"Stalker 2 is nothing short of a miracle. Developed by Ukrainian studio GSC Game World over the course of seven years amid a pandemic and a war — among many other challenges — Stalker 2 is a labor of love and the best type of sequel one could hope for. While many long-running franchises have strayed from their roots in an (often misguided) attempt to appeal to as many players as possible, Stalker 2 knows its core audience well and delivers exactly the type of game we were hoping for."
"S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2: Heart of Chornobyl masterfully combines multiple genres to deliver an unmissable and entirely open world horror experience. Touting unparalleled emergent gameplay, stellar atmosphere, a captivating story, and gorgeous visuals, this is easily one of the best games available on Xbox Series X/S, even with the technical issues that hamper it."
"It's almost uncanny to play something with such unsentimental, old-school design sensibilities that looks as good and feels as modern as Stalker 2 does, and it's a welcome return for one of PC gaming's greatest and most eccentric series. Yes, there are bugs aplenty, so maybe give it a little while before you dive in, and yes, the abrasive mechanics might put some people off. But it's great to be back in the Zone after over a decade away, and to find that it hasn't sacrificed the things that made it so special all those years ago."
"Stalker 2: Heart of Chornobyl is rough around the edges, but its propensity for creating emergent moments in a deadly and alluring world makes this trip back to the Zone a fraught and compelling experience."
"Despite some glaring issues with enemy spawns, aspects of its combat balancing, and performance mishaps, STALKER 2 remains a triumph for the Ukrainian studio, and is largely everything I wanted from a new entry in this underappreciated franchise. And now that this review is finished, I'm headed back into my playthrough for more."
"STALKER 2: Heart of Chornobyl is an anomaly. It dazzles with stunning visuals, an eerie atmosphere, and gameplay that captures the soul of the original series. Yet, like The Zone itself, it's plagued by technical glitches, inconsistent performance, and design missteps that get in the way of its lofty ambitions. Despite its flaws, STALKER 2 has a strange magnetic force, and once you're in, it's hard to look away."
"Stalker 2: Heart of Chornobyl is a perfectly average open-world survival shooter. It’s an interesting setting with well-realized characters, but it’s held back by unsatisfying gunplay and a run-of-the-mill sense of exploration. I wouldn’t recommend it to everyone."
"For fans of hardcore shooters or punishing post-apocalypse games, Stalker 2: Heart of Chornobyl is truly incomparable. Unfortunately, due to a litany of bugs, it's the greatest game you shouldn't play right now. Give it some time, and this will be one of the best survival experiences you'll ever play – but until then, only the series' biggest fans should take the plunge.
"A full 12 years after it was originally due, this honours the legacy of its predecessors and continues to build on the gameplay loop of those much-loved entries that came before. It’s just a shame that my experience with this release is currently — and seriously — damaged by a constant stream of ever-present bugs and issues."
"Stalker 2 could be a great game in a few years, but what's presented at launch is a technical mess that doesn't capitalise on its best ideas. Compelling side stories and a brilliant setting do a lot of the heavy lifting, but at launch Stalker 2 isn't an adventure we'd fully recommend embarking on."
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There's a big old range of opinions there on Stalker 2, then. At the time of writing, the game as an Open Critic rating of 77 and a Metacritic score of 76 - this one definitely sounds like it's worth trying out for yourself on Xbox Game Pass!
