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Microsoft shows off S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2, sets April 2022 release date

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Microsoft showed off an extended gameplay trailer and revealed a release date for S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2: Heart of Chernobyl. The game will release on April 28, 2022, for Xbox Series X/S and PC, and also will be a part of Xbox Game Pass.

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

In the trailer, the player character sits around a fire, talking with several companions in what appears to be the shadow of Chernobyl, where a nuclear power plant exploded in real life in 1986 and released a large amount of radiation. Previous games in the series have explored similar areas.

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This will be the first new game in the S.T.A.L.K.E.R. series since 2009. Players can fight irradiated monsters, explore different locales for secrets, and connect with a variety of nonplayable stalkers. The game’s extended trailer features a variety of tools, including weapons and what appears to be a Geiger counter, a tool used to measure radiation. The player character can be seen gathering weapon pieces from the environment, which points toward a looting or scavenging mechanic. Players will also have to face mysterious, tornado-like bursts of energy that appear to be a common enemy of both the player and the environment’s irradiated creatures.

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A variety of nonplayable characters make the experience more colorful and add some humor. The player character, who seems to be a full character rather than a player avatar, spent time seeking out residents of the game’s barren world. The group appears to be a band of ragtag scavengers who try to watch out for each other. The trailer ended with a look at a huge world that players will presumably be able to explore.

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The game will receive a launch day release on Xbox Game Pass.

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Emily Morrow
Emily Morrow
Former Digital Trends Contributor
Emily Morrow is a games journalist and narrative designer who has written for a variety of online publications. If she’s…
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