S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2: Heart of Chornobyl Complete Guide (42 Sections) | AntMag

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Welcome to the Zone, Stalker! S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2: Heart of Chornobyl plunges you into the irradiated Chornobyl Exclusion Zone, a place teeming with dangerous mutants, deadly anomalies, and rival factions. As a Stalker, you'll brave this treacherous landscape, scavenging for valuable artifacts and fighting for survival in a non-linear story. This is a hardcore survival shooter experience for those who crave a deep, atmospheric world filled with difficult choices and unforgiving combat.

This guide will help you navigate the Zone's many challenges. We'll cover essential survival tips, how to manage your resources, and strategies for overcoming the game's toughest enemies. Specifically, we'll show you how to unlock fast travel, a crucial mechanic for traversing the vast and dangerous Zone efficiently. Get ready to uncover the Zone's secrets and make your mark.

A Big Score Mission Walkthrough

Walkthrough

1
Locate the Slag Heap, the settlement northeast of Garbage, where you'll find many side missions.
2
Find Zakhar Babay near the exit of the Slag Heap. He will initially tell you to come back later.
3
After completing "No Honor Among Thieves" and sleeping, return to Zakhar. He will give you the "A Big Score" mission, asking you to act as muscle for a debtor.
4
Make your way to the Car Park, located southeast of the Slag Heap, south of the warehouse used in "No Honor Among Thieves".
5
Upon entering the Car Park, you will be ambushed. Zakhar's men will demand your Coupons. Decline the offer and choose to attack.
6
Warning: You are in an exposed position. Quickly use a Shotgun to eliminate the first Bandit.
7
Immediately run for cover (press the cover button to crouch behind walls or objects) around the corner of the warehouse.
8
Use an Assault Rifle to eliminate the remaining Bandits. Be aware that they will throw Grenades; run if you hear one drop.
9
After defeating all Bandits, loot their bodies. You will find the unique gun, the Spitter.
10
Speak with Akopyan inside the warehouse to end "A Big Score" and begin the follow-up mission, "Deceive the Deceiver".

Tips

The Car Park is a known ambush point; be prepared for a fight.
The Spitter unique gun found after the fight is a valuable weapon and required for the next mission.
Looting all the Bandits is important to find the Spitter.

A Heavy Burden Mission Walkthrough

Alright, so you've stumbled upon the 'A Heavy Burden' mission in S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2, and you need to get into the Noontide Base, right? This mission is your key if you don't have the Ward Badge from an earlier main quest. Don't worry, it's pretty straightforward. We'll get you sorted.

Walkthrough

1
Starting the Mission: First things first, you need to head back to the Sawmill. It's that spot northwest of the Noontide Base, where you had that chat with Scar when you first entered the Wild Island zone. Look for a guy named Mute. If he's not immediately visible, he might be busy dealing with some bandits – just keep an eye out. Once you find him, he'll ask you to grab some important Cargo meant for the Noontide Base.
2
Cargo Location: Once you agree to Mute's request, it's time to move. Head southeast, generally towards the Noontide Base, but the objective is actually a bit northwest of it, past a stream and a warehouse. As you get close, expect some trouble. We ran into a pack of wild hogs and then some bandits started shooting at us. Things got a bit chaotic with another faction (looked like Noontide guys) joining the fight against the bandits. Your main goal here is to take down those bandits, loot a guy named Karim Cyclops for his PDA, which updates your objective, and then scour the ground among the fallen for the actual cargo.
3
Take the Cargo to Wild Island: With the cargo secured, make your way to the Noontide Base. Find Stone and show him what you've got. This is the crucial part – it grants you access to the base. But we're not quite done yet. Head through the tunnel and then make your way southeast to Professor Lodochka's lab. Hand over the cargo to him, and that's the mission complete!

Tips

The main reason to complete this mission is to gain access to the Noontide Base. The reward, 1000 coupons, is nice but not game-changing.
Keep an eye out for random encounters with wildlife and bandits in the area around the cargo location. It can get a bit hectic.
Make sure to loot Karim Cyclops's body for his PDA; it's essential for updating the mission objective.

You'll receive 1000 coupons upon completion.

