S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2: Heart of Chornobyl | Review Thread

Game Information

Game Title: S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2: Heart of Chornobyl

Platforms:

  • Xbox Series X/S (Nov 20, 2024)
  • PC (Nov 20, 2024)

Trailers:

Developer: GSC Game World

Review Aggregator:

OpenCritic - 77 average - 63% recommended - 28 reviews

MetaCritic - 76 average - Xbox Series X Version

Critic Reviews

AltChar - Semir Omerovic - 70 / 100

If Stalker 2 didn't have so many serious performance issues and bugs, it would be my Game of the Year. It has a great story, memorable characters, a unique world to explore, and great visual presentation - pretty much everything to keep you immersed for hours.

Atarita - Alparslan Gürlek - Turkish - 79 / 100

Stalker 2 has more bugs than we can tolerate, but it's still a very enjoyable game. The attention to detail in its huge open world, the new AIs and the new gunplay mechanics won me over. It also has great graphics and after a few updates I think it will be a must-play for everyone.

Dexerto - Jessica Filby - 3 / 5

Stalker 2 is brutal, unforgiving, and not for the faint-hearted. While its storyline is poised for new players, its gameplay feels the opposite, providing a hardcore experience for anyone looking to dive into the Zone. Nevertheless, Stalker 2 is the kind of game that ages like a fine wine, getting better, richer, and slightly bolder as you push through its 35-hour campaign. That being said, the performance issues and missing features do leave a somewhat bitter taste.

Gameliner - Bram Noteboom - Dutch - 4.5 / 5

S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2: Heart of Chornobyl is an immersive and atmospheric journey through the Zone, delivering gripping exploration and hardcore survival, though its ambition is hindered by technical issues, making it a flawed yet quintessential S.T.A.L.K.E.R. experience.

Gamer Guides - Patrick Dane - 81 / 100

While performance woes hinder it, STALKER 2 is a fiercely unique and immersive survival game. It asks the player to put in the work and struggle against its harsh systems that may turn many off. However, if you’re willing to persevere through its systems and technical issues, there is a special experience waiting to be found within the enchanting Zone.

Gamer.no - Gøran Solbakken - Unknown - 8 / 10

Stalker 2 stands out as an impressive and immersive survival shooter. A huge, handcrafted world with interesting story choices, lots of content and quality all around. Refreshingly, you are not a superhero out to save the world, but a regular grunt trying to survive

IGN Deutschland - Eike Cramer - German - 8 / 10

S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2: Heart of Chornobyl is a game that, in my opinion, is all too rare in this form. GSC Game World has managed to create an incredibly atmospheric combination of survival, horror and end time in a fascinating environment. Despite all the shooter weaknesses, the wooden dialogues, the incredibly annoying anomalies over time and some dubious technical problems, I fell in love with this zone. You won't find that much freedom and mystery anywhere else. Added to this is a story that takes its time to get it going, but then surprises with cool factions and robust characters. This excursion to Chernobyl requires patience and stamina, but rewards you with spectacular views, fierce battles and an expressive end time.

Kakuchopurei - Lewis Larcombe - 80 / 100

S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2: Heart of Chornobyl is not a game for everyone. Its unforgiving difficulty, steep learning curve, and technical issues make it a challenging experience, especially for newcomers. Yet, for those willing to brave its harsh world, the game offers a deeply immersive and rewarding journey, moreso than other open-world games.

For veterans of the series, it’s a triumphant return to form—one that stays true to the franchise’s uncompromising identity. For newcomers, however, it’s an intimidating introduction to a genre that demands patience, perseverance, and a willingness to embrace failure.

Nexus Hub - Andrew Logue - 9 / 10

S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2: Heart of Chornobyl is everything I've ever wanted from a sequel - a refined world, plenty of emergent gameplay possibilities and stunning atmosphere add up to make one of the best games of 2024.https://nexushub.co.za/nexus/review-s.t.a.l.k.e.r.-2-heart-of-chornobyl.html

Stevivor - Hamish Lindsay - 5 / 10

[PROVISIONAL SCORE] "The fact that STALKER 2 is complete and ready for an imminent release is nothing short of a miracle. It’s just a shame that my experience... is damaged by a constant stream of ever-present bugs and issues."

XboxEra - Jesse Norris - 8.4 / 10

After a tumultuous dev cycle, S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2 shines despite some rough edges.

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