As a long-time fan of the STALKER series, I can’t help but marvel at the sheer resilience and determination of the development team behind STALKER 2: Heart of Chornobyl. With the backdrop of a war, they have managed to push through hardships that would have sunk any lesser team. From moving their operations to makeshift studios in Prague and Kyiv, dealing with immigration challenges, to working under the constant threat of missile and drone attacks – it’s nothing short of heroic.
As a dedicated gamer, I’ve been eagerly anticipating my next adventure in the post-apocalyptic wasteland of the Zone – filled with lethal abnormalities, hostile mutants, rogue rebels, and cutthroat looters. Despite all the challenges that have come our way, according to creative director Slava Lukyanenka, STALKER 2: Heart of Chornobyl is unstoppable and will be here for us to explore soon.
In an extensive conversation with FEED4GAMERS, Lukyanenka discussed the challenges of launching a significant update amidst a war, introduced fresh gameplay mechanics, and explained how the narrative of STALKER 2 connects to its prequels.
War and Peace
STALKER 2 had faced development challenges prior to 2022, but nothing compared to the difficulties that struck the team following the start of the Russian invasion in Ukraine.
Lukyanenko emphasized the challenging blend of transitioning to a team displaced across two cities, mainly Prague and Kyiv, while considering the personal aspects at play.
The EU collective faces issues related to immigration, such as adapting and navigating bureaucracy. The ongoing Ukraine situation requires them to constantly contend with the risk of missile and unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) assaults.
Over time, management underwent changes, as the initial team of twenty individuals expanded into a much larger group of 430 people.
As stated by Lukyanenko, crafting STALKER 2 can be seen as a means of finding solace or a method for incorporating war-time memories within the chaos.
Shadow of STALKER
15 years after the events portrayed in Call of Pripyat, I find myself immersed in STALKER 2’s Heart of Chornobyl. Here, S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2 masterfully demonstrates the impact of time within the Exclusion Zone, as surviving structures are maintained and adapted by various local factions, creating a constantly evolving landscape – a Chornobyl of Theseus, if you will.
In the main storyline of STALKER 2, newly introduced characters take center stage, yet notable figures such as the Monolith outlaw Strider and the Clear Sky protagonist Scar are still set to have significant impact on the game’s narrative.
In STALKER 2, I’ve come to realize that the inhabitants are no longer the free-spirited explorers or the idealistic protectors as they were portrayed in Shadow of Chernobyl. Time spent wading through radioactive sludge for over a decade has taken its toll on them, transforming their lives and perspectives, despite the Zone’s exterior remaining unchanged.
Closed Zone, Open World
As stated by Lukyanenka, the team explored various open-world mechanisms but eventually reverted back to those distinct features that set the original STALKER trilogy apart.
In the latest STALKER series game, a new feature similar to that introduced in Call of Pripyat allows stories to unfold independently for the player to discover. Notably, you’ll find Major Degatyarev can interact with roaming stalkers and even temporarily team up with them at the Zone’s northern region.
At the heart of this captivating narrative lies the A-Life system. The 2024 iteration of the STALKER AI game master represents a significant advancement from the Shadow of Chernobyl version.
A scenario provided by Lukyanenko involves a character venturing into a risky, peculiar area to gather treasure, only to encounter monstrous creatures and fellow explorers known as stalkers.
The player has options: they can team up with the stalkers, engage in combat against them, or even manipulate them into becoming decoy mutants. Working together means splitting the rewards and ensuring mutual survival, a choice that a more self-centered player might consider less advantageous.
This type of interaction seems similar to an encounter between players in the game DayZ rather than a casual meeting with AI. However, STALKER 2 aims to create an atmosphere where your experience feels like just another person’s story unfolding within the Zone.
The game, STALKER, revolves around an exploration journey. It’s a solitary experience set within the enigmatic Zone, where each action carries significant weight.
-Slava Lukyanenka
STALKER Tomorrow
Following the launch of STALKER 2, Lukyanenka has shared their intentions to distribute a blend of free and premium downloadable content (DLCs), aiming to enrich the player’s experience within the Zone. Notably, at least two of the paid extensions will focus on expanding the game’s narrative.
The upcoming release of STALKER 2 in November is occurring amidst a market saturated with games that share similarities with its predecessors, like Metro: Exodus and Escape From Tarkov. Players’ excitement for the game is as deafening as an electric disturbance in Pripyat.
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2024-09-22 15:09