Our calendars are jam-packed with activities that promise to keep us entertained and involved all year long. In any conversation about upcoming video games in 2023, S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2: Heart of Chornobyl will inevitably come up.
This year, Ukrainian studio GSC Game World will release S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2: Heart of Chornobyl, classified as a first-person shooter classic survival horror game. It will be the first S.T.A.L.K.E.R. game since 2009’s Call of Pripyat to be released on consoles, and it will be the fourth game in the S.T.A.L.K.E.R. series.
S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2: Heart of Chornobyl Release Scheduled In 2023
Announced after Call of Pripyat came out, it was supposed to come out in 2012, but it was canceled that year. There was supposed to be a December 8th, 2022 release date, but production was halted due to the ongoing conflict in Ukraine. However, the development team later stated on their official Discord server that they are still working on it and that a release date of 2023 has been scheduled.
S.T.A.L.K.E.R. A Cult Classic Making A Welcomed Return
The first Stalker: Shadow of Chornobyl was released in 2007 and quickly became a cult classic; since then, the mainline sequel has been eagerly anticipated. The game had two direct sequels in 2008 and 2009, back when it was only available on PC. Due to an unavailability of funds, the game failed to revert to its original numbered entries when the fourth game in the series was released back in 2011.
One teaser image was released in the spring of 2020, and the game was officially announced at the 2020 Xbox Games Showcase. During the first few months of the COVID-19 pandemic, this presentation was one in a long series of presentations.
S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2: Heart of Chornobyl Storyline
What was left of the Chornobyl Exclusion Zone after the second massive explosion in 2006 was devastating. There are numerous dangerous mutants, deadly anomalies, and competing factions in The Zone, making it an extremely risky place to be. However, the Zone’s incredible wealth attracted a population of S.T.A.L.K.E.R.s (Strangers, Traps, Ambushes, Lockpickers, Exploiters, and Risers). These daring S.T.A.L.K.E.R.s take the death-defying risk of exploring Chornobyl all for glory, wealth, and the horrible truth.
Players take on the role of a lone stalker who must explore a radioactive zone that spans 64 square kilometers and features a variety of environments, each of which reveals a different facet of the post-apocalyptic setting. There is also a subplot which sees players approach members of other groups seeing them as either friends or foes that must be vanquished when cautiously wading deep into the zone.
An Intense Gameplay Expected In S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2: Heart of Chornobyl
Gameplay is guaranteed to involve intense gunfights against a variety of enemies, each of which uses a different tactic to try and defeat you. Choose from over thirty different firearms, each of which can be altered in dozens of ways, resulting in hundreds of different lethal configurations.
Prepare to be slaughtered by horrifying mutant creatures with a brand new behavior model whereby the mutants are able to transform into much more hideous enemies to further lend to the unpredictability of the video game. Danger is extremely high in the vicinity of lairs, where swarms of mutants hide and hunt.
If you want to find the Zone’s most valuable secrets and artifacts, you’ll have to venture into its darkest corners. There are precious items to pick up along the way, but be careful as you could end up a target when you do. The last thing you need is to turn from predator to prey in this game. Judging by the official trailer now accessible online and all that we have already seen from S.T.A.L.K.E.R 2, the game promises to be well worth your time, effort, and money.
