DaRmaZat Chernobylite 2: Exclusion Zone is, of course, the long-awaited successor to Chernobylite, a game that won over many gamers’ hearts since its 2021 release. It flirted with the S.T.A.L.K.E.R. franchise while incorporating unique, team-based survival mechanics. After a successful Kickstarter campaign, this sequel takes a slightly different and significantly grander approach. That last part can be taken quite literally, as the demo we tested in this preview had a file size of around 120 gigabytes. No wonder a small disclaimer—almost apologetic in tone—pops up when launching the game.
On March 6, the game will first release in Early Access for PC, with console versions expected to follow later. While the first title was mainly known for its intense atmosphere in a sandbox-like experience, this second Chernobylite promises to be much more expansive and immersive, thanks to its open world filled with nods to top-tier series like Fallout. Let’s just hope it doesn’t leave us with sore cheeks from all the grinning…
A Confusing Intro That Tries to Say a Lot but Says Very Little
The story of Chernobylite 2: Exclusion Zone is set in Kyiv in 2024 and begins in the apartment of Cole Grey, a former criminal who is enjoying the glitter and glamour his Chernobylite-infused life has brought him. How he obtained the magical crystals remains a mystery at first, but they have certainly paid off. The adventure kicks off with a pre-recorded video message from his partner, Megan, who wishes him luck in his new job as a Planewalker at the NAR—whatever that position may entail. After this message, you are given a few dialogue options to respond, influenced by Cole’s skills and perks. Unfortunately, these options cannot yet be selected with the keyboard arrow keys, and Cole clearly lacks finished voice and facial animations.
As you explore the apartment, you accidentally discover that interacting with the wardrobe triggers progression. This leads you to a Training Center via a magical portal inside the apartment, powered by a radioactive Chernobylite crystal. Through a journey across time and space, you arrive at a camp that strongly resembles the setting of the first game. However, the inconsistent, sometimes even off-putting voice acting of Cole and the stiff, incoherent facial animations of Colonel Konstantinov at the NAR training ground immediately lower expectations. Cole’s tablet displays his objectives, with an arrow pointing to his next destination, as he searches for Sergeant Koslov—the “boss,” who, surprisingly, looks almost identical to Konstantinov, apart from a slightly fuller beard.
A story that is searching for itself, blending multiple styles together.
You then go through a series of Fight Tutorials to determine whether your preferred class (and thus combat style) is that of an Eliminator, Emissary, or Scientist. Fortunately, hybrid classes such as Recon, Technician, and Chernomancer are also available, but their explanations remain vague, and skill points cannot yet be assigned. Shortly after, a more chaotic phase begins, where sci-fi elements are thrown at you one after another. This chaotic storytelling—searching for itself while blending multiple styles—ultimately boils down to the same premise as the first game: you are the chosen one who must assemble a team. “The road is long, the goal is clear,” sang the late Luc De Vos once, but that’s certainly not the case here. Yet.
After this introduction, the game jumps forward six months. You find yourself in the Zone, a forested area filled with highly sought-after crystals, swamps, and mutated creatures called Brutes. With its day-and-night cycle, this Zone strongly resembles the dark world of S.T.A.L.K.E.R., where nights turn into a living hell. But unfortunately, the difficulty isn’t limited to just the nighttime…
Combat Gameplay That Feels Far from Finished
Since I chose the Chernomancer class, I had access to a cool magical attack in addition to standard melee and firearms. However, the control scheme is still missing dodge and roll moves. This means you primarily have to block attacks or evade them by simply walking or jumping backward or sideways. As a result, combat feels stiff and outdated—almost like playing one of the early Gothic games. You can execute more powerful stealth attacks by sneaking up behind enemies, but they often see you coming from miles away. Healing is done by injecting yourself with a serum, and there are plenty of items that provide temporary buffs. However, once your stamina runs out, an irritating sound effect kicks in. Sprinting also feels unnaturally fast. In short, the controls still need a lot of fine-tuning.
That said, exploration in the Zone is rewarding.
The enemy AI, on the other hand, leaves much to be desired. Mutants frequently get stuck or block each other’s paths. The Exclusion Zone does feature some tough bosses, often introduced in bombastic cutscenes where they showcase their attacks while spinning like ballet dancers. Still, exploration remains worthwhile. Loot crates are hidden everywhere, and the variety of weapons and gear upgrades is more than sufficient. Despite the clumsy-looking climbing mechanics, the game world itself provides plenty of challenges. Radioactive areas must be avoided as much as possible since they can rapidly deplete your health. Your flight management computer—a tablet with a built-in scanner—lets you scan and repair objects to use for your benefit, such as turrets that help mow down enemies.
However, despite appearing open-world at first glance, the level structure and strategically placed objects enforce a linear progression. You can sometimes disrupt NPCs, but outright eliminating them is not an option. The story cannot hide the fact that missions follow a rigid structure. You often receive a specific assignment, and upon completion, a scripted scene or dialogue follows. You do have multiple dialogue options, some of which affect your relationships with characters. The final game is expected to feature a well-developed reputation system that influences your standing with three factions: the Mutants, the Scientists, and the Mercs. However, the extent of these choices’ consequences remains unclear for now.
Graphics, Audio, and Performance – Thankfully, It’s Just a Demo
The character models in Chernobylite 2: Exclusion Zone suggest that Unreal Engine 5’s capabilities are not being fully utilized. Even on a 4K screen with any form of upscaling from the maximum 1440p resolution, the visuals lack sharpness. Perhaps this will improve once the sharpness slider in the settings is unlocked. There is also significant work to be done on in-game shadows, which currently seem neglected.
Performance-wise, this demo behaves like a typical Unreal Engine 5 game from the past few years. At times, you get smooth frame rates, but frequent dips in the 1% Low range cause serious stuttering. Upscaling options like DLSS, FSR, TSR, and XeSS don’t fully mitigate this issue. Because of this, I left Frame Generation technology disabled—it needs to perform well at its native frame rate first. The audio also remains unfinished. Lip-syncing is far from perfect, and when pausing cutscenes, the voice acting continues playing. UI notifications sometimes remain stuck at the top of the screen until you reload your save. Additionally, I really missed a quicksave and quickload function, which should be a given for a PC-exclusive demo.
Preliminary Thoughts
All in all, Chernobylite 2: Exclusion Zone still looks and plays rough and unfinished, but the foundation for an interesting survival experience is there. However, this demo drops the ball in one or more serious ways across nearly all aspects. Whether the game can grow into something special will depend on significant optimizations during the Early Access phase. Hopefully, this phase won’t be rushed, because for now, I remain highly skeptical.
Additional Information
Release date: March 6, 2025 (Early Access)
Reviewed on: PC. Download code provided by developer and publisher via BeyondGaming.
Developer: The Farm 51
Publisher: The Farm 51
Official website: https://chernobylgame.com
Relevant links: Chernobylite 2: Exclusion Zone on STEAM
