Stalker 2 gets a new zoning permit in its 'Stories Untold' update, adding 8 missions and 7 locations as you explore what's giving Stalkers 'headaches, nosebleeds, and even hallucinations'

Stalker 2 has already received numerous major updates since releasing in November last year. Up to this point, though, most of those code transfusions have focussed on fixing the sequel's many bugs or elaborating upon its mechanics, such as improving its A-life system or adding dynamic faction wars. But its latest update—Stories Untold—expands the Zone itself, adding new areas and new quests to give veteran Stalkers something extra to do over the holiday season.

The update revolves around a new mystery in the Zone, namely a strange transmission giving stalkers "headaches, nosebleeds and even hallucinations". The storyline becomes available after players leave the Zalissya region during the early game, in the form of a PDA message that can arrive anywhere on the map but is particularly likely to turn up around the Burnt Forest region.

GSC says this new story adds "over five hours of gameplay" with eight new missions to embark on and seven additional locations to explore. GSC doesn't specify what these new locations are, but mentions that they are "free to explore for everyone in the Zone", so expect to encounter the usual dynamic events the Stalker series is known for. There's also a chance the story will lead you to create a new hub in the Burnt Forest, though this, alongside several other things, is contingent on how you play through the new areas.

Alongside the new missions and areas, the update adds a new weapon—the GP37V2. This is a modified version of the existing GP37 that includes a preinstalled suppressor and a scope. The patch also introduces a simplified save option for master difficulty and expedition mode, allowing you to enable manual saving at any point during play. But you can only enable it once, and the decision is permanent.

Finally, the update squashes a few more irradiated cockroaches gnawing on Stalker 2's code. These fixes stop multiple artifacts from spawning in a single place, optimise mutant models, and address "an issue that could cause massive mutant hordes to spawn at the Plant location of the Garbage region."

Safe to say, Stalker 2 has come a long way since its initial release last year. PC Gamer's Joshua Wolens was already impressed with the sequel when he cast his critical eye over it. "It's almost uncanny to play something with such unsentimental, old-school design sensibilities that looks as good and feels as modern as Stalker 2 does," he wrote in his Stalker 2 review. "It's a welcome return for one of PC gaming's greatest and most eccentric series."