E3 2021 is in full swing, bringing a tidal wave of gaming news and announcements. One game to receive a brand new trailer wasS.TA.L.K.E.R 2: Heart of Chernobyl, GSC Game World’s atmospheric survival-horror sequel. The originalStalker: Shadow of Chernobylreleased in 2007, and was followed by sequels in 2008 and 2009.Stalker 2was first announced in 2010, but was cancelled two years later. It wasn’t until 2018 that GSC Game World confirmed that the new title was under development once again.
TheStalkerseries is set in the Zone, an alternate history version of the Chernobyl Exclusion Zone. In the game’s backstory, a second explosion occurred at the Chernobyl Nuclear Power Plant twenty years after the historical disaster, causing strange effects throughout the Zone. Now populated by mutants, monsters, and physics-defying anomalies, the Zone is host to several human groups seeking to contain or exploit it. Among these groups are the Stalkers, guides and fortune-hunters who risk the dangers of the Zone for anomalous items of incredible value called Artifacts.
The world of the Zone, with its Soviet architecture, radiation hazards, and warring factions, is very reminiscent of another popular game series.4A Games’Metroseriesis also set in a Russian post-apocalyptic wasteland, and the newStalker 2trailer shares a lot of vibes with its latest entry,Metro Exodus.
The History of Stalker and Metro
It’s not just their similar settings, or their similar gameplay, that linkstheStalkerandMetroseries. The two survival horror titles also share a similar origin, both being based on books by Russian authors. In fact, many of the developers at 4A games also worked onStalker: Shadow of Chernobyl. TheStalkerseries is based loosely onRoadside Picnic,a 1972 Soviet sci-fi novel with a similar concept. It was adapted into the filmStalkerin 1979, which helped to inspire the look of the games series.
TheMetroseries is based on the 2002 novelMetro 2033, and follows its source material much more closely. Despite the gap between the publication ofRoadside PicnicandMetro 2033, they share a lot of the same themes. Both novels are set in a post-apocalyptic, former-Soviet society, as warring groups of humans struggle to survive fallout, monsters, and each other.
While the firstStalkergame was released three years before the originalMetrotitle, it didn’t reach as large an audience. The main reason for this is thatStalkerhas always been a PC exclusive, whileMetrois available for a wide range of consoles. Despite this,Stalkerhas always retained a cult following, and one strong enough to promote a new title 12 years after the last one.
Characters in the New Stalker 2 Trailer
While there have always been a lot of similarities between theStalkerandMetrogames, the newStalker 2trailer seems to bridge the gap more than ever. In the marketing for previousStalkergames, the focus was almost always on the Zone and the dangers that inhabit it. Not much time was given to getting to know individual characters and their own stories. However, the new trailer focuses almost entirely ona group of Stalkerssitting around a campfire, as the point-of-view character retells various adventures in the Zone.
Two of these adventures also have a big character focus, one with a man called Bolshak who tunes a radio to classical music, and another with an unnamed stranger who gives a passionate speech about the Zone. These character moments are a lot more reminiscent of thestories in theMetroseries, which have always had a greater focus on individuals. Characters like Anna the Ranger sniper and the mysterious Khan help ground the post-apocalyptic world with well-written human interactions.
RELATED:STALKER 2 Dev Claims It Would Be ‘Impossible’ to Run Game on PS4 or Xbox One
The Stalker 2 Trailer and Metro Exodus
The trailer for theXbox exclusiveStalker 2definitely hasMetrovibes in general, but the one game that it’s most reminiscent of is the most recent,Metro Exodus.Metro Exoduswas the first of theMetrotitles to move away from the linear world of the Moscow underground railway, and out into a sandbox overworld. The game features a dynamic weather system, as well as a day-night cycle, both elements that have been in theStalkerseries since its original title.
The story ofMetro Exodusfollows a journey right across the post-apocalyptic wasteland that was once the Russian Federation and Republic of Kazakhstan. It may still be a long way from the Zone, but fans ofMetro Exodusare sure to have recognized the similar environments, encounters with mutated creatures, and survival elements that were showcased intheStalker 2trailer.
Stalker 2: Heart of Chernobylis scheduled to release on April 28th 2022, and fans can expect more information out of GSC Game World over the next year. What’s clear already however, is that fans of both theStalkerandMetrogames should be paying attention to the upcoming title, which seems to be combining inspiration from both series.
STALKER 2: Heart of Heart of Chernobylreleases July 06, 2025, for Windows PC and Xbox series X/S.
