Few video game developers have faced the challenges that GSC Game World encountered while creating Stalker 2: Heart of Chornobyl. The Ukrainian developer of this first-person shooter survival-horror game was disrupted by Russia's invasion of Ukraine in 2022. Despite these obstacles, the game was finally released earlier this month, albeit with some noticeable issues. Fortunately, a day-one patch has reportedly addressed some of these problems, though others persist.
As reported by Eurogamer and Digital Foundry, the patch was released after reviewers had already played through Stalker 2. The patch appears to have significantly improved the game's frame-rate performance. However, the game still suffers from a range of issues, from minor bugs to more serious problems and heavy CPU utilization. On Xbox Series X, the game occasionally freezes for a few seconds when entering large towns, followed by erratic frame rates.
Overall, the initial impression of Stalker 2 remains positive. GameSpot's Richard Wakeling noted in his review that the game "boldly adheres to the studio's vision of a seamless open-world survival shooter, a goal the series has always pursued. It's rough around the edges and uncompromising in a way that can be off-putting. Yet, the series' emergent gameplay remains intact and is further enhanced by a captivating setting and the most polished combat in the series to date." However, Wakeling also highlighted many of the technical issues mentioned above, including crashes and other bugs that detracted from the experience.
Xbox released a behind-the-scenes documentary, War Game: The Making of Stalker 2, last month, which details the hardships GSC Game World's team endured to complete the game during wartime. Many developers had to leave Ukraine to continue development, while others stayed behind to fight for their country. The conflict continues with no end in sight.
Source link: https://www.gamespot.com
