Stalker 2 is a beefy recreation, which implies its fundamental story is a protracted and winding highway even when you’re not partaking with its non-obligatory content material a lot. And although that fundamental story actually does take its time to essentially get going, by the point it’s approaching its conclusion, there’s little doubt left that thins have effectively and really kicked into gear, and that the stakes are enormously excessive. In fact, like its predecessors, Stalker 2 can also be a recreation that tells its story collaboratively with the gamers, so the best way it ends may be very a lot in your palms.
The sport options 4 completely different endings, and which of the 4 you get relies on what decisions you’re making at particular important junctures, which in flip additionally determines not solely how plenty of key conflicts are resolved and what the fates of a number of pivotal characters are, but additionally issues as giant scale because the destiny of the Zone itself, and the way (or if) it impacts the skin world at giant. So yeah, it’s secure to say that by the point Stalker 2: Coronary heart of Chornobyl involves a detailed, issues have modified in momentous trend a technique 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 recreation, 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, meaning he is aware of completely effectively how a lot of a risk the Zone is to the world, which implies his purpose now’s to make sure that it’s saved 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 presupposed to enter. The C-Consciousness, for individuals 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 recreation. The legendary Stalker (and a former ally of Strelok’s) referred to as the Physician, aka Dr. Kaymanov, was that scientist who was initially presupposed to enter that pod, however refused to.
Getting into that pod now will enable the particular person to grow to be a hyperlink of types between the noosphere and the Zone, and Strelok’s ending sees him moving 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 any way, no exceptions. His reasoning is that with none interference from the skin world, the Zone will be capable to finally get again to functioning the best way it’s presupposed to (as soon as the conflicts inside it have sorted themselves out, at the least). Basically, 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 preventing 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 grow to be the chief of the Spark faction. As we study all through the occasions of the sport, Spark and Scar’s final purpose 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… effectively, “loves” doesn’t fairly match, maybe, however they certain understand it.
This ending sees Scar moving into the pod, following which Skif walks out into a beautiful and vibrant panorama outside- the Shining Zone, revealed finally, simply as Scar needed it. This ending sees Scar sitting down at a campfire and sharing a hearty, remaining 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 below you on the final second and reveal that the Shining Zone is an elaborate hallucinatory dream that Skif is caught in, whereas truly persevering with to exist at nighttime, lifeless 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 modifications. The Zone and all of its anomalous results are destroyed, and SIRCAA has taken full management of all the pieces that is still in its absence. Skif has been promised no matter reward he needs (he in all probability needs a brand new residence for himself, for apparent causes), however as the sport concludes, the implication is that SIRCAA may be very a lot in management, and seemingly utilizing the C-Consciousness’ strategies to not solely hold a watch on everybody in mass numbers, but additionally to probably management folks forcefully. What meaning for the world is left huge open- however it will possibly’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 recreation sees Skif deciding whether or not to kill the Physician at Strelok’s behest or not. Deciding to not sees you shifting into the Physician’s ending, which reveals that it was Kaymanov who brought on 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 all around the world. In the meantime, additionally it is revealed that the Physician continues to be alive, and that he was truly 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 in fact set to obtain two expansions, whereas one would assume that GSC Sport World additionally intends to make extra Stalker video games sooner or later. Which of the sport’s 4 endings will they be set after, nonetheless (assuming, in fact, that the expansions can be set after the occasions of the ending, quite than as addendums to the primary 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 may be the extra attention-grabbing one, since it will enable the collection to perhaps even increase into solely new anomalous Zones quite than the Chornobyl one we’ve explored throughout 4 completely different video games.
What’s past any doubt, in fact, is the truth that there’s quite a lot of completely 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 are created by the endings (relying on which ones you get), there’s a lot that the collection can dive into the long run.
