]]>Stalker 2 is obviously struggling with some bugs at the moment, but GSC Game World has shared word of an incoming patch that should fix some of them.
]]>Stalker 2 has made me look back and realize that maybe it was a mistake to make Epic Games' Unreal Engine 5 become an industry standard for the next decade.
]]>The objective to ‘Take shelter from the Emission’ will crop up regularly as you play through Stalker 2’s story and get to know the perilous Zone inside and out. This recurring quest requires you, Skif, to go ahead and seek out safety during an anomalous storm, before it ends up killing you (or, in my instance, crashing your game).
]]>Stalker 2 boasts a huge, sprawling wasteland packed with anomalies, artifacts, and some very bizarre goings-on. You’ll have likely already noticed how much sprinting from A to B the game contains, and how many Energy Drinks traveling can often have you consuming. Fortunately, fast travel exists.
]]>Across the Zone in Stalker 2, which is gargantuan in size, you’ll find various stashes and secret loot spots. Some will be marked on your map, while others are left for you to come across naturally, and all of them help out our lonely stalker, Skif, on his journey. Whether it’s arming yourself with medicines, food, or brand new gear, stashes are one thing you want to keep an eye out for while completing your missions.
]]>Stalker 2 has you exploring the gargantuan, and perilous, Chornobyl Exclusion Zone, and if you wish to survive and see the game through to the end, you’re going to want to loot, loot some more, kill some guys, and get more loot. But what should you do with all the loot you don’t need? Take it to a Trader, of course.
]]>The Stalker 2 modding gold rush was always gonna be a sight to behold, and with plenty of stuff to fix and adjust, it certainly hasn't disappointed. Following an intitial post-release period full of attempts at stopping the stuttering, the community's now moved on to tweaking how tough life in The Zone is, as well as casually messing with time itself.
]]>Stalker games suffering from bugs is a tale as old as the series itself, to the point where it's kind of a part of playing the games, at least on PC. Stalker 2 is no different. While the game has been created under especially rough circumstances due to Russia's invasion of Ukraine turning the lives of the developers upside down, hope of a more stable game with smoother edges isn't baseless. In fact, the game's saviour could be a long-held tradition.
]]>The early verdict on Stalker 2 now that it's finally arrived is that it's a pretty good game that's currently afflicted by a lot of bugs and issues. Some you can live with pretty easily, some you can't, and GSC Game World's unsurprisingly said it's got plans to fix them, having already put out a pretty colossal patch towards the end of the review window.
]]>After what felt like over a decade of waiting - probably because it really has been - Stalker 2 has officially been released. The game’s developer, GSC Game World, triumphed over a global pandemic, and the need to move out of a their home country of Ukraine following the (still ongoing) invasion by neighbouring Russia.
]]>As you embark on your lonely adventure across the hostile Chornobyl Exclusion Zone in Stalker 2: Heart of Chornobyl, Stalkers who make good use of their scanners will quickly come across strange items known as artifacts. These items, molded by the Zone and its array of bizarre anomalies, can offer various perks (and often, cons) when equipped.
]]>As you step into the shoes of the lonely stalker, Skif, and begin exploring the dangerous, albeit endlessly fascinating, Chornobyl Inclusion Zone in Stalker 2: Heart of Chornobyl, it likely won’t take long for you to become over encumbered. Looting ammo, weapons, and food from those you cross paths with quickly adds up.
]]>Being a stalker is all fine and well in Stalker 2: Heart of Chornobyl until you’re in the middle of a fight with some bandits, mutants, or other hostile creature and your weapon suddenly decides to break. Unfortunately, Stalker 2 features a rather brutal weapon degradation system that means you’ll want to keep a close eye on the condition of your favorite weapons.
]]>During your time in the Lesser Zone in Stalker 2: Heart of Chornobyl, it won’t be long before you meet Mityay. He will quickly speak of his home and a religious icon that his family possesses, the Orthodox Icon, and request that you retrieve it for him. This kicks off the Poppy Field side mission, which has some decent rewards for the start of your journey.
]]>Anomalies in Stalker 2 are bizarre, often dangerous, occurrences within the Chornobyl Exclusion Zone that you’ll want to avoid for the most part. That said, these anomalies are sometimes so strange and so interesting that it’s hard to peel your eyes away from them, but if you wish to survive in Stalker 2, you’ll need to keep your wits about you.
