Stalker 2 is a beefy sport, which suggests its fundamental story is a protracted and winding street even for those who’re not participating with its non-compulsory content material a lot. And although that fundamental story definitely does take its time to essentially get going, by the point it’s approaching its conclusion, there’s little doubt left that thins have nicely and actually kicked into gear, and that the stakes are enormously excessive. In fact, like its predecessors, Stalker 2 can be a sport that tells its story collaboratively with the gamers, so the way in which it ends could be very a lot in your fingers.

The sport options 4 totally different endings, and which of the 4 you get depends on what decisions you’re making at particular important junctures, which in flip additionally determines not solely how a variety of key conflicts are resolved and what the fates of a number of pivotal characters are, but in addition issues as massive scale because the destiny of the Zone itself, and the way (or if) it impacts the skin world at massive. So yeah, it’s protected to say that by the point Stalker 2: Coronary heart of Chornobyl involves an in depth, issues have modified in momentous style a method or one other.

The primary of Stalker 2’s endings is one which sees gamers tightly aligned with Strelok, a legendary Stalker who followers of the collection will clearly be very conversant in. Strelok was the protagonist of the collection’ very first sport, and is probably extra conversant in the Zone, its ins and outs, and its secrets and techniques than anybody else on the market. In fact, which means he is aware of completely nicely how a lot of a risk the Zone is to the world, which suggests his aim now’s to make sure that it’s stored completely contained and remoted. Strelok’s ending sees him stepping right into a pod that the eighth member of the previous C-Consciousness was as soon as purported to enter. The C-Consciousness, for many who don’t bear in mind, is the digital hivemind of scientists that created and as soon as oversaw the Zone, earlier than its destruction (by the hands of Strelok) on the finish of the primary sport. The legendary Stalker (and a former ally of Strelok’s) referred to as the Physician, aka Dr. Kaymanov, was that scientist who was initially purported to enter that pod, however refused to.

Coming into that pod now will permit the particular person to develop into a hyperlink of types between the noosphere and the Zone, and Strelok’s ending sees him getting into the pod. Within the aftermath, Strelok turns into accountable for the Monolith faction, and fully seals the Zone up, in order that nobody can enter or exit it in anyway, no exceptions. His reasoning is that with none interference from the skin world, the Zone will be capable of ultimately get again to functioning the way in which it’s purported to (as soon as the conflicts inside it have sorted themselves out, at the very least). Primarily, this ending sees the established order reverted (kind of) to the start of Stalker 1, with the Zone remoted from the remainder of the world and Monolith viciously combating to maintain issues that manner.

The second ending sees protagonist Skif siding with Scar, one other acquainted character- the protagonist of the collection’ second instalment, who, by the point of Stalker 2’s occasions a number of years later, has now develop into the chief of the Spark faction. As we be taught all through the occasions of the sport, Spark and Scar’s final aim is to unveil the existence of the Shining Zone, a secret facet of the Zone that they consider to be an idyllic facet of the Zone full of sunshine and life, versus the darkish, irradiated, toxic, and lethal Zone that everybody is aware of and… nicely, “loves” doesn’t fairly match, maybe, however they certain realize it.

This ending sees Scar getting into the pod, following which Skif walks out into a beautiful and vibrant panorama outside- the Shining Zone, revealed ultimately, simply as Scar wished it. This ending sees Scar sitting down at a campfire and sharing a hearty, closing dialog with allies and companions that he’s gotten to know over the course of his time within the Zone- just for the sport to drag the rug out from beneath you on the final second and reveal that the Shining Zone is an elaborate hallucinatory dream that Skif is caught in, whereas really persevering with to exist in the dead of night, useless Zone.

The third ending sees Skif allied with the Ukraine authorities backed paramilitary faction referred to as the Ward. On this ending, Colonel Korshunov enters the pod, and brings about drastic adjustments. The Zone and all of its anomalous results are destroyed, and SIRCAA has taken full management of every little thing that is still in its absence. Skif has been promised no matter reward he needs (he most likely needs a brand new residence for himself, for apparent causes), however as the sport concludes, the implication is that SIRCAA could be very a lot in management, and seemingly utilizing the C-Consciousness’ strategies to not solely maintain a watch on everybody in mass numbers, but in addition to probably management folks forcefully. What which means for the world is left extensive open- however it might’t be something good.

Lastly, Stalker 2’s fourth ending is one which sees Skif allying with the aforementioned Dr. Kaymanov. A sure level within the sport sees Skif deciding whether or not to kill the Physician at Strelok’s behest or not. Deciding to not sees you transferring into the Physician’s ending, which reveals that it was Kaymanov who triggered the second Chornobyl catastrophe in 2006 and the creation of the Zone itself. On this ending, after the Physician perishes in an Emission, Skif is the one who enters the pod himself, following which he chooses to cede management to the Zone. What follows is a worldwide enlargement of the Zone, which sees extra anomalous Zones popping up everywhere in the world. In the meantime, additionally it is revealed that the Physician continues to be alive, and that he was really former Staker Faust – whom Skif had supposedly killed earlier – all alongside. When Faust made that swap and adopted the Physician’s persona is left up within the air.

Stalker 2 is after all set to obtain two expansions, whereas one would assume that GSC Recreation World additionally intends to make extra Stalker video games sooner or later. Which of the sport’s 4 endings will they be set after, nevertheless (assuming, after all, that the expansions might be set after the occasions of the ending, relatively than as addendums to the principle story itself). For our cash, the Strelok and Kaymanov endings are the likeliest candidates for being the canon ones, although the latter might be the one that might be the extra attention-grabbing one, since it will permit the collection to possibly even increase into completely new anomalous Zones relatively than the Chornobyl one we’ve explored throughout 4 totally different video games.

What’s past any doubt, after all, is the truth that there’s a variety of totally different instructions that the Stalker collection can take because it heads into the long run from this level ahead. From arcs and plotlines inside Stalker 2 itself that may be fleshed out and defined extra, to new questions which can be created by the endings (relying on which ones you get), there’s a lot that the collection can dive into the long run.