Stalker 2 Beginner’s Guide
Stalker 2 has already become the new talk of town, but beginners like myself are struggling to shake their Call of Duty nature to adapt to it. But I’ve had quite some run with the monsters and factions to share with you my 10 tips to survive the zone.
1. Save Before Doing Anything Risky
This is gonna sound trivial, but saving the game is probably the best thing you can do to save yourself time and frustration. There’s auto save and manual save, and most beginners rely on auto-saves. That’s good, but you could lose hours if the game is not saved at the right time, like some mission that you accidentally fail by blowing up someone you were supposed to save.
So, before you even begin to try something dangerous, save the game. Like, before entering a mutant-filled area or a bandit camp. There are no big penalties for dying in Stalker 2 early on, so take risks, learn from your mistakes, and reload to try again.
2. Go One-Shot Mode
Spraying bullets like a John Wick is the worst thing you can do here. This aint no Call of Duty, where you can afford to spray bullets. Instead. switch your weapons to single-shot mode, because ammo is scarce and VERY expensive, and firing in full-auto will chew through your stash in no time.
It also damages your weapon, which makes you spend money on it, so there’s plenty to lose. But worst of all, it will decrease your chance of landing a headshot, which is the best way to take an enemy or monster down. I would suggest you stick to Shotguns or an AK, both are solid, and ammo for them is easier to find early on.
3. Save and Sell Everything
Everything you find in the Zone has value, guns, ammo, medkits, even food items that you salvage can be sold for some quick buck. Also, pick up damaged weapons and sell them to vendors. Ammo and medkits are also great for earning some extra cash if you have more than you need. So, the best you can do is to use less and save more throughout your rounds, and just sell whatever’s left, to earn more money that you can spend on upgrades.
4. Work Smarter, Not Harder
I am sure you’ve seen plenty of deadly anomalies, but you can actually use them to your own advantage. The way you can do that is whenever you are facing enemies, try to lure them into anomalies and let the Zone do the dirty work for you. Mutants and less intelligent enemies are likely to fall for this trick, but don’t count on this strategy against smarter human enemies.
5. Unload Looted Guns for Ammo
If you are running out of ammo, and you don’t have the money to spend on them. Here’s what you can do; whenever you see some fallen dead guy, try to pick up their weapons, and don’t just sell them right away. Before that, make sure to unload them first. You’ll get extra ammo, which is always handy, and then you can sell the empty gun to vendors for a little extra cash. It’s like a win-win situation.
6. Use Cover Like a Pro
Enemies in Stalker 2 have scary-good aims compared to other games we’ve played, so it’s mostly foolish to take them straight on. Instead, try to find some cover, before you even engage in a gunfight with them, be it trees, walls, rocks, whatever you can find.
Your character can peek out or lean over cover to take shots while staying safe. Trust me, you have a much higher chance of getting out alive than taking an enemy heads on.
7. Keep Your Gear in Shape
Just like we talked about saving, it’s also important to make sure your gear is 100% durable before taking on the big guys or some big missions. You might think that weapon will survive, but when fighting against big monsters, even 100% durable weapons can break down.
Also, make it practice to repair them early on, because repairs get pricier the worse the condition, so don’t wait too long. Also, upgrade your weapons with durability boosts to save money in the long run. Trust me, maintaining your stuff will save your life.
8. Don’t Waste Money on Damaged Gear
While it’s important to repair damaged weapons, try not to spend too much on your secondary weapons, or weapons you just found lying around. Fixing damaged weapons you don’t need will drain your cash. Focus on upgrading and maintaining your main gear instead. Instead, spend more on upgrading your main gear, as you will need them to take on more challenging enemies ahead.
9. Always Carry Your Detector
Artifacts are some of the most valuable items in Stalker 2, but you won’t find them unless you are carrying an artifact detector. They are easy to miss, even when you are super close to them. With a detector, you can easily detect them from afar, and they don’t even take too much of your space.
10. Stick to the Main Quest at First
Last but not least, I will urge you to stick to the main quest early on. Because getting into too many side quests too early on can be a mistake. Your starter gear isn’t really great for tough battles or long explorations, so while it’s good that you are exploring, don’t lose focus from the main quest. Completing it will unlock better weapons, armor, and resources, making side quests much easier to tackle.
Final Words
This game is quite different from other shooters, even the previous games in the series, but it gives you a chance at a fair fight. And these tips and tricks are sure to make your life a little easier in the zones.
