Surviving the wasteland is tough. Resources are scarce, defenses are limited and, as ever, people are the most terrifying monsters of all. That’s the unique promise of the survival game – it’s brutal, but then again, the harsh landscapes of DayZ, Fallout, and The Long Dark nowadays feel like escapism. Stalker 2 was one of the genre’s best in 2024. Should you now feel like you’re done with that iteration of The Zone, there’s an incredible fan-made installment to check out that players are loving. Essentially an unofficial Stalker game, it’s now mod of the year.
Although it wasn’t without its issues, Stalker 2 arrived in November 2024 to considerable praise. The brutal survival game sequel returned to the alternate version of a Chornobyl for another voyage through the Zone, heralding more of the devastation, mutations, and anomalies that have emerged over the years.
For all intents and purposes, GSC Game World managed to nail the first new game in the series in 15 years. Whether you’ve simply grown weary off watching protagonist Skif die, or you’ve rolled credits, you should now try Stalker: Anomaly. Built by modders, it’s basically a complete, standalone Stalker game.
The latest version arrived in September 2024, and comes complete with custom quests, areas, and mechanics unique to the other Stalker game. There are multiple story strands to follow, including finding a mysterious wanderer to learn what they’ve seen in the wilds of the Zone, and getting involved in armed conflict over the hidden secrets about the region.
In lieu of this, the sound and visuals have both been altered and heightened to suit a more modern experience, and the A-Life (the franchise’s NPC system) has been tweaked and layered to offer a distinct sense of immersion. It’s an impressive mod that went a little under the radar, now getting some recognition as ModDb’s Mod of the Year.
Anomaly took first place in the site’s top ten for 2024, as voted for by players, beating mods for Portal 2, Half-Life and Doom. An impressive feat, and perfect timing as people wind down from the initial buzz of Stalker 2.
You can check it out right here. Have a look at our guides to the best Stalker 2 mods and all Stalker 2’s missions to keep yourself one step ahead of your adversaries.
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