S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2 Demo Review from IGN China
New Chornobyl Stalker Demo
IGN China has shared their review of the S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2: Heart of Chernobyl demo showcased in July at a gaming event in China. Journalists played the demo for approximately 2 hours.
Story Highlights
The demo begins with the protagonist, Skif, following an NPC to a blocked zone. Using a detector to find anomalies, Skif encounters armed personnel as the story unfolds. Notably, unsurprisingly, the first 30 minutes of play were previously shown to the press at Summer Game Fest. The encounter with Richter from Gamescom 2023 demo appears shortly after.
Visuals and Atmosphere
While the demo's content isn't final, S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2 maintains the series' solemn and chilly visual style. The game presents a distinct East-European aesthetic and satisfactory quality for its generation, though not groundbreaking.
Gameplay Feel
The FPS gameplay in S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2 is described as a balance between realism and refreshment. Character movement is smooth, and long runs don't exhaust stamina quickly. The shooting feels realistic, unlike more superhuman FPS games. High IQ AI enemies provide engaging combat, implementing tactics like surrounding and using cover.
Demo Bugs
The current version has some exploration issues, such as unclear identification of interactive elements and lootable corpses. Additionally, the map requires significant zooming to differentiate icons, affecting exploration rhythm.
Overall, despite a short experience, S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2's core gameplay is well-demonstrated and retains the franchise's flavor. Returning to the unique world of S.T.A.L.K.E.R. after 15 years is a treasured experience for fans. For more details, see the review.
