Kinda Funny Gamescast: S.T.A.L.K.E.R 2 - Heart of Chernobyl Review (So Far)
Release Date: November 20, 2024
Hosts: Tim Geddes, Greg “GameOverGreggy” Miller, Paris Lily, Angie Hicks
1. Introduction to S.T.A.L.K.E.R 2: Heart of Chernobyl
In this episode of the Kinda Funny Gamescast, the hosts delve into their initial impressions of S.T.A.L.K.E.R 2: Heart of Chernobyl, a highly anticipated first-person shooter survival horror game released in 2024 for Xbox Series X/S and Windows PC. The discussion centers around their gameplay experiences, highlighting both the game's strengths and significant technical issues encountered during their playthroughs.
2. Initial Gameplay Impressions
Greg Miller’s Experience ([05:05] - [08:04])
Greg Miller shares his experience after 11 hours of gameplay:
“...it is a very pretty game visually, but there's a lot of pop in that was happening. Blackouts in the game, odd bugs with OB, things like that. That kind of threw me out of the experience somewhat.” ([05:26])
Despite the visual appeal, Greg expresses frustration with the numerous bugs and technical glitches that detract from the overall experience. He remains optimistic, stating his intention to continue playing and awaiting the effects of the day one patch:
“I will definitely continue to play this to completion because I do... I think the story we'll see as I continue to go along.” ([07:51])
Angie Hicks’ Experience ([05:59] - [14:00])
Angie Hicks recounts her 8-hour session on an Xbox Series X:
“I started at the top of the show. I played 8 hours of S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2 on Xbox Series X and I had to put it down due to so much performance issues.” ([05:46])
Her gameplay was plagued by severe performance issues, including texture pop-ins, frame rate drops, and character loading anomalies, leading her to abandon the game prematurely:
“The game is not ready for prime time... characters loading in. It just wobbling performance from my frame rate drip dipping to players dropping in and out, it just wasn't a good time.” ([12:37])
3. Technical Issues and Performance Problems
The hosts extensively discuss the various technical problems affecting S.T.A.L.K.E.R 2:
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Visual Glitches: Frequent texture pop-ins and environmental anomalies disrupt immersion.
“There's a lot of pop in that was happening... odd bugs with OB.” ([05:26])
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Frame Rate and Performance: Significant frame rate drops and screen wobbling hinder gameplay fluidity.
“The screen just wobbling performance from my frame rate drip dipping...” ([12:37])
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AI and Gameplay Mechanics: Erratic AI behavior, such as enemies suddenly appearing or disappearing, and glitches in shooting mechanics.
“...there are moments where I'm shooting at the opposition and it wouldn't register for two to three seconds.” ([05:46])
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Audio Issues: Loud environmental sounds overpower in-game dialogue, causing communication breakdowns.
“...some anomaly weather event going on that's so loud and intrusive you can't even hear the dialogue that's happening.” ([07:51])
Both Greg and Angie express disappointment, feeling that these issues undermine the game's potential despite its promising concept and visual prowess.
4. Story and Gameplay Dynamics
While technical flaws are a significant concern, the hosts also explore the game's narrative and gameplay elements:
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Story Engagement: Both Greg and Angie find the story less compelling compared to the engaging survival mechanics. Angie likens the narrative to games like Dying Light, feeling it sometimes serves merely as a conduit from one plot point to another.
“The story to me reminds me of Dying Light... it's just kind of there and we're just moving from plot point A to plot point B.” ([15:57])
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Survival Mechanics: Appreciation for the game's hardcore survival aspects, including resource management, scrounging for supplies, and the constant threat of death.
“I love that this exists in an open world setting the way that it is.” ([05:26])
“This is a dying light situation... some people love those stories, some people don't pay attention.” ([17:15]) -
Dynamic Encounters: Greg praises the game's dynamic encounters based on player choices, adding depth and replayability.
“Depending on the choices that you make, encounters can go completely different... there's definitely some fun to be had.” ([07:51])
Angie echoes these sentiments, highlighting specific in-game decisions and their outcomes as engaging elements that enhance the open-world experience.
