Should We Play Stalker The First Parts before STALKER 2?

The long-awaited release of S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2: Heart of Chornobyl is finally here — a chance to immerse yourself in a world of survival and fierce battles among treasure hunters in the depths of the Zone. Fans who have followed the series since the beginning have waited 14 years for the continuation of the legendary Stalker adventures.

In this article, we’ll explore the reasons behind the popularity of the Stalker series and decide whether playing the earlier entries is worth it before diving into S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2.

Developers of The First Stalker

In 1995, in Kyiv, twelve-year-old Serhiy Hryhorovych founded his company, naming it after his initials—GSC Game World. The company initially focused on translating video games into Russian and creating multimedia encyclopedias.

In 1998, GSC attempted to secure the rights to develop Warcraft 3. However, they were denied due to mistrust of a young Eastern European company. That same year, the company released its first commercial game, Warcraft 2000: Nuclear Epidemic, an unofficial and unlicensed continuation of Warcraft II. The game was published online and available for free download.

In 2001, using the engine from Warcraft 2000, the company developed and released Cossacks: European Wars. This game brought GSC both success and international recognition.

GSC began developing the X-Ray engine, releasing two first-person shooters built on it. In 2002, the GSC team visited the Chornobyl Exclusion Zone and adapted their ongoing project to this setting and theme. In 2004, publisher THQ helped finalize the title, S.T.A.L.K.E.R.: Shadow of Chornobyl. Simultaneously, the studio continued working on sequels to Cossacks and other real-time strategy games that also achieved significant success.

On March 20, 2007, S.T.A.L.K.E.R.: Shadow of Chornobyl was released, selling 950,000 copies in the CIS region and 700,000 copies in the West within a year. Books inspired by it were published alongside the game, and discussions about a TV series adaptation began. On August 22, 2008, a prequel expansion, S.T.A.L.K.E.R.: Clear Sky, was released, followed by the sequel expansion S.T.A.L.K.E.R.: Call of Pripyat on October 2, 2009. On August 13, 2010, a continuation was announced with a planned release date in 2012. However, in 2011, without any official statements, news emerged about the company’s closure and the game's cancellation. What we've got to know about Stalker 2 for all that time — we sort here, in a separate article!

GSC Game World is recognized as the first company in Ukraine to develop video games, building large gaming communities around S.T.A.L.K.E.R. and Cossacks.

Stalker First Parts

The first game in the series. Players take on the role of a stalker named Mechenyi (The Marked), who suffers from amnesia and is tasked with killing another stalker, known as Strelok. By defeating enemies and assisting other stalkers, the protagonist uncovers clues about the mysteries of his past and his true identity. S.T.A.L.K.E.R.: Shadow of Chornobyl features seven possible endings, determined by various factors such as the amount of money earned, allegiance to specific factions, and the restoration of the protagonist's memory.

The second game in the series is a prequel to the original S.T.A.L.K.E.R.: Shadow of Chornobyl*. Players assume the role of Scar, a veteran mercenary. While escorting scientists in the Zone, he is caught in an emission but is saved by the Clear Sky faction. This group is dedicated to studying the nature of the Zone and attempting to understand it. Throughout the game, players will need to align with various factions within the Zone to help Clear Sky achieve its goals.

The third game in the series takes place shortly after the events of S.T.A.L.K.E.R.: Shadow of Chornobyl. Upon learning that the path to the center of the Zone is now accessible, the government launched Operation "Fairway" to secure and explore the area before deploying their main military forces. Despite meticulous preparations, the operation fails, with helicopters crashing throughout the Zone. To investigate the cause of the disaster, the Security Service of Ukraine dispatches former stalker Major Alexander Degtyarev into the Zone.

