Welcome to the Zone: A Veteran’s Perspective on S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2: Heart of Chornobyl

The Weight of 17 Years

S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2: Heart of Chornobyl is a game that I have been grasping for since the past 17 years. The first part released over a decade and a half ago and ever since then I have found myself daydreaming about the title and building high expectations. This franchise even holds a special place in my heart as it is the one that truly shaped my perception of immersive gaming worlds. So, considering the fact it has been nearly two decades since I have last played the game, I was anxious to revisit the Zone, but I yearned to answer one specific question: Would I still appreciate the game if I had never played it before?

To be honest I am nowhere as close to having an answer to this question. The Zone remains ruthless and in need of numerous mysteries to be solved, while simultaneously remaining pristine as ever. For masochists like me, it’s truly a pleasure to have a game world that is described as an open-world as it ensures that I am constantly up against severe challenges. The game is more than that, it is a touching series of events that exemplify the sheer horror of happiness, one gripping question that I was compelled to ask during the game was, have you really ever met someone who exudes happiness? It feels like the answer to these questions lies buried in the midst of radioactive dust.

First things first — this feels like a S.T.A.L.K.E.R. game. You are an exile in this arena that is equally vast and beautiful, that has no pity for your life. Every rusty frame, every breeze that rachids bitter dry trees, every sound from afar that is a disturbing growl reminds you that you are just a small particle in the Zone. But then again,

It’s not perfect…

There is a faint unsettling feeling which from time to time gets nullified by weird occurrences. The copyrighted atmosphere is 95% there but 5%? Bugs. Sometimes they are minor Nuisances that can easily live with — a mutant gets stuck in the ground, an NPC T-poses against the laws of physics. Other times, hopefully not that many times, they are game-breaking issues in their own right. The first time I encountered a significant bug, I wound up having to restore a save file from further down the timeline, losing close to three hours’ worth of in-game progression. It’s not game-breaking…

…not yet.

Then came the design elements. Some of them are strange — interfaces worse than 2007 with the clanking sounds, an economy that alternates between stingy and overly generous and at times quest construction that favors frustration over consistency. Considering I am a veteran to the series, I shook my head several times at certain things, saying to myself, what is this, why is this falling behind.

Exploration: The Zone Is Calling

In terms of geographical size, The Zone is enormous. That is no exaggeration. Heart of Chornobyl features a sprawling geography that can be best described as staggering. Chasing strange landmarks, being caught in the crossfire of two warring clans, or hiding with bated breath under the dark clouds of a distant emission are activities that you would catch yourself involuntarily doing.

This is not a place that makes an effort to walk you through. It doesn’t care about how simple or difficult life is for you. You will be sifting through debris looking for materials, carefully managing the limited ammunition available to you, and deciding whether it’s worth it to explore the wasteland full of anomalies that is the other side.

There will be resolutions that are taken; some trivial, and others large. Will you decide to aid the trader in need of supplies at the risk of being targeted by a rival faction? Or would you rather ignore him, and focus on self-preservation? Such choices, that people who buy Xbox FPS games expect to take, go on to affect your sense of belonging in more nuanced but important ways. The Zone, in all its imperfections, is thriving. And it summons you to cultivate it.

Combat: Fractious and Ruthless

If you’ve played any S.T.A.L.K.E.R. game, You know what to expect here: unexciting, unpredictable combat where a single bullet makes you win or lose. Heart of Chornobyl doesn’t deviate from this. It manages to make sure that grating, but at times, overly competent AI is in the game. Enemies will flank you and deploy suppressing fire which requires a bit of on-screen adjustment.

But the combat isn’t without its rough edges. While all the weapons do have a certain heft to them appropriate to their uses, the range of them can sometimes be off. That headshot you thought might be too good is only sometimes rewarded with a vermin’s reasonable and frequent nonchalance. S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2: Heart of Chernobyl strives to maintain a balance between realism and playability, but so does the case when the pendulum of balance swings too far, at times it is caught in turbulence.

Still, when everything clicks. When you are in a crumbling husk of a factory, trying to find your last grenade to get rid of the bandit who has a shotgun. When all things end up where they are supposed to be, it is so much fun. There aren’t many games that can make you feel like you are in debt and that debt is horrid and terrifying anger, or joy as overwhelming as S. T. A. L. K. E. R.

Narrative: A Shattered Experience

The narration of Heart of Chornobyl is similar to the other games—it is divided into fragmented pieces. It is quite evident it’s not handed out on a silver platter. You will have to look for it through dialogues, environmental narratives, and for a few notes that are intentionally left vague. It's a method that is slow-burn but can reap the rewards of getting engaged and inquisitive, although not all appreciate such methods.

As far as I have played the game's main plot, kudos to the developers, however, it is not something revolutionary, even if you buy Xbox shooting games, you will probably not want to miss out. What tends to stand out in this game, however, is its collection of surreal experiences, personal memories, and musings. An old man talks about the comrades he has lost: a stalker's diary of his life details how he turned insane. These sketches and nuances of humanism during a period devoid of one's humanity are where the game excels.

Conclusion: The Zone Is Full of Life

S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2: Heart of Chornobyl may not be the best game but it surely is a work of art. A destabilizing rush of emotions hit me as the game went on, ranging from beauty, to anger, to sadness, but it surely did not leave me with a blank memory. Especially if you’re a seasoned gamer like me, I don’t see why you would not find it great, although it is difficult at times.

This time, it feels special to be a part of the initiation as Sorval Watcher. But the question remains, will it feel the same in the future? The harsh reality is that if anyone is not new to the ‘The Zone’ then it can feel unwelcoming; if anything, it can feel as if everything is hanging by a thread for veterans.

Those who have never experienced the wonders of this place should start by watching ‘Heart of Chornobyl’. The catch here is the Zone in itself is of no assistance, but for those who strive to possess it for themselves, the reward is worth every ounce of effort.