The world was quite different back in 2007, when the first S.T.A.L.K.E.R. game in the series of first-person shooters in a post-apocalyptic world – The Shadow of Chernobyl – was released to much acclaim.
Since then, two other games have been out in quick succession, in 2008 (Clear Sky) and 2009 (Call of Pripyat). The fourth game, The Heart of Chornobyl, was planned for release in 2012 but put on hold twice.
A release date of 2021 was announced in 2018, but the world stopped in 2020 due to the pandemic. Development was stalled again due to the Russian invasion of Ukraine in 2021. Finally, in late 2023, the game was confirmed to be released in 2024 for the PC and Xbox Series X|S by the game’s developers.
Inspired by the 1977 science fiction novel Roadside Picnic by Russian authors Arkady and Boris Strugatsky, the S.T.A.L.K.E.R. series is an atmospheric survival horror, first-person shooter game that takes place in the reimagined nuclear exclusion zone of Chornobyl where the nuclear reactor meltdown occurred in 1986.
S.T.A.L.K.E.R, by the way, stands for Scavengers, Trespassers, Adventurers, Loners, Killers, Explorers and Robbers – folks you can expect in the game. From here on, I’ll refer to the game as Stalker.
Even though so much time has passed from when I played the first game, I can still recall the immense challenges and constant fear when exploring and trying to survive in the zone.
However, nothing can compare to the real-world challenges and fear faced by the developers — in sickening irony, the game now reflects the everyday fear that Ukrainians live under, with the ongoing Russian invasion.
The employees who remained in Ukraine are still dealing with power outages and hiding from missile attacks… We have chills every time someone is AFK (away from keyboard) for a long time, praying nothing too serious has happened”
Evgeniy Grygorovych, chief executive of GSC Game WorldSurviving and making a game
Mariia Grygorovych, executive producer of GSC Game World, said that working in fear during the intense shelling in Ukraine and keeping under shelter when lives were at stake were the biggest challenges faced by the team.
“We had to split up the development team between Kyiv and Prague, scrambling to accommodate the rapid changes of remote working and stresses of survival,” she noted.
“We had to deal with power outages in winter that disrupted rendering work and seriously impacted game development,” she added. “With the additional studio in Prague, we had to start from scratch to rebuild motion capture and sound studios.”
As the war dragged on, the motion capture and voice actors who were displaced or involved in the war had to be recast. Further complications including cyberattacks and a fire in the Prague studio, leading to even more delay in the production timeline.
“The employees who remained in Ukraine are still dealing with power outages and hiding from missile attacks,” said Evgeniy Grygorovych, chief executive of GSC Game World, who is married to Mariia. “Everyone left in Ukraine is facing something no one should face on a daily basis.”
“We have chills every time someone is AFK (away from keyboard) for a long time, praying nothing too serious has happened,” he noted. “Imagine that asking employees if they are alive becomes a part of your working routine.”
On how the team manages to work across different locations and constant disruptions, Evgeniy added. “Speaking of distant work, the format has challenges of its own, but COVID-19 pandemic had already prepared us for this.
A certain number of freelancers were working remotely on Stalker 2 right from the beginning. But the war brings new challenges of its own. Sirens impact the working process, forcing the team to interrupt calls and meetings until the danger is gone, and worrying people all the time.
While more than 200 people now work from abroad, mostly in the Prague office, more than 230 people are still in Ukraine who are partly defending the country. Employees work distantly from their homes in Kyiv and all around Ukraine.
The Prague office is not temporary and will continue its work after the war. “So when Ukraine wins, GSC will still have at least two European offices in Prague and Kyiv — not to mention the smaller ones we opened for the new employees unable to move to the Czech Republic,” said Evgeniy.
“Some of our workers confess that work is something that helps to distract them from the unwelcoming reality, and gives them a lot of relief,” he noted. “In some twisted way, their morale is as high as ever. ”
Creating the world of Stalker 2
Stalker 2 is the most ambitious and complex large-scale game from GSC Game World, featuring about three hours of cinematic cutscenes.
To create an immersive world, the game is built on the Unreal 5 engine, using the capabilities of new game development technology to showcase the zone’s beauty and horrors. The engine allows for the creation of a seamless open world, but also brings about the technical challenge of filling the world with realistic assets.
When people look at realistic graphics compared with the real world, it is easy to spot the little differences that can make it look unrealistic. As a result, the developers put in a lot of resources and time to make the visuals and gameplay as realistic as possible.
“Since the game is inspired by the real-life exclusion zone in Chornobyl, we had every employee go into the exclusion zone to make the scenery as realistic as possible,” said Mariia.
“But real-life locations may not be well suited for gameplay, which makes it a challenge to balance an interesting gameplay design and realism,” she added .
In creating the game, the developers actively participated in gaming tradeshows and exhibitions to hold playtests, while working on the feedback received from gamers.
“We receive a lot of positive feedback from players and many aspects have worked out well for us, including the shooting mechanics, the game world and the atmosphere,” said Evgeniy.
“We also believe that players will really enjoy the story — we have developed not only the narrative of the second part but also the lore of this world in the events prior,” he added.
Staying alive in Stalker 2
According to the developers, Stalker 2 is a continuation of the story of the first trilogy, and is designed so that players new to the franchise can enjoy it too.
The new game takes place in the exclusion zone in Pripyat where time has stopped but the world outside has continued to evolve. With the availability of modern technology, players will have a chance to explore the zone with more advanced equipment than the gear in the original trilogy.
In terms of gameplay, Stalker 2 offers a seamless open world unique combination of a branching storyline. There will be morally ambiguous choices that the player has to make, and decisions on how to cooperate with different characters to survive the hostilities in the zone will have effects on events that follow.
“We are bringing in a lot more unique characters where they all pursue their own goals, so it will be up to the player to choose the alliances and which paths they want to pursue,” said Mariia. “We strive to make the story believable and the lines between good and evil are blurred.”
The developers cautioned that the game might not be for everyone. What sets the Stalker 2 series apart, they say, is that it is an anti-power fantasy that makes the gamer feel extremely vulnerable.
The game is designed to be challenging, with a focus on a slower paced and highly realistic gameplay and a mix of survival, horror and first-person shooting.
It will be challenging for newcomers to get used to the hazardous and hostile world on top of the anomalies and unpredictable events, while trying to scavenge for supplies.
“A person new to the game will experience it like a tourist,” said Mariia. “For the unprepared, they will get a big shock!”
With Stalker 2 ready to launch imminently on November 21, the developers are proud of the product of their blood, sweat and tears, and determined to deliver an enjoyable experience for the players.
As well as creating an impressive game, the team is also working to eliminate as many bugs as possible and to deliver the best experience to players at launch.
“We don’t want to create a game that will be forgotten in two weeks,” said Evgeniy. “After the release, we will carefully study player feedback and remain open to making adjustments — technical or otherwise.”
Stalker 2 is available for pre-order now on Epic Games, GOG and Steam at S$79. Two DLCs are planned and included in the Ultimate Edition priced at S$142.
Techgoondu is part of the jury for The Game Awards 2024! Cast your own votes at www.thegameawards.com, and catch the show over various online channels on December 13, 8:30 am Singapore time. This year’s Game of the Year nominees include Astro Bot, Black Myth: Wukong, and more!