Playing S.T.A.L.K.E.R.: Shadow of Chornobyl before S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2 is worthwhile to appreciate the origins of the rich fan-driven world surrounding the Zone. Developers have highlighted the rewarding experience of exploring changes within the Zone, making it beneficial to familiarize yourself with the first entry in the series. While the game may seem dated compared to modern shooters, playing on an easier difficulty and focusing on a quick playthrough for context can still be enjoyable.

The prequel Clear Sky and sequel Call of Pripyat are worth exploring if you find yourself deeply immersed in Shadow of Chornobyl. Clear Sky introduces mechanics like weapon customization that didn’t make it into the original. Meanwhile, Call of Pripyat shifts focus toward side content, offering a different kind of experience from its predecessors.

Stalker Impact

Former members of the GSC team remained active in the game development industry, founding their own companies. For example, Deep Shadows developed the first-person shooter Xenus, while 4A Games, founded by four GSC alumni, created the Metro game series.

Numerous forums and websites across various countries have discussed the Zone for over a decade. Lore, stories, conspiracy theories, information about the development of the sequel—topics that became the stuff of legends—jokes and slang common among internet subcultures in the late 2010s in post-Soviet countries, fan-made novels, and increased interest in the real Exclusion Zone—all of these revolved around the S.T.A.L.K.E.R. game series.

The setting of the Zone is a post-Soviet, post-apocalyptic world that doesn’t need much imagination—an abandoned city in Ukraine genuinely looks the part. It’s an exotic experience for Western players and a familiar yet thrilling adventure for those closer to home.

After the Russian invasion of Ukraine, the development team announced that they would no longer localize the game into Russian, making their characters English- and Ukrainian-speaking instead. This marks an important transformation and self-identification, affirming the game and its impact as a Ukrainian achievement and heritage. The first games by GSC were published globally by a Russian publisher, with the characters speaking Russian, and all iconic quotes and jokes delivered in that language. The new installment of the series, in the context of the conflict, takes a strong, independent stance, emphasizing and symbolizing pride as a product and legacy of Ukrainian game development, despite market demand and historical circumstances.

Stalker 2

In August 2010, S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2 was officially announced, with its release initially planned for 2012. Sergey Grigorovich, CEO of GSC Game World, stated that the game would use an entirely new multi-platform engine developed in-house by GSC. However, on December 23, 2011, GSC Game World announced the continuation of S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2's development despite earlier cancellation reports. Yet, on April 25, 2012, the game was once again officially canceled, as confirmed by GSC Game World via Twitter.

On May 15, 2018, the development of a new S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2 was announced through the Cossacks 3 Facebook page. The post directed users to a website displaying the text "S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2 — 2.0.2.1.," which hinted at a planned release in 2021. In the same month, Steam Spy creator Sergey Galyonkin tweeted that GSC Game World would be developing S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2 using Unreal Engine 4. Speculation arose that the game was still in early development and had been announced shortly before E3 2018 to attract a publisher.

On March 23, 2020, GSC Game World shared a screenshot from the game, promising more development updates in the coming months. On June 23, 2020, it was announced that the game would be released in 2021 for Microsoft Windows and Xbox Series X/S, marking the series' first-ever console debut. A teaser on the game engine was revealed on December 30, 2020.

On June 13, 2021, during the Microsoft/Bethesda press conference at E3, the game's release date was confirmed as April 28, 2022, with a gameplay trailer. It was also revealed that the game would be included in Xbox Game Pass. However, the release was delayed three times—first to late 2022, then to 2023, and finally to 2024. With a clearly known release date, we know the exact system requirements —learn it in our article about FPS in Stalker 2!

Consolation

Have you ever played old games that you missed at the time? For example, imagine playing the original Half-Life today — the dark and cold environment that raises unanswered questions with a sense of retro technology. The feeling with Stalker will be similar but set in the described frozen, post-horror setting of Eastern Europe.

It's worth trying out the game to compare it with the new sequel or to experience the Doom-like aesthetics. It’s a benefit for a deeper gaming experience, but again, not a must-have.