STALKER 2 was probably one of the most anticipated releases of 2022. This unexpected sequel to the excellent survival game franchise has unfortunately seen its release pushed back to December.
[Mis à jour le 12 janvier 2022 à 17h56] We had been waiting for news from STALKER for twelve years. The genre-defining Eastern European survival game franchise sat quietly for over a decade, before STALKER 2 was announced over a year ago. . An announcement that had the effect of a bomb, awakening the appetites of many fans, impressed by the first images of a game with incredible potential. Unfortunately, GSC Game World recently announced that the release of their game, originally scheduled for April 2022, will be pushed back by 8 months. The good news is that STALKER fans are only a few months away…
The release of the game is therefore postponed to December 8, 2022. An eight-month postponement that GSC Game World justifies by its intention to provide a game that meets the expectations of fans, without mentioning possible difficulties linked to the health crisis: ” These seven months of additional development are necessary for us to achieve our vision and get a game in the state we want. STALKER 2 is GSC Game World’s biggest project to date and this project requires testing and polishing deepened.” A decision that can be considered wise, given the expectations of fans and recent examples of games released too early (hello Battlefield 2042).
The project for a STALKER 2 (which is actually the fourth game in the series) was initially announced in 2013, but it was in 2018 that we learned that it was indeed in development. . It was in 2020 during the Xbox conference that GSC Game World presented a cinematic trailer of its little protege. But make no mistake, the star is the gameplay trailer presented at the Xbox & Bethesda conference at E3 2021. Five minutes of great intensity, marked by sumptuous graphics, some combat sequences muscular and above all, the surprisingly poetic and thrilling atmosphere that made the success of the STALKER games.
Regarding the gameplay of STALKER 2: Heart of Chernobyl, we still have very little information. We already know that it will be a first-person exploration and survival game, in an open world, where you will have to find and manage your resources and your allies in order to survive in an extremely dangerous universe. About this universe, moreover, it is inspired by the novel Stalker: Picnic by the wayside by the Arcadi brothers and Boris Strugatsky and appeared in 1981. The STALKER games take place nearly thirty years following the nuclear disaster that destroyed the Chernobyl power station. Around the plant, a perimeter has been created, the Zone, studied by scientists and guarded by the military. The Zone is a perilous place, where raiders and mutants reign supreme. It is also the favorite hunting ground for STALKERs, adventurers ready to do anything to recover its many riches, including Stif, the character played by the player.
GSC Game World recently published an analysis of the trailer by one of its developers. Zack, his first name, explains several small details to us, sequence by sequence. First, STALKER 2 introduces an instant weapon modification system, as well as a whole new faction, the exact name of which is not yet known. In the second sequence, Zack explains to us that we can visit places present in the first STALKER, and use an artifact detector called Gilka. Artifacts offer various bonuses to Stif, like “Jelly” which restores his stamina. The map will consist of several cities, including Pripyat and Chernobyl 2, and various campfires which are safe areas where the player can equip themselves and prepare for their next outings. Of the many enemies lurking in the Zone, the one we can see is the “Leech”, which we had already seen in previous games. To survive, the player will have many weapons at his disposal, including the Gauss Rifle shown at the end of the trailer.
STALKER 2 was one of the headline announcements at Xbox’s E3 2021 conference, so it’s pretty clear that it’s an Xbox and PC exclusive. We can nevertheless hope for a possible release on Playstation 5, but it seems that Playstation 4 is not an option. Indeed the performance of “last-gen” consoles does not seem sufficient to support such graphic quality, moreover it will not be released on Xbox One, only on Xbox Series X | S and PC.
The second big news is that STALKER 2: Heart of Chernobyl has an official release date. And yes, you are not dreaming, it will come out well on December 8, 2022. You will therefore have to wait a few more months before embarking on the radioactive ruins of Chernobyl. The game has confirmed its Xbox exclusive status, and will be available upon release through Xbox Game Pass, Xbox Series X|S and PC. It is also already available in preorder. Unfortunately, no information has been given regarding a possible release on Playstation 5, but we cross our fingers.
