Video Games
‘S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2’ Will Not be Based on The Cancelled 2012 Project, According to Devs
Yes, GSC Game World is still developing S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2, even though it was announced almost a decade ago. That being said, the devs have been making noise (sort of) with small updates to the title’s Facebook, Twitter and website. And now, in an interview with YouTuber Antishnaps (with a translated version posted on Reddit), we’ve gotten a few more details on the game.
The interview (part 1 and part 2 didn’t elaborate on much, although there were several key takeaways. For starters, the team developing the title is the largest the studio has ever put together. It’s also entirely self-funded, and there aren’t any plans for a Kickstarter at the present time.
Also, S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2 is being described as a “high-quality AAA game” with a “unique atmosphere”, and the studio is drawing from the original S.T.A.L.K.E.R. trilogy to help flesh out the game. The sequel will not, however, feature co-op or have a VR version.
Other than that, GSC is still keeping the cards close, leaving many wondering just what to make of it all. Hopefully it doesn’t take another seven years before we get to play this one.
Kinetic Games has followed through with the 13 Willow Street map rework for Phasmophobia today, which is free across all platforms. Accompanying the map rework is the first of two major quality-of-life updates bringing hundreds of bug fixes and helping refine the gameplay experience.
Ghost hunters can prepare for a refreshed investigation experience with the reworked Willow map, adding a host of new paranormal interactions, objects, and hiding spaces. As with the most recent overhaul to 6 Tanglewood Drive, Willow retains an almost identical layout but features redesigned rooms, including a reconfigured basement layout, bringing the gameplay experience up to the team’s current development standards.
The reworked rooms include an art studio, home gym and entertainment room, replacing the bedroom, garage and basement previously featured in the haunted house. Alongside these visual updates, curious players will be able to uncover new lore hidden throughout Willow, piecing together a story waiting to be discovered.
“As part of the 13 Willow Street rework we’re continuing our approach to storytelling in Phasmophobia and developing the game’s narrative,” said Anastatia Dukakis, Senior Narrative Designer at Kinetic Games. “It’s always exciting to see the community make new discoveries together and we love seeing everyone share their theories and thoughts on the lore behind in-game locations.”
Players will also be tasked to correctly identify (and survive) 50 ghosts as part of map’s challenge, awarding the Sun Seeker ID set upon completion. Players can also unlock the Cool Cat ID card and badge for the first week after launch, by watching 2 hours of Phasmophobia streams.
Meanwhile, the major update accompanying the map rework is inspired by community feedback following the Player Character Update, and reflects Kinetic Games’ ongoing commitment to delivering the level of quality players expect before Phasmophobia leaves Early Access.
The update introduces a range of changes helping to refine the gameplay experience with refreshed animations allowing for smoother and quicker movements, and changes to evidence collection for a more seamless experience, and ghost hunters might also face a new presence lurking in the shadows…
New keybinds have also been added with players now able to use 1,2,3 and 4 for changing inventory slots alongside wider accessibility tweaks. For an overview of all the fixes landing in-game, you can check out the blog post here.
Phasmophobia is available in Early Access on PC via Steam, PlayStation 5 and PlayStation VR2, and the Xbox Series.