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GSC Game World cannot be given enough credit for bringingSTALKER 2to life, despite all the odds stacked against them for over a decade at this point. As a result of their hard work, they’ve delivered an experience that feels raw, atmospheric, and unmistakablySTALKER-esque.
Perhaps it is a by-product of following the series’ traditions, however, that this game is arguably the hardest in the series. For veterans, this punishing design is just a natural evolution of the franchise’s philosophy. But for newcomers? Well, let’s just say you’re probably busy making rounds to NexusMods before braving The Zone.
STALKER 2’sDifficulty Has People Searching for Mods to Make the Game Easier
Seriously speaking, the difficulty inSTALKER 2is no joke, with Anomalies lurking around every corner, mutants ready to pounce on you at a moment’s notice, and even human enemies, honestly, feel as though they are using some sort of aim bot.
Now, yes, veterans of the series would tell you that it’s all part of The Zone’s chaotic charm, but it’s clear that everyone, including some of the veterans themselves, is simply not having a good time at the moment.
Consider what we found when we looked at the game’sNexusModspage, where downloads for mods to make the game easier are reaching the same number as all the countless community fixes for its performance.
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From tweaking Mutant health and reducing weapon degradation to improving stamina reduction when Sprinting, you’ve already got pretty much all the ways players can mitigate some of the game’s sharper edges.
Call them cowards for not truly following GSC’s vision, but these mods—well, except for those just optimizing performance—are less about undermining the challenge and more about making the game approachable, putting aside the performance optimization part, of course.
Some people just want to soak in the game’s haunting atmosphere, explore The Zone’s apocalyptic beauty, and unravel its mysteries without feeling as though they can’t get any better at it, and though we don’t agree with this sentiment, it’s fine to “just feel the vibes.”
STALKER 2’sHarshness Isn’t a Bug, but a Feature and a Part of This Series’ Appeal
At its core,STALKER 2stays unapologetically true to its roots, and for better or worse, there’s no reality where that wouldn’t have included its punishing difficulty. Maintaining the game’s identity is a deliberate decision, and we, for one, praise GSC for the bold choice.
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This, of course, brings us to the age-old debate of whether games like this cater to a wider audience by softening the experience in some way. FromSoftware and its games, for instance, are no strangers to this discussion, yet they’ve thrived by continuing to stick to their vision.
When you put that into perspective, GSC is essentially following the same path, prioritizing authenticity over accessibility. So, for our money,STALKER 2is a true showcase of the power of sticking to your guns and producing something that feels special in every way.
But with that said, what are your thoughts on this? Should the game ease up a little, or is its brutal difficulty part of the magic? Let us know in the comments below!
Akshit Dangi
Writer - Gaming
Articles Published :266
Akshit is a supposed human being and gaming writer who lurks in different corners of the internet in search of fascinating rabbit holes. Outside of that, though, you’ll most likely find him staring at a piece of art for days or completing another playthrough of Silent Hill.
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