When will Stalker 2 be released? A realistic journey across the wide world

Let's go back for a moment to the already distant 2010... Quite recently, STALKER Call of Pripyat was released, which came as close as possible to exactly “that” game that fans had been waiting for for 10 years, then, at the end of 2009, STALKER FEST took place in Kyiv, which brought together several thousands of loyal fans of the post-apocalyptic game. Everything indicated that STALKER 2 simply had to come out, which was confirmed by the head of the GSC studio, who happily stated that more than 4 million copies of the series had been sold worldwide.

Already in 2010, the developers officially confirmed the development of the game and began to share the details of STALKER 2. GSC did not talk much about the gameplay, but willingly talked about technical innovations. So, instead of creating primitive manual animation, the developers decided to capture the movements of live actors using Mo-cap technology. Another innovation is the Havok physics engine, which in STALKER 2 will provide a realistic physics model and destructible environment. And the main innovation is that the X-Ray 2 engine was responsible for the graphics, allowing you to finally create a completely seamless open world in STALKER 2.

As for the plot of the new post-apocalyptic shooter, we were supposed to have another chapter in the history of Bullseye, the main character of the first part of the series - STALKER Shadow of Chernobyl.

New details about STALKER 2 began to be presented in very measured doses, until in 2012 Sergei Grigorovich folded the team without further comment, and at the same time the sequel to STALKER was shelved. The respite in the work of GSC Game World was short-lived, and already in 2014 the studio announced its return and a couple of years later released Cossacks 3, but silence remained regarding the new Stalker until May 15, 2018.

Development history: 2018-2021(?)

On this moment There are absolutely no gameplay or plot details of STALKER 2, so we can only assume that in terms of scenario, the developers will not abandon early developments and will continue the story of Marked One. But with the gameplay, you can be sure of only one thing - the game will definitely have a seamless world.

Even today, an open world without additional loading is the unconditional standard among large-scale game projects, the only visible exception is the recent one, but these are completely different games from Stalker in spirit. It will be extremely surprising in 2021, when STALKER 2 is tentatively released, to see reloading between locations in the game.

Another almost completely confirmed information regarding the post-apocalyptic shooter is the abandonment of its own graphics engine X-ray in favor of the popular Unreal Engine 4. This statement was made by Sergei Galenkin, publishing a post on his Twitter indicating the game’s website and the caption “guess what kind of engine.” It is important to note here that Galenkin is one of the leading people at Epic Games, which sells licenses for Unreal Engine 4.

guess the engine, lol 😁

Sergey Galyonkin (@galyonkin)

The release date for Stalker 2 is still unknown. This news no longer surprises anyone, it only upsets. Indeed, one of the most widespread computer games in the CIS, which has entered the European market.

It is based on a real, long-loved work of art and a real exclusion zone left after a man-made disaster. All these facts make the project popular and expected. Rumors and interest are fueled by the fact that constantly new information about the game Stalker 2 hits the press.

Background

The initial idea of ​​​​the developers of the GSC Game World company was different, not the one that was later developed. There was an idea to build events in a time period far from us - the distant future. It was assumed that the hero would be able to travel in space and gain access to time portals. All these fantasies were subsequently abandoned and the choice fell on a very specific zone. An existing space, known and with its own history. The actual Chernobyl area suggested the possibility of creating a computer exclusion zone and a stalker character.

Where a full life used to take place, there remains full of danger a territory where people of different professions and purposes of stay roam. The exclusion zone has its own rules and laws. Before starting action in the game Stalker 2, you have the opportunity to choose a suitable character.

You have the right to be on a team or play alone, but in this case restrictions apply.

Stalker is based on the famous work of the Strugatskys “Roadside Picnic”. The story is quite well known and popular; a famous film adaptation was made. The genius of the authors is manifested in the fact that, without knowing the computer world, they were able to write an ideal plot for it, which just had to be translated into a programming language. The game rules and actions are described in the book; the developers simply transferred them to drawings and actions. Therefore, the project turned out to be very exciting and filled with emotions. And the question of when the second Stalker will be released remains relevant.

Will there be a sequel?

Initially, 2012 was announced as the release date, then 2014 was chosen as the release date. Gamer fans are looking forward to the new year 2021. The release of the second Stalker game was constantly announced. Only the developers know how far the date is from reality. The lack of specifics did not prevent the developers from reporting on the development of the second part of the Stalker project and considering the ideas implemented in it.

