STALKER 2: Heart of Chornobylhas finally arrived, and fans can hop into its vast world after a lengthy wait and several delays. Of course, despite technically being a sequel,STALKER 2’sinclusion on Game Pass and its intriguing world will likely encourage a whole new audience to check it out. Naturally, those fans may come into the experience with some questions, including how scary this survival horror title truly is.
STALKER 2’shorror status isn’t particularly straightforward, which may frustrate players initially. However, while it can be a little complex, there is an answer that will determine whether those terrified of anything horror-related should avoid thecritically acclaimedSTALKER 2. Even horror aficionados should know in advance just how much of STALKER 2 fits into their favorite genre.
STALKER 2 Is A Survival Horror Game
GSC Game World Confirms It
STALKER 2is labeled as a survival horror game, and, as such, players should expect it to be fairly scary. GSC Game World, the developers ofSTALKER 2, explain that players will “experience one-of-a-kind gameplay, featuring the elements of a first-person shooter, immersive sim, and horror” on the game’sofficial website. The horror element pertains to the mutants that can be encountered in theenormous open world, including ones that have the ability to turn invisible and stalk the player.
However, it is important to note thatmost of the game’s horror comes from its open-world gameplay and not so much the main narrative. While the main storyline has scary elements, it’s largely devoid of truly horrific moments. In this regard, it is more akin to theMetroseries than theSilent HillorResident Evilfranchises. So, while STALKER 2 absolutely should be considered a survival horror game, it leans more towards the survival side than horror.
STALKER 2 Has Scares, But Not Like Typical Horror Games
It’s More About The Atmosphere
Players can largely mitigate the horror factor byupgrading their weapons inSTALKER 2and ensuring they’re well-equipped. This is becausemost of the game’s scares come from the creepy atmosphere and the initial encounters with the mutants, rather than an overabundance of scripted jump scares. Fans may be a little creeped out when they first come toe-to-toe with a mutant, but once they learn how to kill them and what to expect, they become significantly less scary.
As a result,STALKER 2isn’t a particularly scary game, and fans who don’t deal well with horror shouldn’t worry about it being too horror-focused. In many respects,STALKER 2is about as scary as theFalloutgames and certainly as scary as theoriginalSTALKERtrilogy. Its focus is far more on the survival aspect, and naturally, that will come with some intense moments. There are also the various anomalies that players will have to contend with, which make the world feel a lot more deadly, although not necessarily scary.
Amid A Buggy Launch, STALKER 2 Developer Promises Free Content & “Big Plans”
The highly- anticipated launch of STALKER 2 has come with some bugs, but developer GSC Game World is promising multiple hotfixes and a roadmap.
So, for those who really can’t handle any form of horror,STALKER 2is probably not an appropriate game to play. However, for those who struggle with horror but can deal with the occasional creepy element or find the overall atmosphere of theFalloutseries to be acceptable, thenSTALKER 2is the perfect game.STALKER 2is absolutely a horror game, but only in so far as it has some spooky mutants and a tense atmosphere prevailing throughout its lengthy runtime.
