Thousands of adventurers from all over the world find a new life here, in a mysterious and dangerous place on the land of the Chornobyl Anomalous Exclusion Zone. Become one of them, and start your own through an immense, atmospheric open world, full of dangers and mysteries. Shed light on the dark secrets of the second disaster, hunt mutants, and explore the hazardous anomalies in search of precious artifacts. Will your skill and courage be enough to overcome anomalous and human threats, or will you become one of many who lost to the Zone?

The Zone keeps hundreds of secrets and thousands of stories, revealing them only to the bravest and most dexterous. Starting as a lone stalker, explore a unique post-apocalyptic world and decide who will get a bullet and who is worthy of your helping hand. And while making decisions, be sure: many choices and actions will have their own, sometimes far from the obvious, consequences. To be a savior and a faithful friend, the figure for stalker's campfire legends. Or to carry out harsh, but profitable missions for those who are in control of the Zone — you are free to be anyone here, even yourself.

Bandits, mercenaries, official authority forces, lone stalkers, various factions, and mutants… The world of S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2: Heart of Chornobyl is full of predators who strive to seize your loot or get a taste of human flesh. Analyzing their behavior and picking specific tactics for each species is the only way to win or at least get out of the fight alive. There is no absolute safety because your foremost enemy is the Zone itself, capable of challenging all your skill and courage at the most unexpected moment.

The Zone has become a perfect black market for weaponry from all around the world. This means that in the potential arsenal of stalkers, there are more than 30 models of various firearms and the ingenuity of gunsmiths who are ready to modify them for greater lethality and reliability. Define your distinctive combat style, select the most efficient weapon, and customize it to your taste for maximal tactical advantage. A wise stalker said: the most dangerous weapon is not the gun in your holster but the gumption, tenacity, and sharp reflexes. Keep that in mind on your path to the Heart of Chornobyl!