Among the new products back in 2012, the following were announced:

• The appearance of female representatives among the heroes, and on vehicles.
• Better implementation appearance heroes.
• Opportunities open up for independent organization of a group with the definition of its goals and means.
• The trade movement received new development.
• The appearance of new mutants will undoubtedly delight and enliven the space.
• Heroes will have the opportunity to change clothes, purchase and store them, which will bring life to the story.
• The project provides the opportunity to monitor your fitness and pump up your muscles, if necessary.

Will Stalker 2 be released? Despite the fact that the project is frozen, it will definitely be implemented. It is unknown within which country or studio, but in-demand items certainly become a reality.

In the spring of 2018, it became known that the creators of Stalker decided to make a second part, which was planned for 2021.

As you already know, the development of Stalker 2 was suspended on December 9, 2011. The reason for this was insufficient funding, as well as the long-term nature of the project. As a result, development began again in 2014. There have been rumors that the rights to the game have been sold, but these are all lies. The rights remained with the main developer, although he was not averse to giving them “for free” to developers from the CIS. More precisely, not entirely, but for a percentage of sales. According to the executive director, Western developers would not be able to convey the atmosphere of the game. Also, the developer mentioned that 50% of the game is ready and availability network game will be missing.

Stalker 2 will receive a new game scenario; it will be closely related to the previous trilogy.

Also, the company announced the XRay Engine v 2.0, developed for DirectX 11. The engine was created from scratch only for Stalker. There is a possibility of changing the engine to Havok. To run the game, your PC will need to have an Internet connection.

New heroes will also be added, but fans can also meet old favorite characters in the game. The main character of Stalker 2 will probably be “Shooter”, aka “Marked” from the first part of Stalker Shadow of Chernobyl. This version was developed before the project was frozen.

There is another version of the game, with the main character NIICHAZ. The hero, due to certain circumstances, ends up in the Zone. The shooter, in this version, is considered a minor character. This version was developed until 2010.

GSC Game World will force the player to survive in enemy territories and explore new spacious territories. Abandoned laboratories, secret factories and bunkers will await the player. Several levels will also be added. There are rumors that one huge location will be created with the city of Chernobyl and the Chernobyl Nuclear Power Plant. Unlike the first part, Stalker 2 will be released not only on PC, but also on PS and XBOX. The company is silent about open beta testing. We only know that the team is back in full force and development continues at an active pace. We wish the guys good luck in development. We are looking forward to the release of S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2.

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

The first-person shooter was announced in August 2010, but the release date for Stalker 2 is still unknown. The official release was scheduled for 2012, and on December 9, 2011, the studio announced the end of development.

Will Stalker 2 come out or is it not worth the wait? Popular question in gaming industry. Let's try to figure out whether it makes sense to expect a continuation of the sensational sequel.

Story

1. The initial stage was filled with enthusiasm and ideas from the developers. They promised to introduce co-op playthrough, create a full-fledged story with two additions, use a new engine.
2. At the end of 2010, employees reported fruitful work, promising a rich arsenal of weapons, clear depiction of details and noticeable improvements in gameplay.
3. In July 2011, an online conference was held dedicated to the upcoming release. It became known that the second part of the stalker was half ready. Information about licensing of the Havok engine has appeared.
4. August 2011 brought news about animation in the game. The company's leading animator said that the visual part will be realized using motion capture technology.
5. In November 2011, it became known about the return of a talented game designer working on the first part of the franchise.
6. Information about the breakup, which appeared in December 2011, was not confirmed by the studio for a long time. At first they refused to comment, then they reported that they were looking for investors. In April 2012, the data was confirmed, GSC Game World announced the creation of a new project and posted a video about the freezing of Stalker 2.

What awaits users in the second Stalker?

There is a lot of information on the Internet, the game Stalker 2 excites thousands of gamers, so theories with rumors and reliable facts found by fans of the series appear. The main fact is that the anomalies that were present earlier were included in the project, but the second story about Chernobyl promised to be full of anomalies associated with the exclusion zone. New technologies would allow the creators to create realistic effects of mystical elements.

There would be a modernization of gameplay. In addition to the formation of a “seamless” world, users were treated to a gigantic territory, exceeding the size of the terrain from the previous part. The emergence of various vehicles that make it easier to move around contaminated areas.

