GSC Game World has presented a new in-depth look at S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2: Heart of Chornobyl. During the 35-minute presentation, which was held entirely in Ukrainian, the developers showed the new gameplay, locations, questing, and much more.
First of all, S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2 will have a large seamless open world with 20 regions, each of which will have its own characteristics, such as architecture, inhabitants, anomalies, etc. In addition, there are practically no invisible barriers in the game and players will be able to enter almost all locations they see. According to the developers, such a large world was created to give players a sense of loneliness and anxiety in the zone.
The game also showed a mission where Skif, a simple man with a very difficult fate, will have to walk through swamps and turn on devices to gain access to a key location. Speaking more about the protagonist, the developers also noted that players will need to constantly monitor his status, as he may get hungry or sleepy. Ignoring these needs can significantly reduce his effectiveness.
The key decisions made by players will create a unique experience with each playthrough, and it will be impossible to get all the content in one go. Moreover, the character's progression will take place not through levels, but through exploring the world, finding new equipment, gaining experience in the game, learning about enemies and locations, improving reactions, etc.
We also showed several types of enemies in S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2, such as mutant pigs, blind people, and pseudo-dogs. Another enemy is the particularly powerful mutant Cat Bina, who can imitate the voices of stalkers and call for help, misleading the player. This enemy will be located in the church, a key location in the swamps. Another enemy will be the controller, whose every attack will increase the level of radiation around him, so you shouldn't drag out the battle with him.
They also said that not all anomalies will be harmful, some of them can be used to your advantage, for example, as landing cushions. Among other things, the game will also feature 35 weapons that can be modified with various improvements and mounts. However, the Scythian will also have a reloading system, so you won't be able to carry absolutely everything with you either.
The developers from GSC Game World also talked about how they recorded the movements for the cutscenes and how many teams worked on it, touched on the topic of complexity, gave a lot of detailed comments about the gameplay and game mechanics, and much more.
S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2 will be released on October 20, 2024 on Xbox Series and PC.