Do you need to play Stalker 1 before playing Stalker 2? 

Stalker 2: Heart of Chornobyl is around the corner and will be released in just a few days now. The game looks stunning from the trailers and leaked gameplay footage. However, can you play it without playing the prequel Stalker 1?

To make things clear, Stalker 2 is not the second entry in the Stalker Franchise. Three Stalker games came out before Stalker 2, making this the fourth title in the franchise. However, you can take a sigh of relief as you don't necessarily need to play the prequels first to understand the story of Stalker 2.

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Stalker 2 developers provide insights into the game's plot

The games in the Stalker trilogy are Stalker: Shadow of Chernobyl, Stalker: Clear Sky, and Stalker: Call of Pripyat. The official Stalker 2 FAQ that is available on the game's official website, GSC Game World states:

"S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2: Heart of Chornobyl — is an independent sequel to the S.T.A.L.K.E.R. trilogy, so it can be a great start of your journey within the S.T.A.L.K.E.R. universe. Though to maximize the immersion, we’d highly recommend completing the previous games of the series first."

Stalker 2 will feature a huge map with more than 60 square kilometers of space (Image via GSC Game World)

You can enjoy what the game has to offer without the fear of missing out on any important story elements. However, if you want to immerse yourself in the game, you might as well play the prequels or read a summary of the plot before starting Stalker 2.

Just like the trend that we have been witnessing recently with games like the Dragon Age The Veilguard, and the Life is Strange series, Stalker 2 heavily relies on the decisions and choices you make. The game follows a "non-linear" story that has both short-term and long-term consequences in the game.

To make things better, the game also features "one of the biggest open worlds in video games to date," which the developers claim will take you more than 100 hours to explore completely.

Since Stalker 2 is a Microsoft-exclusive title, the game will only be available on Xbox Series X/S and PC and not on other consoles. The game will launch worldwide on November 20, 2024, and will be available on the Xbox Game Pass from day 1.