Fans of the series have lost not only a high-quality shooter, but also a series. In 2012, before the official release, it was planned to broadcast a series on television that would refer viewers to the Stalker Universe.

Plot

Users mistakenly believe that the main story in Stalker 2 is Strelka's story. As conceived by the creators, the current hero is a former stalker who managed to accumulate a decent amount of money and leave the exclusion zone ten years ago. At night, the fearless researcher suffers from nightmares, seeing the exclusion zone. She calls him back and beckons him, and when dreams are not enough, Chernobyl invades real life character. The stalker's nerves can't stand it, and he hurries to the zone, hoping to get answers. The studio's idea also attracted storyline Chernobyl Research Center, which studied the anomalies of the radioactive territory.

Gossip

The Stalker 2 news appearing online is truly amazing. In 2012, users observed two loud announcements about the sale of the brand. It turned out that the rights still belong to the Ukrainian company and they do not intend to sell their brainchild.

In 2014, a conversation took place with one of the developers and he explained that he considered Stalker 2 an interesting project. The idea was voiced about transferring the brand to a third-party company if it manages to adequately implement the idea and release a worthwhile project.

When will Stalker 2 be released ( last information 2016) is not the most encouraging - the frozen project is not ready for release, although the game components are 70-80% developed. The game is unlikely to be released, but some sources promise a release in 2018.

Conclusion

The Stalker 2 review allows you to learn about the company's plans, plot twists, improvements and upgrades. Only the Chernobyl exclusion zone no longer invites brave gamers to visit, and the only chance to look at the destroyed fourth power unit of the nuclear power plant is to play the first part of S.T.A.L.K.E.R.

Trailer

Gameplay

, she did not repeat the fate of this project. True, it is unclear whether the game will make it to release, but it has reached the announcement stage - that’s already something! It's time to figure out what to expect from her. Despite the fact that there are no official details yet, evenNow we can draw conclusions from some premises , will Sergei Grigorovich bring us excellent swag or carry us some tin cans?

Let's straight away put the dots i. In total, I played about a thousand hours in all parts of the series, downloaded amateur mods, and carefully studied design documentsOblivion Lost and that's all. That is, I am definitely a fan of the series and have very tender feelings for it. This love is probably familiar to many readers , but it should not cloud your mind and make it impossible to think sensibly. So instead of shouting with delight« S.T.A.L.K.E.R. — COOL!!!", today we will look at the series as soberly as possible and understand where to expect the catch.

By the way, a quick question: what do we expect from ? I already see the answer - a lot! No, let's be more specific. What exactly are we waiting for? For a clear answer, we will need to know why the original so I stopped by the players. Let's skip the topic of long waits, advertising campaigns and developer promises, most of which remained unfulfilled. We look exclusively at the final product - “ » .

The first point is the setting. The mysterious Chernobyl exclusion zone, deadly anomalies, dangerous and creepy mutants, stalkers climbing through military cordons for valuable artifacts, mysterious X-laboratories and a shroud of mysticism enveloping the Zone... This is without a doubt one of the most interesting game settings in the entire history of the industry - very original and unique in its own way. You simply can’t even find anything detailed. In addition, it is very close to any resident of the CIS who, by default, has heard about the Chernobyl disaster.

The second point is the atmosphere. Ask any fanwhy does he love so much , and the answer will most likely be exactly this word. But what makes up that inexplicable atmosphere? Most of it is determined by the previous point, the setting. But it’s not enough to come up with an interesting setting—you have to be able to implement it.GSC Game World With did this with some success.

Personally, in my opinion, the early builds were much more atmospheric. If you know what I mean, I recommend playing the mod Oblivion Lost Remake 2.5.

But let's forget about these semi-mythical early builds. “” is also capable of enveloping the player in this indescribably thick atmosphere. Thunderclouds over the Zone, pouring rain, the crackle of a machine gun burst from somewhere far away and a scream full of horror a moment later— to those who played, you don’t need to explain anything, but to those who didn’t, you can’t explain it. Is it worth mentioning the aesthetics of Soviet abandoned buildings that form painfully familiar landscapes to all heirs of the USSR? And of course, In no case should we forget about the luxurious soundtrack: ambient from a Russian artistMoozE entered into a perfect symbiosis with the project and multiplied its atmosphere many times over.

