S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2 (“STALKER 2” from this point forward) is still a thing, which is fantastic news for the series’ dedicated fanbase. We know development is coming along nicely because developer GSC Game World just released a brand new atmospheric STALKER 2 trailer.
The video shows mostly environments, so while we can’t see how the game plays, we can enjoy its next-gen graphics in 4K (although these are not actual in-game graphics).
The sequel to STALKER: Shadow of Chernobyl is an Xbox Series X “console launch exclusive” and will be available on Xbox Game Pass on PC as well. We still don’t know if STALKER 2 will make it to PlayStation 5 at some point.
According to a new blog post over at Xbox Wire, GSC Game World wants to give both fans and newcomers a quick overview of the world they will travel through, also known as the Zone.
We can see some familiar environments, like the city of Pripyat. There are also other things fans will recognize: the STALKER camps dotted across The Zone, the floating artifact in the playground, and, of course, the anomalies.
Unfortunately, that’s all we get to see. But we do get a little more details about GSC Game World’s vision and the system behind STALKER 2.
STALKER 2 is the game they’ve “wanted to make since the very beginning.” It lets you explore the entire Zone as a post-apocalyptic open-world that will be one of the biggest we’ve ever entered.
To control such a huge environment, and to make sure it feels as alive and versatile as possible, GSC Game World created A-Life 2.0. This new system will command the state of the Zone and the behavior of characters and mutants within it. Countless events and encounters will happen every moment, even if the player’s not around to witness them. It’s all in the hopes of making the Zone feel like an ever-changing, living thing.
Naturally, the player has a big impact on how the Zone evolves. You’ll have to make tough choices regularly, and face the consequences. Eventually, your playthrough will lead you to one of many different endings. It seems very important to the devs to make sure mo two players will not experience the same playthrough.
STALKER 2 (or S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2 if you’re one of the purists) is headed to PC and Xbox Series X through Xbox Game Pass.
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