S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2: Heart of Chornobyl Reviews
Despite the technical challenges, STALKER 2 won me over with its atmosphere and engaging RPG mechanics. The game delivers a unique experience by combining exploration, intense combat, and impactful decisions in a dense and immersive setting: the Chernobyl Exclusion Zone.
Review in Portuguese | Read full review
S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2: Heart of Chornobyl is one of those titles that must be tried at least once to grasp its essence. It is definitely not for everyone because it requires time, dedication and skill to master a gameplay formula that relies mainly on survival and exploration. The Zone is a hostile and unforgiving area that cuts no one any slack, where a weapon jammed at the wrong time, a move too instinctive or a distraction can prove fatal. The narrative component is one of the game's strong points, not only for the main story but also for the many side missions that weave equally articulate and interesting events. In addition, much of our actions will affect reputation with factions and characters, opening new paths or closing doors. Net of some uncertainties from the technical point of view, S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2 offers a challenging, fulfilling and dynamic experience perfectly capable of satisfying players who like a challenge.
Review in Italian | Read full review
While some parts of the game still need a bit of time in the oven, I can see myself coming back to the Zone.
S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2: Heart of Chornobyl is recommended for its hardcore survival style with an open world full of secrets and branching narratives. Despite its technical issues and difficulty, the immersive atmosphere and challenging gameplay make it a unique experience worth playing.
Review in Spanish | Read full review
S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2: Heart of Chornobyl is an ambitious masterpiece and a worthy sequel that brings the series to the new generation with stunning graphics and deep mechanics. It’s not perfect, but it more than makes up for it with its unique atmosphere and relentless focus on survival. If you’re a fan of hardcore games, challenges, and open worlds filled with danger and mystery, this game is for you. However, its technical demands and challenging mechanics might deter less experienced players. Despite its flaws, the experience is immersive enough to recommend without hesitation.
Review in Spanish | Read full review
S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2: Heart of Chornobyl would have been one of the candidates for game of the year, but unfortunately, a terrible technical state spoiled the overall feeling of the gameplay. The game's great world and gameplay, coupled with strong atmosphere, music and acting is offset by bugs, errors and optimization problems.
Review in Polish | Read full review
STALKER 2: Heart of Chornobyl may be bug-riddled but that doesn’t hamper what is a satisfyingly challenging and highly unique experience that will keep players on their toes.
Stalker 2 has not evolved the gameplay formula of its predecessor, but it is authentic and faithful to its series – both in a positive and negative way.
Review in Unknown | Read full review
Stalker 2‘s bugs and issues are numerous and severe, but it stands as a testament to how great the game buried underneath them is that it still manages to shine.
Stalker 2 features a stunning world, supported by Unreal Engine 5, where the freedom of exploration and survival mechanics stand out. However, it suffers from technical problems, poorly structured missions, and problematic artificial intelligence. The launch was obviously rushed.
Review in Portuguese | Read full review
Look, if you’re a fan of the Stalker franchise, then Stalker 2 is going to be everything you’d hoped and probably expected from it. It’s a spectacular game with enjoyable combat that is filled with challenge and thrills, with a story and world that will have you hooked the moment you step in. It’s not breaking away from the formula established by its predecessors, but despite coming out 14 years later, it’s impressive that GSC Game World still has that magic touch that made the original games so special. That’s with everything going on in Ukraine; it’s commendable that GSC Game World even managed to release this. It doesn’t excuse the technical aspects, as Stalker 2 needs more polishing on both bugs and performance, though if you can look past that or wait a few months, you’ll find Stalker 2 to be quite an experience. That’s, of course, if you can even make it into the Zone alive.
S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2: Heart of Chornobyl covers almost everything, from the dynamics of the world and combat to crafting and survival systems — everything is truly special. Graphics, sound design, plus storytelling are all on the highest level; that's why it doesn't really matter if you are a fan of the series or if it's your first time.
Stalker 2: Heart of Chernobyl brings back one of the most iconic FPSs of the last 20 years. Despite the time that has passed, the guys at GSC Game World have created a worthy successor to the first chapter. The team decided not to distort the series, maintaining a high level of difficulty compared to other modern shooters. Each step into the Exclusion Zone could be our last: not only because of the creatures and enemies that will try to kill us, but also because of the atmospheric and radioactive anomalies that will put our survival skills to the test. On the side we find an excellent graphic and sound compartment even if there are several technical problems and bugs that we hope will be solved in a short time.
Review in Italian | Read full review
STALKER 2 isn't perfect and has some problems that aren't easy to fix, but it still delivers big time when it comes to its gameplay and graphics.
Review in Dutch | Read full review
GSC Game World brings its ambitions to life in S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2, with a hauntingly atmospheric open field that perfectly captures the bleak, morally ambiguous life of a stalker. However, severe technical issues make even shader compilation feel like a prayer-worthy event.
Review in Korean | Read full review
STALKER 2: Heart of Chornobyl lives up to its predecessors in a massive way. With a dangerous and stunning world, excellent gameplay, a tight story, and astounding sound design, STALKER has never been better. At the same time, the game is too easy, and doesn't mechanically incentivize exploration as much as it should, given how enjoyable that aspect is. Still, STALKER 2 is worth the wait, and newcomers will find it easy to sink right into the destroyed beauty of the Zone.
Although this may not be a perfect game, it must be honestly said that no one ever expected this from Stalker. The atmosphere, harshness, and unforgettable adventures in the Zone matter - and Stalker 2 has more than enough of that.
S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2: Heart of Chornobyl is nothing short of a production miracle. Despite the well-known challenging working conditions, GSC Game World has managed to create a project born out of immense passion and love for the world of video games. From its dark and mysterious atmosphere to its well-developed shooting mechanics and a game world that is both thoughtfully designed and excellently written, the entire experience is undeniably captivating. Despite a few easily fixable bugs, the game stands as one of the most satisfying experiences in recent years. These developers truly deserve applause for what they have achieved, setting an inspiring example for game creators worldwide.
Review in Italian | Read full review
"S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2" simply does not deliver enough and is too flawed to give it a good rating. The AI and game balance in particular are so bad that we cannot even recommend "S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2" to fans of the predecessors, who are certainly used to suffering, without major reservations. It was not a complete disaster, and the fact that GSC Game World managed to get the title out in a playable form despite the war is certainly no small achievement.
Review in German | Read full review
This enormous, immersive survival FPS is the cream of the crop, and it’s a bar to which every developer in the genre should aspire to reach.