That's sorted out.Setting and atmosphere are the two main engines of the “stalker”. But everyone d Other components of the game are very far from the virtuosity of their execution.

IN son-in-law, for example, shooting. Despite the fact that the project is practically a purebred shooter, the shooting in it is, to put it mildly, mediocre. Shooting guns is unpleasant. The weapon looks bad. Enemies react to hits like logs. What about quests? Oh, these wonderful tasks " Kill the mutants», « Findartifact», « Bring it unique weapon "... Solid "go-get-kill" doesn't even try to mimic something more.

Dialogues? The developers clearly wanted to make a nod to , but variability here is zero. Click on the only option offered - that’s all the dialogues. Imagine that instead of "" in my time The exact same game came out, but notabout anomalies, mutantsand stalkers, but, say, about the adventures of a mercenary in some local military conflict.And it would be called « Special Forces. Backfire" Would you play it? Hardly.

Meanwhile, the developers , apparently, did not really understand the reasons for their brainchild So the public liked: further they We went to the completely wrong steppe. Most likely, no one will argue that the first part of the series is the most successful.

IN " " the same atmosphericthe deserted and deserted Zone turned into an airsoft range, where people ran fervently as if through a passage yardgroups of factions, knocking each other out of their homes.

"" turned out much more integral just like a gameand was remembered for its unprecedented quest design for the series. “Go-fetch-kill” tasks have practically disappeared. Moreover, every some of them talked about some kind of player interesting story- in the best traditions RPG . However, that very atmosphere of the mysterious, mysterious and dangerous Zone suddenly disappeared somewhere. If in " » in this atmospherecould drown, then in " “—except to get your feet wet.

Also in favor of the fact thatGSC Game World could not determine the vector of development of the project,Further events speak eloquently - the freezing of the second part. Despite the fact that the brandS.T.A.L.K.E.R. was on hype: books were written based on it, clothes were made, airsoft reenactment games were held, and even a TV series was filmed. But at a certain stage Sergey Grigorovich closed the company andcurtailed development - He didn’t like what was coming out of him at all.

Can you Google? Then you can easily find the S.T.A.L.K.E.R design documents leaked online a couple of years ago. 2 with a description of the plot and locations of the game. They are not very impressive: all this looked like another addon, and not a new part.

And the developers went their separate ways. The confusion, by the way, began even before the release: then a group of renegades who broke away from GSC organized a new studio to make their own “stalker”, without a zone and artifacts. You've probably heard of them: they're 4A Games, currently working on . And most of those who remained in G.S.C. until its closure, they formed Vostok Games. Now they're doing what they do best: making promises to fans. cool game. It's been five years now, I think, or something like that.

Now - the main question of this material.Who will develop ?

Unclear. Formally - the sameGSC Game World, but in the studio as described above reasons there is no old blood left. At all. And new blood tried my hand at the third part " " Its power was enough for... a remakeoriginal game.

Seriously, you played " "? We've been playing. Mechanics of the first part with updated models and textures - this is now called a remaster, butG.S.C. I decided that this would be a full-fledged third part of the series.

Well, it was just practicing technical skills, a test of the pen, you say. U Grigorovich That was definitely a plan! A cunning, daring plan. Throughout his seven years of absence, he nurtured the ideal concept , guessed the moment when we would completely stop believing in its exit, and powerful hyped up. Well then let's see, what the father of the series said and what he was doing all this time.

Firstly, e if you read, then you will understand that he became interested in sportsI've been doing it seriously for over five yearsand went to competitions to Europe. He simply gave up on creating games and any kind of business in general. inserted all these contradictionsHow on Facebook, and in interviews deliberately to confuse everyone who tries to analyze his words. He is a master of multi-moves, as we found out above.But this is somehow... too conspiratorial. Only the most devoted fans can believe this.

So, do you still have any high expectations for the game? No smart developers, no vision of the project by its manager.The only trump card in handGSC Game World- this is the engine Unreal Engine 4, developing a project on which will go much faster and easier than onX-Ray in my time.

Will the updated one be able toGSC Game World give us the continuation of the legendary game that fans who have been waiting for almost ten years deserve? Will she even be able to complete it? No matter how much I would like to believe in it, I have great doubts about this.