5. Day One Patch and Future Prospects
A significant portion of the discussion revolves around the potential impact of the day one patch:
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Anticipation for Fixes: Both Greg and Angie express hope that the day one patch will address many of the existing bugs and performance issues.
“But it's just chip damage... I really put myself through the frustration for all the eight hours trying to just keep trudging along.” ([05:46])
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Uncertainty: There's skepticism about the patch's effectiveness, with Greg noting:
“I can't imagine that everything's going to be perfect because of this magical Day one patch.” ([10:04])
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Developer Challenges: Acknowledgment of the challenges faced by GSC Game World amid external factors like the Russian invasion of Ukraine, which may have impacted development timelines and resources.
“People go in knowing that this is a first person survival shooter game and play it that way.” ([05:24])
6. Comparisons to Other Games and Launches
The hosts draw parallels between S.T.A.L.K.E.R 2 and other games with rocky launches:
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Cyberpunk 2077 Comparison: While acknowledging the severity of the issues in S.T.A.L.K.E.R 2, Greg asserts that it is not as problematic as Cyberpunk 2077, which underwent extensive post-launch fixes to reach its current state.
“No. This is nowhere near what Cyberpunk went through. Cyberpunk needed years of polish to get to where it is today.” ([54:06])
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Flight Sim 2024: Brief mention of ongoing server issues with Microsoft Flight Sim 2024, drawing attention to the broader trend of technical challenges in recent game releases.
“What we saw in Flight Sim yesterday... server issues.” ([03:03])
7. Audience Engagement and Feedback
The podcast incorporates listener questions and feedback, addressing concerns about:
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Review Scores Post-Patch: Casper inquires whether reviews should be updated after patches improve game performance. The hosts respond that while reviews reflect the experience at the time of playthrough, it's not standard for reviewers to revisit and revise their takes post-patch.
“I don't think that it's on reviewers necessarily to go back and rereview a game. That's not how this works.” ([52:17])
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Early Access Suggestion: Isaiah suggests that S.T.A.L.K.E.R 2 might have benefited from an early access model to allow the community to identify and report bugs before full release. Greg counters that the game likely needed more polish rather than an extended early access phase.
“If the game's final, it just has some technical issues, I think. I think that's kind of unfair to say.” ([53:34])
8. Conclusion and Final Thoughts
The episode wraps up with mixed feelings about S.T.A.L.K.E.R 2. While the game's ambitious survival mechanics and open-world design hold promise, the current technical shortcomings significantly hinder the experience. The hosts remain hopeful that forthcoming patches will mitigate these issues, allowing the game to realize its full potential.
“This is a good game here, 100%. There's a good game here.” ([34:37])
“I really want this game to get a playable experience.” ([07:51])
Despite the challenges, there's an optimistic tone about the future of S.T.A.L.K.E.R 2, especially if the developers can swiftly address the existing bugs and performance woes. The hosts encourage listeners to stay tuned for updates and consider giving the game another chance post-patch.
Notable Quotes with Timestamps
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Greg Miller ([05:26]): “...it is a very pretty game visually, but there's a lot of pop in that was happening... that kind of threw me out of the experience somewhat.”
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Angie Hicks ([05:46]): “...I played 8 hours of S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2 on Xbox Series X and I had to put it down due to so much performance issues.”
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Greg Miller ([07:51]): “Depending on the choices that you make, encounters can go completely different... there's definitely some fun to be had.”
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Angie Hicks ([15:57]): “The story to me reminds me of Dying Light... it's just kind of there and we're just moving from plot point A to plot point B.”
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Greg Miller ([34:37]): “This is a good game here, 100%. There's a good game here.”
Final Remarks
While S.T.A.L.K.E.R 2: Heart of Chernobyl exhibits strong potential with its immersive open-world and survival mechanics, the initial reviews by the Kinda Funny Gamescast team suggest that substantial technical improvements are necessary to fully appreciate the game. Listeners are advised to consider waiting for the day one patch before forming final opinions, as it may address many of the current hurdles faced by players.