Stalker 2: Heart of Chornobyl PS5 review – Fission Impossible

To say that Stalker 2: Heart of Chornobyl (AKA S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2: Heart of Chornobyl) had a rough launch on PC and Xbox Series X|S last year would be quite the understatement. A rocky development cycle was one thing, but when Ukrainian developer GSC Game World had to also deal with the COVID-19 pandemic and Russian invasion forces, Stalker 2 was destined to arrive in poor shape.

A year later, things have changed thanks to a constant stream of patches, fine-tuning the game into a lean-and-mean first-person survival experience set in a desolate wasteland. Now available for PS5, Stalker 2 is a brutal dive into a radioactive hell, and well worth the wait for anyone who grew up in the shadow of the classic 2000s Era games.

Once again set in the Chornobyl Exclusion Zone – the site of the devastating 1986 nuclear disaster – this fictionalized spin on the deadly location is home to all manner of danger. From scavengers to mutated wildlife, anomalies that bend the rules of physics, and mercenaries prowling the massive open-world environment, Chornobyl is a stunning location full of mystery and dread. It’s easily the best part of the game, as this brutally bleak world is punctuated by an oppressive atmosphere, ruined homes, and human hubris.

The main story – mostly revolving around hunting down people of interest, dealing with various factions, and a light touch of revenge – winds its way through scenic locales, with references to old Stalker games scattered throughout. It’s a forgettable but well-executed story, thanks to top-notch vocal performances in both English and native Ukrainian. Fortunately, the side-missions pick up the slack, delivering surprisingly poignant moments of depth and drama.

In the gameplay department, the PS5 version of Stalker 2 is on par with the heavily patched PC and Xbox Series X|S editions. Thousands of bugs and issues have been addressed throughout 2025, with one of the new additions to the game being the Master difficulty mode.

Not for the faint of heart, Master difficulty turns Stalker 2 into an actual test of endurance and survival skills. If the Exclusion Zone wasn’t dangerous enough, you’ll quickly find that you have a target painted on your back, vendors engage in daylight robbery, and you have to manage your physical well-being to thrive in this radioactive hellscape. If you’d prefer an easier time, rest assured that you can still toggle between regular difficulty modes that aren’t designed to appeal to masochistic players.

An old-school experience at heart, Stalker 2 isn’t a run-and-gun action game. Deliberately harsh and full of friction, it makes you think carefully before you decide to engage in a firefight, as gear can malfunction, you can go down in just a few hits, and each battle can leave you with wounds that need to be addressed during your downtime.

Throw in a gameplay loop that requires you to loot to survive constantly and limited inventory space, and you’ve got a game that doesn’t just refuse to hold your hand, it slaps it away and kicks you in the junk. It’s part of a growing trend of recent releases that want you to figure out things on your own, which is a refreshing change from heavily signposted games designed to appeal to as many people as possible.

On a technical level, Stalker 2 ran smoothly. I tested it on PS5 Pro and fiddled with both of its graphical preset modes a 1440p and 60fps Performance mode alongside a 4K 30fps Quality mode – and the game offered a rock-solid experience across dozens of hours.

You can now play Stalker 2: Heart of Chornobyl on PS5, Xbox Series consoles and PC.