New information has been revealed about S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2, a full sequel to classic first-person survival horror game S.T.A.L.K.E.R. Inspired by the 1972 novel Roadside Picnic by authors Arkady and Boris Strugatsky, the S.T.A.L.K.E.R. series tasks players with navigating an alternate history version of the irradiated areas around the Chernobyl Nuclear Power Plant. This area, dubbed "The Zone," has been further affected by government experimentation and has developed an abundance of abnormal phenomena.

The original S.T.A.L.K.E.R.: Shadow of Chernobyl, along with its sequels Clear Skies and Call of Pripyat, are highly renowned for their horrific atmosphere and in-depth gameplay mechanics. However, after Call of Pripyat's release in 2009 the series was seemingly abandoned by developer GSC Game World, until S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2 was announced in 2018 with an anticipated 2021 release. Late last year an in-engine gameplay trailer was released for the highly anticipated title, though this demonstration was brief and left many questions unanswered.

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Xbox Wire has recently revealed some new details about S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2, via a blog post from GSC Game World PR Specialist Zakhar Bocharov. Bocharov's post adds additional context to last year's gameplay trailer, explaining the scenario and what it tells us about the game as a whole. The post also confirms that S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2, like each previous game in the series, stars a brand new protagonist rather than continuing the story of a past character. Bocharov concludes by reporting that development of the game is going smoothly, particular on Xbox Series X/S, and assuring fans that the game will launch on Xbox Game Pass the first day of release.

S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2 Trailer

The S.T.A.L.K.E.R. franchise comes from a long lineage, including not only video games but the Strugatsky novel Roadside Picnic and Andrei Tarkovsky's 1979 film Stalker. A sequel releasing so long after a previous release would usually result in skepticism from fans, but GSC Game World seems to be creating S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2 as a labor of love. The game is utilizing Epic Games' Unreal Engine, in order to create a tense atmosphere but also to allow the easy creation of mods. There were an abundance of popular mods made for previous games in the S.T.A.L.K.E.R. franchise, and this accessibility will help to greatly expand the upcoming title's lifespan as well.

The S.T.A.L.K.E.R. franchise boasts a large fanbase of diehard players who appreciate the series' atmosphere, gameplay and world-building. S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2 seems to be carrying on this legacy, bringing a classic survival experience into the modern age of gaming. With a new engine, new protagonist, and new foes to face, S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2 might be exactly what fans need.

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Source: Xbox Wire