]]>One of the most interesting side quests in Stalker 2 is the journalist stash side quest, which has your journey all across the map to grab sweet loot. The first you'll probably run into is in Zalissya, but actually reaching it can be a little tricky.
]]>There's not been a game that nails the feeling of loneliness like Stalker 2. A vast and challenging open world sci-fi RPG from GSC Game World, it stands alone in its ambitious exploration of a perilous, ruined landscape plagued by greed and unflinching peril. A theme park to some and a fresh hell for others, Stalker 2 excellently portrays the grim reality of trying to carve a life out of struggle, wrestling with the weird and the paranormal.
]]>The Russia-Ukraine war rages on, and there is no team more impacted by this reality than Stalker 2 creators GSC World. At the outbreak of the war, the team was split in two, with half evacuating the country and the others staying behind. The company fell victim to cyber attacks following its decision not to release Stalker 2 in Russia. It even suffered a server fire that wiped out an entire floor of its new Prague office.
]]>Stalker 2's been through an interesting development cycle to say the least, one that's certainly demanded a lot of developer GSC Game World. As it turns out, one of the minor demands that came of the studio in its efforts was a hunt for Xbox boss Phil Spencer's email address on Reddit.
]]>Stalker 2 previews are out, as are a selection of interviews with developers at GSC World (our own interview is coming later today, October 17, by the way)! In one such interview, conducted by Windows Central, the devs chipped in on the Xbox Series S, and how working on it convinced them that any game can reach the console's memory limits.
]]>I'd already died twice, trying to clear out a small warehouse around 30 minutes into my session with Stalker 2. This time, I'd do it better. Rushing in wasn't an option. I snuck around the side, waiting until two enemy stalkers turned their back, and then bam! With them dead, a cat and mouse game ensued between myself and their allies. Hurt but victorious, my reward was ammo and supplies, broken guns that weren't worth my time, and a gloomy bloke who chewed me out. Yep, this is certainly Stalker.
]]>Stalker 2's release has had to be pushed back again, it's now pencilled in to arrive on November 20, with the previously planned September release date having been abandoned in order to give the game's developers "the chance to fix more 'unexpected anomalies' (or simply 'bugs', as you call them)".
]]>Stalker 2 is back with a brand-new trailer at the Xbox Showcase, giving us a glimpse into the ravaged world of everyone's favourite Chernobyl nightmare game.
]]>Looking back, 2023 was a year jam-packed full of outstanding games. If you wanted to try them all out, it got very expensive, very quickly. That is unless you were a Game Pass subscriber. It turns out in 2023, Game Pass as a service hosted just over $5,000 worth of games, but how many of those did you actually play?
]]>The history of the Stalker series, its developer, the off-shoots it spawned, and the community of players who continue to mod the games and find new ways to play them to this day, is something well worth talking about. These are all reasons why the odds against Stalker 2: Heart of Chornobyl are stacked.
]]>The Prague offices of GSC Game World - the development team behind S.T.A.L.K.E.R 2: Heart of Chornobyl - have suffered significant fire damage. The current extent of damage remains unconfirmed, but thankfully no developers have been injured during the fire.
]]>Stalker 2: Heart of Chornobyl has been delayed out of 2023 into early 2024, according to developer GSC Game World.
]]>It looks like Stalker 2: Heart of Chornobyl might still release this year, despite no recent updates on how the game is doing.
]]>The developer of the long-awaited Stalker 2: Heart of Chornobyl, GSC Game World, has announced that one of its employee's accounts was compromised by a group of hackers on a Russian social network.
]]>During Microsoft’s Xbox Games Showcase Extended today, Ukrainian developer GSC Game World revealed a new trailer for Stalker 2: Heart of Chornobyl.
]]>It's no news that STALKER 2: Heart of Chornobyl has had a rocky development process, and for GSC Game World, this is by no fault of its own. Based in Kyiv, Ukraine's capital city, GSC Game World unfortunately was forced to halt development on the game back in March, once the Russian invasion in the country was well underway.
]]>GSC Game World has announced Stalker 2 development is on hold due to the ongoing war with Russia but will resume once Ukraine is triumphant.
]]>GSC Game World has postponed the release of Stalker 2: Heart of Chernobyl to December 8.
