Stalker 2: Heart of Chornobylfeatures a lot of difficult choices that you must make in order to progress. However, those choices can shape your further experience in-game. One of the most challenging choices you will have to make in the game would be during the main quest, Wishful Thinking.

This quest isn’t that complicated but features a complex choice. Upon reaching that point, you might not be sure of which path to go for, which is why we will tell you the outcome and consequences of both choices here, so you can select the one that suits your preference.

Wishful Thinking quest overview via the journal.

Return To SIRCAA And Find D1 Hall

Once you havecompleted The Forge of Progress quest,head over to SIRCAA by climbing up the staircasejust ahead of you. Now, simply follow the coordinates and head over to the D1 hall where Dr. Dalin and Col. Korshunov would be having a chat.

A cutscene will commence where Dalin will tell Korshunov thatSIRCAA possesses the wish granter, the Monolith. Dr. Dalin will then ask Skif to test it for them, so you will now have to make a wish for the Monolith.

Skif standing in front of two holograms near the Monolith.

Before heading over to the Monolith, you can talk to Korshunov and tell him about the people who killed his men. By doing so, Skif will tell him all about Faust and the Clear Sky, but this bit is optional, so it won’t matter much if you decide to skip it.

To do so, head over to the coordinates marked on your map. As you approach the Monolith, it will speak to you, and you will notice some holograms. Upon interacting with the holograms,you will see a vision of Strelock asking the Monolith to grant his wish.

Skif is standing in front of Hermann, who is tied to a chair with Agatha’s hologram in the back.

After you have interacted with both holograms,a new one will appear, so go on and interact with it. Now, Skif will make a wish, andan onslaught by the Ward will begin. You must survive the attack until the illusion is over.

The attack will be brutal as there will be a massive number of soldiers attacking you, so make sure to change your position now and then. Also, you won’t have to kill every single one of them; just survive the onslaught.

Skif has been given two choices when talking to Dubny.

Following these strange events,head over to Dr. Dalin and ask what exactly happened. He will explain that the test run has been successful, and now it’s time for the real experiment, but before that, you will have to speak to Agatha.

Speak To Agatha In The Projection Room

Head over to the coordinates marked on your map, and once you are there, a cutscene will start. Hermann will be tied to a chair, andAgatha’s hologram will appear in the dark room. Following that, Agatha will come in the flesh and give you two options.you may either kill Hermann or let him go.

If you decide to kill him,Skif will take the gun from Agatha and shoot Herman. However, giving you this choice was a test, and if you chose it, then you failed. On the other hand, if you let Hermann go, he will thank Skif and exit the room.

Skif standing in front of the Alpha Artifact.

If you do not kill Hermann and follow Ward’s path, you will then meet him later. Upon meeting him, Hermann would explain that the choices Skif was given by Agatha were a test, and he passed. So, it is better to let Hermann go instead of killing him even though he had a hand in Skif’s suffering.

Now, just after a while, you will be given a chance to tell Agatha about Stider’s plan, or you keep the information to yourself. If you decide to tell her,she will simply ask you to meet and convince him to surrender, but if he doesn’t cooperate, you are free to finish him off.

Upon Skif’s choice to side with Ward, Dubny has become hostile and is aiming his gun at you.

However, if you keep the information to yourself,Agatha will play a recording of the conversation Skif had with Striderin Dalin’s suite and ask you to make the right choice. So, it doesn’t matter which option you choose; the result will absolutely be the same.

Strider Or The Ward - A Difficult Choice

The time has come for you to make probably the biggest choice in the game.Siding with either would impact the story, so be 100 percent sure before deciding on a path. Before making the choice,you will have to find Strider’s men.

So, follow the coordinates marked on your map, and once you are there,head over to Dubny. The Ward will be there before you, aiming at Strider’s men. Speaking to Dubny will give you two options:“I’m with you” or “I’m with the Ward.”

Skif looking at Dr Dalin is grabbing the artifact.

Choose one based on your best judgment, or… you can read the rest of the guide to know about the outcomes before doing anything.

Siding With Strider

If you choose to side with Strider, the door behind Dubny will be opened. Head there, and in the hallway, there will bea couple of War soldiers. Take them down and find Strider. Following a series of dialogues,Strider will trigger explosions, opening the way to X11. Then, you will both head over to the site where the experiment is being conducted.

While the game implies that you are too late to stop it,Strider will try his best to take out the artifact. He will even shoot it, but it will all be in vain. Then suddenly, a strange thing happens to the Monolith, affecting everyone around.

Surprisingly, Strider finds the courage to stand up andtakes away the Alpha Artifact. After the cutscene is over, you will have to escape from the sewers, and the mission will be over with you receiving a lot of coupons as a reward.

Siding with Strider and completing the quest will result in starting another main quest, To the Last Drop of Blood.

Siding With The Ward

If you betray Strider and side with the SIRCAA, thenall of his men will immediately turn hostile towards you. However, with the Ward being on your side, the fight won’t be difficult, and it will be over in an instant.

Once you have defeated everyone,head over to the X11 lab. Follow the coordinates marked on your map and take the elevator. Following that,a door behind you will open, so head inside, and a cutscene will commence.

The cutscene shows Skif joining Dr. Dalin during the experiment. However, there will be a disturbance, andSkif will take out his gun, which Dalin opposes. The commotion was caused by none other than Strider, who has been apprehended by the soldiers and has been brought to where you are.

Now, again, the Monolith’s voice will cause a commotion, leaving almost everyone except Strider completely vulnerable.This will give him an opportunity to attack the soldiers and take away the artifact.

Following that, destruction on a massive scale will be started by the Monolith, so Skif takes Dr. Dalin to safety. When the cutscene is over,the Wishful thinking quest will be concluded, and Dalin will ask you to do an important task.

Choosing to side with the Ward and completing the Wishful Thinking quest will result in starting another main quest, Law and Order.

This is one of the most essential quests in-game, so be careful with which option you go for, as both offer an entirely different route.