More mind-bending anomalies coming in 2023
S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2: Heart of Chornobyl, the upcoming ‘borderless open-world’ first-person shooter from the Ukranian developer GSC Game World, has revealed its first look at gameplay in a new trailer. The game is set to arrive on Xbox Series X|S and PC in 2023, as well as launch on Xbox Game Pass on release day.
The first few seconds of the trailer tackle the core concept of the series, which is centered around the ‘Noosphere’. It is a philosophical concept described by the Russian-Ukranian soviet biogeochemist Vladimir Vernadsky as a layer akin to the atmosphere or the geosphere, but its growth and influence is dictated by mankind’s psyche and social networks.
The post-apocalyptic setting of S.T.A.L.K.E.R. – named the Zone – was created because of the scientists’ tampering with the Noosphere, causing many environmental anomalies and supernatural occurrences to happen all over the Chornobyl Exclusion Zone in alternate-history Ukraine.
The setting is very versatile and implements multiple elements of horror, science fiction, immersive sims, and stealth. There are various mutant creatures roaming the zone in addition to many hostile factions that will fight the player for the scarce resources. The surrounding earth is also affected by the Noosphere’s emissions, and the player will have to tread very carefully and avoid getting caught in its psychic blasts and gravitational vortexes, as shown in the trailer.
The sense of fear and urgency caused by the anomalies’ unexpected effects is considered the primary appeal of the series. Detecting the different types of reality-altering anomalies and dealing with them is a must. The implementation of Unreal Engine 5 also enhances the presentation of these anomalies ten-folds, and they look even more mind-bending and thrilling than any other game in the previous S.T.A.L.K.E.R. games.
S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2 promises an innovative life-simulating system that crafts a holistic environment where the player’s actions have consequences on the world of the Zone. The game will also include a branched storyline, and a multiplayer mode will be added shortly as a free update after the launch date. Preorders for the game are currently available, and the ultimate edition of the game – priced at $109.99 – includes two-story expansions that are set to enrich the story of the base game and add more to the rich setting of the Zone following release.