]]>What are the most anticipated games of 2022? The answer to that question is going to be different for everyone. Even looking ahead to the immediate future, it’s clear to see that 2022 is absolutely stacked with games. With Pokemon Legends Arceus, Horizon Forbidden West, Elden Ring and Dying Light 2 all set for release before the daylight hours start getting a bit more generous, it’s going to be an explosive start to a jam-packed year.
]]>Stalker 2 isn't out for a while yet, but you can still look over the PC specs to see if your system will be up to par upon release.
]]>We got our first look at Stalker 2 gameplay today during the Xbox + Bethesda E3 2021 showcase.
]]>STALKER 2 developers have returned with an update.
]]>GSC Gameworld has released some additional information on the STALKER 2 in-engine gameplay teaser it released a couple of weeks back.
]]>STALKER 2 has reemerged with a new trailer giving us a first look at its world.
]]>The STALKER 2 developer has clarified some of the details left out at the game's reveal.
]]>The STALKER 2 trailer revealed during yesterday's Xbox event has been viewed more times than both Halo Infinite and Fable.
]]>S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2 will launch on Xbox Series X first. It's also coming to PC.
]]>Developer GSC Game World has released the first screenshot for its long-planned sequel to Stalker.
]]>STALKER 2 is apparently still happening, at least judging by the game's updated website.
]]>STALKER 2 is the design document stage, and there's a reason why it was announced this early.
]]>GSC Game World has announced that STALKER 2 is now development.
]]>S.T.A.L.K.E.R. developer GSC Game World is back in action, and willing to throw shade at other companies purporting to be carrying its legacy forward.
]]>Survarium is the new free-to-play MMO from Vostok Games, a studio made up of ex-S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2 devs. VG247's Dave Cook speaks with the team to learn more.
]]>S.T.A.L.K.E.R 2 development collapsed unexpectedly in 2011 and it led to the formation of Vostok Games, developers of incoming MMOFPS Survarium. Team member Oleg Yavorsky has discussed with VG247 the nature of the game's cancellation and the demise of developer GSC Game World, calling it a 'forced move'. He also revealed that the team tried to save the S.T.A.L.K.E.R IP by making a free-to-play spin-off, but explained that an agreement couldn't be reached. Get the full scoop below.
]]>A few brief snippets of evidence reveal the remnants of GSC Game World may have coalesced on a second new centre.
]]>S.T.A.L.K.E.R. creator and GSC boss Sergei Grigorovich has nixed rumors that Bethesda was trying to acquire the rights to the game franchise.
]]>Chalk this one up as "wishful thinking" if you like, but reports out of East Europe suggest S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2 may not be ready for burial just yet.
]]>Veterans from GSC Game World have formed a new studio called Vostok Games, and the first title from the firm, Survarium, is a free-to-play MMOFPS homage to S.T.A.L.K.E.R. The firm's official website noted since S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2 development has been “frozen” since December, and since the firm being "unable to secure the IP rights to continue with the Stalker franchise," it started work on the new title. A Q&A session will be held on Twitter tomorrow with Oleg Yavorsky and Joe Willburn. A video outlining the studio's plans is below. Thanks, RPS.
]]>In the religious spirit of Easter, S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2 appears to have resurrected.
]]>GSC has yet again moved to assure fans that work on S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2 is still ongoing.
]]>GSC's confirmed that development is continuing on S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2 after the Christmas break, calming fan nerves the sequel was canned. However, a spokesperson for the firm has admitted that in order for development to proceed, funding is needed.
]]>S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2 developer GCS Game World has issued its promised statement on the studio's future. Short version: it's not good news.
]]>GSC Games World has tweeted that a statement regarding the current situation at the firm will be released on Monday, December 12, after internet reports steaming from a Ukrainian news site called UkraNews reported that GSC had been closed down by owner Sergei Grigorovich, and S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2 development cancelled.
]]>In an interview with Ukrainian site KP, GSC Game World studio head Sergey Grigorovich explained how the DRM would work in S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2 when it is released.
]]>While it was announced at gamescom last year, S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2 has been furnished with virtually no information. That's all apparently changed today.
]]>GSС Game World's holding a contest for the best quest ideas, and whomever comes up with the best idea, may get their quest creation put into the game.
]]>A teaser site and a pilot for a television series of S.T.A.L.K.E.R., and funded by the game's developer GSC Game World has surfaced online.
]]>GSC Game World has announced it's developing S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2.
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