This guide details the four possible endings in S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2: Heart of Chornobyl and the crucial choices leading to each. The game's narrative branches significantly during three key missions: Subtle Matter, Dangerous Liaisons, and The Last Wish. Conveniently, these missions occur late in the game, allowing players to save before them and easily explore all endings without a full replay.
Key Missions and Choice Impact:
Three missions determine your ending: Subtle Matter, Dangerous Liaisons, and The Last Wish. Making a manual save before these missions allows you to experience all four endings.
Ending 1: She Will Never Be Free
- Subtle Matter: Choose "Life is for the living."
- Dangerous Liaisons: Choose "[Escape]."
- The Last Wish: Choose "[Fire]."
This ending aligns with Strelok's goal of protecting the Zone, requiring you to antagonize all other factions. This involves rejecting Scar, escaping Korshunov, and eliminating Kaymanov.
Ending 2: Project Y
- Subtle Matter: Choose "Life is for the living."
- Dangerous Liaisons: Choose "[Escape]."
- The Last Wish: Choose "[Lower the Gun]."
Similar to the previous ending, but instead of killing Kaymanov, you spare him, siding with his scientific approach to observing the Zone's natural evolution.
Ending 3: Today Never Ends
- Subtle Matter: Choose "Eternal spring."
- Dangerous Liaisons: Choose "[Escape]."
- The Last Wish: This mission's choice is irrelevant for this ending.
This ending involves aiding Scar, the leader of the Spark faction, leading to him entering a pod believed to transport him to the Shining Zone. Only choices in two missions impact this outcome.
Ending 4: Brave New World
- Subtle Matter: Choose "Life is for the living."
- Dangerous Liaisons: Choose "I'm not your enemy."
- The Last Wish: This mission's choice is irrelevant for this ending.
This ending results from siding with Colonel Krushunov and the Ward faction, aiming to completely destroy the Zone. Like the Spark ending, only two missions influence this outcome.
