Following a somewhat troubled launch, STALKER 2: Heart of Chornobyl has received its first major update, Patch 1.1, which promises to fix many of the game's major problems, including bugs, performance issues, and fixes to important gameplay systems. Released in November 2024 after facing several delays, STALKER 2 launched to generally positive reviews, but also a host of technical issues, some of which greatly impacted anyone trying to play the game at launch. While this may not have been unexpected for longtime fans of the series, the game's developers are trying to quickly fix the most pressing issues.
Just under a month after launch, Patch 1.1 for STALKER 2 has been released, with comprehensive patch notes posted on the STALKER 2 website. Overall, the patch mostly aims to fix existing, unintended issues with the game, with the preamble to the patch notes promising to "address over 1,800 issues." It also includes some balance adjustments, like increased damage for the Gauss rifle and increased mission rewards.
Likely the most important fixes in Patch 1.1, at least for longtime STALKER fans, will be those made to the game's A-Life system, which essentially manages NPC behavior in the game's world. Previously, STALKER 2's...
