Best Areas To Visit Early In STALKER 2

Key Takeaways

• Zalissya’s Outskirts are rich in loot and artifacts.
• Radiation Hazard Signs Storage has some early mods and gear.
• Players can get a unique weapon and stealth artifact in Poppy Field.

In STALKER 2: Heart of Chornobyl, certain areas are best to visit in the early game, as they contain valuable loot, quests, and many opportunities to make some extra coupons. And when players enter the end-game, they will surely appreciate having some of the things found in these areas.

So, here’s a list of the places you must visit early in the game, and some of the cool stuff you’ll find there. From unique weapons to powerful artifacts that can help players deal with radiation and other dangerous elements.

8 Zalissya’s Outskirts

Lots Of Artifacts And Loot To Get

In the nearby zones of Zalissya, players can find dozens of opportunities to get extra loot, like the Valik Lummox AK47 with a scope that lies hidden right on the top of the Water Tower. If players travel Southwest and Southeast respectively, they will be able to find two artifacts early on.

The first is located in The Ribs, right below Zalissya, and the other one is located inside the Magnetic Cave, which is basically straight west from The Ribs. Since these are areas with high anomaly activity, keep the Detector and Bolts on hand.

7 Radiation Hazard Signs Storage

Early Mods And Gear

In this area, there’s a small rooftop with an Aurora Gas Mask, and outside the complex, behind some crates, a duffle bag with a High Capacity VIper 5 Magazine, Needless to say, those two items will set players up right until the mid-game.

The Aurora Gas Mask offers one of the best chemical protections in the game, while the Drum magazine for the Viper will turn this SMG into a powerful bullet spitter that can shred enemies apart in a matter of seconds. Especially useful against packs of mutants.

6 Poppy Field

Get One Of The Best Artifacts In The Game And An Unique Weapon

The Poppy Field is dangerous since it works like a Massive Anomaly of mutated Poppy Flowers that will kill players if they remain around there for too long. MItjay (NPC located in Hamster’s Store) will send players there to find a Religious Icon. But, they will be able to exchange this icon for a Unique Weapon if they choose to deliver it to Pomar (NPC in the Poppy Field) instead.

On the other hand, there’s a Unique Artifact in there, called Weird Flower that provides a unique Ability: It increases stealth after players sleep for a day, but players need to sleep with the artifact equipped and never remove it until the effect fades. It will shine in a blue light when active.

5 Lake With The Bulba Anomaly

Another Great And Powerful Artifact

The Bulba Anomaly lies in plain sight east of Zalissya, in the Lesser Zone, and holds one of the best artifacts in the game, which has no radiation cost to equip and provides protection from bullets, as long as players remain still.

Players need to time their steps correctly to get the artifact and hide behind the objects in the lake. Then, when the bubble contracts, run toward the next obstacle and hide behind each of them until reaching the item right next to the ambulance. It might take a few tries, but it will be worth it if they can get the Weird Ball Artifact.

4 Deaf Meadow

Two Artifacts, For The Price Of One

The Deaf Meadow contains two opportunities for players to get artifacts early on, it is located northeast of Zalissya, in the Lesser Zone, and upon approaching it, players will be greeted by a stranger who will ask them to retrieve their “friend” body. The problem is the body is inside a gravitational anomaly, right in front of the NPC, and if players see the blood splatter, they’ll figure out he was taking refuge inside the anomaly and was shot by someone (yeah, right, friend).

So, the person who sends the players to recover the body will ask them “not to touch it,” but if players want an extra weight artifact early on (Called Goldfish) they should just take it, and if the NPC gets mad, then you know what to do with the betrayer. On the other hand, inside the anomaly, there’s yet another artifact, usually hidden behind the rock where players find the body—two for the price of one.

3 Electric Field In The Pol Depot

Electric Artifacts Might Come In Handy

The Pol Depot is Northwest of Zalissya and contains one of the easiest Electric Anomaly puzzles to solve. Just throw a few bolts into the stairs and climb towards the tanks, then walk around until finding one of the two possible Electric Artifacts in the zone.

If players are lucky enough, they might find a Battery Artifact, which increases endurance. Endurance increases the total Stamina pool and reduces the cost of stamina when running. In a game as big as STALKER 2, where players need to run around a lot, this is priceless.

2 The Maze

A Powerful Unique Weapon, An Artifact, And Better Gear

Getting right out of the Lesser Zone will drop players in The Garbage, where they should follow the Mission Marker until they reach the Slag Heap. From there, and considering the quest sequences, they should be able to access the first Journalist Stash. It is located in The Maze zone, northwest of the Slag Heap, and contains the Tourist Suit, one of the best equipment in the game.

In the zone, players will also find an Artifact, and if they’re following the No Honor Among Thieves mission, they should be able to find the Unique Weapon Shah’s Mate, which lies hidden north of the Maze. But watch out for the Bloodsucker keeping watch of the stash.

1 Plant North-East Of The Poppy Field

The First Sniper Rifle And An Artifact To Increase Stamina

Right after getting out of the Lesser Zone, turn right and head northeast bordering the river, follow it until reaching a Plant northeast of the Poppy Field, the same place where players do the Deal With The Devil mission. There’s an Electric Anomaly circling around, so there’s no chance to miss the place. Enter the Northernmost building, and look for an entrance to the sewers, follow the route south and enter the last building through the sewers, now climb a couple of floors and dodge the electric anomalies.

Then head south through the roofs and notice a connection bridge that leads south, there is yet another anomaly players need to go through (the one with the floating glass shards), but do it carefully, as on the other side there’s a crazed US Spy with a sniper rifle that will shoot anything that approaches. Kill it stealthily and claim the prized Mark 1 EMR Sniper Rifle in his corpse. But, if players also happen to pick up their Detectors, they’ll notice something popping up on the radar. Approach the window of the Sniper’s Roost and climb down to find a Sapphire artifact, which enhances Endurance and Bleeding Resistance.