A Light in the End of the Tunnel Mission Walkthrough

Walkthrough

1
From Noontide Base, travel south to find a train carriage. Follow the carriages south until you pass the last one.
2
Enter the large building ahead; this is Quiet’s Camp. Speak with Quiet behind his desk and accept his quest to retrieve a psi-installation emitter.
3
To find the emitter, you must locate Peat, the previous operative. Travel approximately 1 km south from Quiet's Camp, staying on the road and avoiding anomalies.
4
Upon reaching a suspiciously quiet checkpoint (an auto-save point you restart from on death), search the tower on your right. Enter the upper room and find a recorded interrogation message on the desk regarding Peat.
5
The message mentions Rookie Village. Head north/northwest back to the main road and find Rookie Village.
6
Locate the doctor's building (marked with a first-aid sign) and speak to Whale. Inquire about a wounded stranger.
7
Peat is in the adjacent room, lying in a bed. Speak to him to receive the code for the bunker containing the psi-installation emitter.
8
Head west from Rookie Village to the Abandoned Tunnel complex. Before entering, consider stashing excess gear as there is loot inside.
9
Find the tunnel entrance at the back of the complex, to the south. Equip bolts and throw them to clear anomalies along the path to the door with a red light.
10
Enter the code 1268 to access the bunker.
11
In the first room, gather supplies. Enter the door to your left and proceed to the next room, a storage area, and loot supplies.
12
Continue to the next room, then enter the office on your left, followed by the adjacent garage.
13
Defeat the 'zombie' enemies in the garage. Loot their corpses.
14
Across the garage, find a locked door with a padlock. Shoot the padlock to open it.
15
Inside, jump on crates to avoid electricity and reach a backpack with supplies in the back-right of the room.
16
Exit the room back into the garage and proceed south. Loot supplies from shelves.
17
Go through the red container, cross the wooden plank, and use the carriages as a bridge to continue south.
18
At the end of the carriage, jump right to a room with a window and a yellow hue. Eliminate the unaware zombie inside.
19
Enter the door to the right of this room. Proceed carefully and eliminate the zombies within.
20
Find a hole in the back of the room. To the left, shoot an explosive canister to access a stash.
21
Go through the door to your left (where you shot the zombie through the window). Loot Vadym Brahin’s PDA from a corpse.
22
Press the large red button to open the double doors outside.
23
Return to the area where you shot the zombie through the window.

Tips

Prepare for a long trek south to find Peat, bringing energy drinks or water.
The Abandoned Tunnel contains anomalies; use bolts to detect and clear them before proceeding.
Enemies in the tunnel are 'zombies' (mind-controlled humans); use a shotgun or aim for a headshot (a shot that lands on the enemy's head, usually an instant kill).
Be cautious of electricity in the room with the locked door; use crates to navigate safely.
Shoot the explosive canister to access a hidden stash.

A Needle in a Haystack Walkthrough

Walkthrough

1
Speak to the Gaffer in Zalissya. He will tell you to find Squint, who was last seen at a warehouse in the northeast.
2
Leave Zalissya via the northern road, then take the eastern road at the intersection to reach the warehouse. Throw bolts at anomalies to disrupt them.
3
Upon entering the warehouse complex, you will be attacked by dogs. Aim towards your feet or get on elevated ground to fight them.
4
Explore the empty buildings for loot, then enter the warehouse to the north.
5
Head up the eastern stairs and speak to Mug. You can either pay him 1500 K or engage in a gunfight. If you don't pay, you will fail this part of the objective, but the information can be obtained elsewhere.
6
If you chose not to pay or failed to get the information, head southeast from the warehouse to the Farmstead.
7
Locate the Old Mill at the Farmstead. Save your game before proceeding up.
8
Disarm traps as you ascend the mill. Traps are indicated by a small can with a flame (lantern). Specific trap locations: at the top of the first set of stairs, attached to the post next to the lantern at the bottom of the next set of stairs, and at the top of the stairs with cans on it, to your left.
9
At the top, you will find Squint. Tell him you are a friend, and he will eventually lower his gun.
10
Ask Squint about what happened before deciding whether to help him escape.
11
If you choose to help Squint escape, you will need to get him an artifact from a nearby cave, which starts the side mission “Piece of Cake”.
12
Complete “Piece of Cake” to obtain the Ward Sensors.
13
Return to Zalissya and hand over the Ward Sensors to either Richter or Captain Zotov.

Tips

When fighting dogs, aim towards your feet or find elevated ground.
If you don't have 1500 K to pay Mug, be prepared for a gunfight with a shotgun.
Be cautious of traps in the Old Mill and disarm them carefully.
Giving the Ward Sensors to Captain Zotov may make the next mission easier as he has an inside contact.

Optician Gas Mask
Debut Suit armor

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