How long to beat Stalker 2

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Stalker 2 Heart of Chornobyl is big; we’re talking more than 60 km² big – a sprawling Chornobyl Exclusion Zone teaming with quests, underground sections, artifacts, weapons, plot twists, four different endings, mutants, armed groups, and plenty more besides. If you’re planning to dive into the 15 years in the making sequel and want to know how much time to set aside, we’ve got you covered. In this guide, we’ll walk you through ballpark figures for how long it will take you to beat Stalker 2.

How long to beat Stalker 2: stalker on a balcony overlooking Chornobyl. — Stalker 2’s story is roughly 40 hours long. Image credit GSC

How long is Stalker 2

Stalker 2 will take players anywhere between 40 and 100 hours to complete. Those sticking strictly to the main story should expect to sink upward of 40 hours into the game before they see the credits roll. And, that’s pushing it to some extent and what you should expect if you forgo any meaty exploration, side quests, and artifact hunting. 40 hours is really the strict minimum, though Stalker 2’s innately challenging difficulty will likely see most players go past that mark.

If you plan on experiencing everything in the Chornobyl Exclusion Zone – all side quests, interacting with all characters, and exploring all optional areas – then 100 hours is more or less what you should expect to sink into GSC’s latest effort. Your mileage will vary here depending on whether you’re familiar with the Stalker format, your playstyle, and if you’re nursing rusty survival skills or not.

Completionist aiming to tick off everything in the zone plus all trophies and all four endings are looking at four playthroughs. The first one is likely to be the longest as you discover the game, map, mechanics, get your head around anomalies, and figure out the best way to take on mutants and other enemies. Subsequent playthroughs will be shorter but we estimate you’ll be diving into Stalker 2’s fictionally-revised Chornobyl for more than 200 hours, if not more to get all the endings.

Whatever way you plan to play, Stalker 2 is a hulking monolith of a game. If it clicks for you then expect it to become somewhat of an obsession over the next few weeks and months as you track down everything it has to offer.