Summary
Stalker 2: Heart of Chornobyl is amassive, story-rich gamewith an astonishing level of detail. Whether you’re new to the series or a longtime fan, its deep lore will prove to be equal parts intriguing and compelling. After memorable protagonists like Scar and Strelok, it’s time for newcomer Skif to make his mark on the series.
The huge cast, sporting an untold amount of dialogue, is bound to make an impression. Here are ten lines from Heart of Chornobyl’s script that are sure to linger on in your heart, long after you’ve left the Zone and its artifacts behind.
10"This Stone Owes Me A New Home."
Skif
Stalker 2: Heart Of Chornobyl’s plot starts with Skif waking up to find half his ceiling missing and a radioactive artifact in his laundry basket. That’s reason enough for him to be annoyed, but the ensuing fire makes him lose his home completely. He strikes a deal with Hermann, a scientist, tosmuggle him into the Zoneto find treasures pricey enough to cover the down payment on a new house.
After some back-and-forth where Hermann declares Skif’s artifact to be a worthless stone, the conversation turns violent. Skif twists Hermann’s arm - literally - while expressing his frustration with homelessness.
9"I Got Lost, In Every Sense Of The Word."
Richter
Most stalkers come to the Zone for the riches, but a lot end up staying for very different reasons. The Zone is a treacherous, deadly place, but it becomes a home to these stalkers due to the intangible allure of the region.
There is no reason for Richter, or any other of the townspeople in Zalissya, to be living such a harsh life and fighting off mutants and eating irradiated bread. But something in them won’t let them leave. Richter used to be a guide before the Zone consumed him; he advises you not to follow the same fate.
8"If You’re Born To Hang, You’ll Never Drown."
Stalker 2 is a cross-genre game, but its RPG aspect shines prominently. There areside quests, town merchants and a protagonist’s journal. Skif records his thoughts in his PDA, making a brief mention of his mysterious past. He was in the military for three years, and afterwards sold cheap artifacts while wasting away in his home.
It is implied throughout the story that Skif is suffering from PTSD, which also explains his tendency to turn violent at the slightest confrontation. In his journal, he signs his life away as he heads into the Zone: whatever will happen, will happen - as his commander said in so many words.
Reveler
The Wardis one of the most memorable factions in Stalker 2: Heart Of Chornobyl. They have both the guns and the numbers, and often seize control of areas from other factions with no opposition. The other factions understand that the Ward is much too powerful and organized for them, and go along with it, but feelings of bitterness linger.
As Skif enters Zalissya, he witnesses an encounter between a Freedom commoner and a Ward general. The Freedom stalker doesn’t seem too upset when hearing about three dead wardens.
6"Rule Number One: Keep Your Mouth Shut."
David Magician
Because most people you meet in the Lesser Zone are so nice, it can be easy to forget that they are all a ragtag bunch of thieves trying to make as much money collecting artifacts as possible.
At the bar, one NPC helps you course-correct your expectations: you shouldn’t overshare any information. He had witnessed something happen before between a stalker who found a stash and one who owned it; it wasn’t pretty. In the Zone, it’s best to keep your head down, collect your loot and get out.
5"Always Better With A Lousy Peace Than An Awesome Firefight."
Kolya Plaster
The NPCs in Zalissya know that Skif is a newbie and a loner, and they’re brimming with good advice for him. One of the most important things they tell Skif: get along with everyone if possible. If a clan leader gets upset, it’s better to grease their palms a bit than harbour a grudge.
The NPC’s assertion about a lousy peace is surprisingly profound for such a throwaway line. Firefights are cool, but they make you bleed and use up all your medkits. It’s better to keep the peace.
4"I’m A Lucky Guy."
Solder
The prologue of Stalker 2 shows your plans going sideways after Solder, your informant, sells you out to another faction within the Zone. This makes Solder a prime target for Skif’s ire, and soon enough, the latter catches up to the former. When they meet, Skif is ready for a fight, while Solder is getting ready for lunch.
Bread in one hand and handgun in the other, Solder threatens Skif, who mentions that his pistol is prone to jamming. Solder is willing to take his chances, until Skif disarms him and turns it back on him. In the end, Skif ends up being the luckier one.
3"Throw A Bolt And Run Like Hell."
Perhaps no piece of advice will be as useful to you in the Zone as the one you receive immediately after the prologue. Richter spots you, alone and exposed, with a monster gnawing at your leg. He helps you out, and upon finding that you’re surrounded by anomalies, he gives you this crucial gameplay tutorial.
You see, anomalies -strange and often damaging environmental phenomena- reset when an object enters them. This gives stalkers a tiny window to rush through without taking damage. You’ll throw your fair share of bolts in the Zone.
2"I Doubt It Was A Life Of Joy That Drove You To The Zone."
Mityay
Throughout the Stalker series, it’s become established that something has to be broken inside the characters for them to be drawn to the Zone. Strelok badly wanted to see the Wish Granter. Skif is implied to be suffering from PTSD due to his time served in the military. Stalkers are not the type of people to be living contented lives.
A lot of people end up staying within the Zone because it feels right for them; it’s the outside world that feels wrong. For Mityay, however, it’s because his childhood home was in the area before the Chornobyl plant meltdown. No stalker has a happy reason to be there.
1"Just Living A Little."
Stalker 2 is a game filled with brashness and machismo, but also pathos and wistfulness. While looking for Nestor’s stash atop the Slag Heap, you run into Richter singing a Ukrainian folk song about a magic land. When asked what he’s doing, Richter says he’s just living a little and quickly changes the subject to the beautiful view.
Skif and Richter share a moment of bonding atop the Slag Heap rarely seen in stories like these. Skif walks along the edge of their perch, while Richter tells him to be careful. Out of everyone in the Zone, the bandits, the Ward, the mercenaries, Richter at that moment feels like the one person who is a true friend.
