S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2: Heart of Chornobyl

 PlayStation 5
Metascore
80

Generally favorable reviews - based on 15 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 12 out of 15
  2. Mixed: 3 out of 15
  3. Negative: 0 out of 15
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  1. TierraGamer
    Nov 18, 2025
    70
    S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2: Heart of Chornobyl has several strengths, such as an interesting story, a living world that invites you to get lost in it for hours, and an impressive visual presentation. However, it is also filled with numerous technical issues that genuinely undermine its achievements. Still, if you have enough patience, you may find a very entertaining game worth dedicating many hours to.
  2. TrueGaming
    Nov 18, 2025
    60
    Even after a year, the PS5 version of S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2 is also frustrating. Perhaps the studio should have postponed the game by another two years to refine it. Despite the deep survival system, realistic shooting, and the beautiful atmosphere of its world, the technical issues, poor performance, and strange design decisions make the experience more frustrating than enjoyable, and the game fails to deliver on what the developers had promised.
  3. Finger Guns
    Nov 17, 2025
    60
    S.T.A.L.K.E.R 2: Heart of Chornobyl ventures into the uncharted territory of the PS5 in a much better technical state, though the odd bug is still common. Boasting a huge apocalyptic landscape to explore, impressively long main story and some great gunplay, its destructive charm is easily noticeable. Sadly, it feels caught between two parallel genres and is unable to commit to either, suffering from tedious survival mechanics and superfluous decision making. The mysteries of the Zone pale in comparison to the mystery of what could have been if it had had a unified vision.