Let’s talk about a new game whose release date has been pushed around for a while. Yes, we are talking about the upcoming open-world FPS shooter titled S.T.A.L.K.E.R 2: Heart of Chornobyl. This is an interesting game and of course, one can understand the ongoing situation as to why the game’s release date is being postponed. Sure, there are many other shooter games you can play. So why should you be waiting for S.T.A.L.K.E.R 2? Well, here is everything you need to know about the upcoming game.
Now, apart from this game just being an open-world shooter, it is also rich with stories, especially for a game like this that is set in the post-apocalyptic period. Now even before the game is being released, it has been awarded many times with awards such as the best game to wait for and also the most wanted game from E3. If you are someone that has played the older S.T.A.L.K.E.R games released before 2010, you sure are in for a good treat that comes in with S.T.A.L.K.E.R 2. Here is everything we know so far about the game S.T.A.L.K.E.R 2.
S.T.A.L.K.E.R 2: Release Date
The new S.T.A.L.K.E.R game was announced way back in 2020. And during E3 of 2021, we got to see more details as well as an expected release date of April 28, 2022. However, due to unforeseeable circumstances, the game’s release date has now been pushed over to the end of the year. The new release date is now slated for 8th December 2022. If you missed the announcement trailer for the new S.T.A.L.K.E.R 2 game, you can check it out by heading here.
S.T.A.L.K.E.R 2 Developer and Publisher
S.T.A.L.K.E.R 2 is being developed and published by the same team who originally developed the earlier S.T.A.L.K.E.R games. The team behind these games as well as the new one is GSC Game World.
S.T.A.L.K.E.R 2 Trailer and Gameplay
The game’s trailer shows off things that are happening in Chornobyl. A group of certain people known as the S.T.A.L.K.E.R has entered the area and are on the lookout for many artifacts as well as a way to survive through the harsh environment that is harmful to their lives and also filled with many mutants and numerous dangerous elements. Now, this game is also choice-based, so as you go along, you will have to make certain decisions, and the very same decisions can affect you positively or negatively.
The developers have also showcased a few minutes of gameplay footage from the new S.T.A.L.K.E.R 2 game. The gameplay shows off your troops going around Chornobyl and monitoring the area as well as taking out the enemies. The gameplay also shows off your troops sitting and the leader narrating various incidents including the ones where they come in contact with a wired zombie mutant.
Apart from fighting monsters and messing around with different equipment, the game has a dynamic day and night cycle along with AI that will keep interacting with you at all times. The plus side of it is the fact that the game has a real-life-like life simulating system which will give you a more realistic feel and thus makes things more alive. All of this is paired with different survival mechanics like hunger, pain, sleep, and even when you are in contact with radiation waves in Chornobyl. Of course, to bring the element of fun to the game, S.T.A.L.K.E.R:2 supports mods that can be created by people and shared via the Steam Workshop.
S.T.A.L.K.E.R:2 Multiplayer Mode
As of now, there is no mention of the multiplayer mode and whether we would be getting co-op or shared screen modes. However, the developers have stated that the Multiplayer mode will be added over to the game as and when it releases as a free update. We still need to know if the game will support cross-platform and cross-generation gameplay while playing online with friends.
S.T.A.L.K.E.R 2 Game Platforms and Editions
S.T.A.L.K.E.R 2 will be available to players on Windows via Steam as well as Xbox One and the Series X and S. However, if you are someone that doesn’t own a gaming PC or has an Xbox gaming console, you will be able to play the game using the Xbox Game Pass subscription. However, we do hope to see the game make its way over to the cloud gaming platforms like Nvidia GeForce NOW, and even Google Stadia. Coming to the game editions available for S.T.A.L.K.E.R 2, there are thee editions for you to choose from – Standard, Deluxe, and Ultimate. You will also need to know that while the other editions have extra content, pre-ordering any of the game editions will give you even more content.
S.T.A.L.K.E.R 2 Ultimate Edition
The ultimate edition of the game is the best one to pick if you are a diehard fan of the original S.T.A.L.K.E.R games. The Ultimate edition will cost you $109 on Steam. Here is what the Ultimate edition contains.
- Season Pass with Access to All Future DLCs, Including 2 Story Expansions
- Additional Story-Based Side Quest
- Single Player: 1 Costume Skin & 3 Weapon Skins
- Multiplayer: 3 Costume Skins & 7 Weapon Skins for Multiplayer
- Digital Artbook
- Digital Soundtrack
However, if you pre-order the game, you will be getting a few extra goodies like:
- Extended Campfire Content: more guitar tunes and tales that you can hear in the game around the stalkers’ campfires
- ‘Early Bird’ Weapon Skin
- ‘Early Bird’ Costume Skin
- ‘Early Bird’ Multiplayer Badge
- Steam Pack: Animated Avatar, Animated Avatar Frame & Animated Profile Background
S.T.A.L.K.E.R:2 – Deluxe Edition
The Deluxe edition sits in the middle and is priced at $79.99 and will have everything from the Standard Edition. Here is what is extra with the deluxe edition
- Additional Story-Based Side Quest
- Single Player: 1 Costume Skin & 3 Weapon Skins
- Multiplayer: 2 Costume Skins & 3 Weapon Skins
- Digital Artbook
- Digital Soundtrack
However, if you preorder the game right now, you will be unlocking the following content alongside the Deluxe Edition material
- Extended Campfire Content: more guitar tunes and tales that you can hear in the game around the stalkers’ campfires
- ‘Early Bird’ Weapon Skin
- ‘Early Bird’ Costume Skin
- ‘Early Bird’ Multiplayer Badge
- Steam Pack: Animated Avatar, Animated Avatar Frame & Animated Profile Background
S.T.A.L.K.E.R:2 Standard Editon
Well, this will be the base version of the game and can be purchased for $59.99, Of course, as this is the base version, you do not get any extra content or goodies. However, if you plan on pre-ordering the game right now, you will be getting access to a list of things mentioned below:
- Extended Campfire Content: more guitar tunes and tales that you can hear in the game around the stalkers’ campfires
- ‘Early bird’ Weapon Skin
- ‘Early bird’ Costume Skin
- ‘Early Bird’ Multiplayer Badge
- Steam Pack: Animated Avatar, Animated Avatar Frame & Animated Profile Background
S.T.A.L.K.E.R 2 System Requirements
Since the game is being made available for pre-order, as a player, you need to know if the game will run perfectly on your system or not. For this, the developers have thankfully revealed the system requirements that are needed to run the game.
Minimum System Requirements
- OS: Windows 10
- CPU: AMD Ryzen 5 1600X or Intel Core i5 7600K
- RAM: 8 GB
- GPU: AMD Radeon RX 580 GB or Nvidia GeForce GTX 1060 GB
- Storage: 150 GB
Recommended System Requirements
- OS: Windows 10 or newer
- CPU: AMD Ryzen 7 3700X or Intel Core i7-9700K
- RAM: 16 GB
- GPU: AMD Radeon RX 5700 XT or Nvidia GeForce GTX 1080Ti
- Storage: 150 GB
Conclusion
Well, S.T.A.L.K.E.R 2 is a very interesting game by the looks of what is in store for everyone by the end of the year. Sure, it is a bummer that the release date has been moved from April to December, but again, sometimes some things need to be done because of certain circumstances. Anyway, what do you think about the new S.T.A.L.K.E.R:2 game? Do you think it will make a huge comeback to the S.T.A.L.K.E.R franchise? A franchise that has had a good number of games aging 10 years and up? Let us know your thoughts about the game in the comments below.
Also Check: