One of the earliest decisions players will make inSTALKER 2: Heart of Chornobylis whether to help Zhorik deliver supplies to a group of his friends. Almost immediately after completing the tutorial, players will encounter a friendly NPC named Richter. He asks you first to help out some friends of his at a nearby post office, which is under siege. Their leader there, Zhorik, sends Skif onward to their friend Gloomy, whom he hasn’t heard from in a little while. He’s starting to get worried, but he seems to be hiding something.
At this point, the player has no idea who Zhorik and Gloomy are, and they’ve just discovered the dangers of trusting their fellow Stalkers, a lesson they’ve learned the hard way.They may be reluctant to agree to Zhorik’s offer, or take his word at face value. Zhorik’s not promising much, either, just whatever loot they can find along the way. He’s also trusting them with a fair bit of useful gear - Medkits, ammo, et cetera - that they might be better off keeping. In case the decision fatigue is eating away at them, here’s how the “Dangerous Visitors” side quest works.
What Happens If You Help Gloomy?
Pros & Cons Of Zhorik’s Offer
If the player does agree to help Zhorik,they’ll need to heada short distance down the roadto the Boiler House. It’s hard to miss, and is right along the way to their next main objective. Skif finds the place dead silent, but crawling with enemies. There’s no battle going on here - Gloomy is effectively being held hostage.
Skif can try to sneak around, but there are few places to hide here, sothe enemies are likely to notice him no matter what. Make use of the cover available or attempt to draw the enemies out. Explore around a bit (or simply bust down the door) and it’ll become apparent thatGloomy is located on the upper floor.
It’s possible to revive some downed NPCs by using Medkits, so even if Zhorik’s friends are injured, it may still be possible to succeed. Simply walk up to them and hold F to heal.
Thankfully,the warehouse is pretty full, which means there’s a lot more strategic opportunity here. Consider using the boxes strewn about the floor as ample cover, or wait outside; sight lines within the warehouse are poor, so this is a good way to draw enemies out one by one. Or, if the enemies aren’t already alerted to Skif’s presence, try stealth.
Skif will find Gloomy up a ladder in the warehouse, where he initially reacts with hostility. He asks who sent Skif - Richter or Zhorik? How the player chooses to answer here doesn’t matter. Either way,Gloomy will reveal that Zhorik set him up. Indebted to a gambling ring out in Garbage, Zhorik misdirected them so they’d go after Gloomy instead of him. Gloomy will soon get a radio call from Zhorik, who puts on a jovial act, before deciding it’s best he skip town. If the player returns to Zhorik’s initial location, he’ll indeed be gone.
Do You Need To Play The Other STALKER Games Before STALKER 2?
S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2: Heart of Chornobyl is a direct sequel, so players may feel like they need to play through the original trilogy first.
Either way, Gloomy’s not exactly grateful for the situation, but he’s glad that Skif saved his life. He’ll offer a sensor as thanks, one ofSTALKER 2’snew features. Or, if Skif declines, suggest that he help himself tothe contents of Gloomy’s stash in a nearby cave. Following the map marker, head for the cave, avoiding or disrupting the nearby anomalies as needed.
There’s a good assortment of stuff in here, including weapons, ammo, and healing items - overall,much better than the player would’ve gotten from stealing the supplies. verify to break the planks in the back of the room to access the full contents of Gloomy’s stash.
What Happens If You Don’t Help Gloomy?
Pros & Cons Of Running Off With Zhorik’s Supplies
If you decide to run off with the supplies instead,none of the above will happen. The post office team will likely die in the attack, and the same goes for Gloomy. The player will never meet that particular cast of characters, and will likely never see Zhorik again. (Richter will pop up, but the choice here doesn’t seem to affect his relationship.) They won’t know about Gloomy’s stash, although they can still go and claim it - they just won’t have the map marker to help them find it. Still, no one will be particularly upset about it.
This may save a fair amount of time and trouble, butalso means missing out on a fair bit of loot, anda good introduction to the world ofSTALKER 2. The few healing items Richter provides in exchange pale in comparison.
You Should Help Gloomy
Better Rewards, Better Outcome
Ultimately,it just makes more sense to help Gloomy out in “Dangerous Visitors.“The supplies Richter provides are tempting, but they’re nothing compared to what players can get by looting Gloomy’s stash after helping him. The mission isn’t very difficult at all, at least not compared to the rest ofSTALKER 2, and the rewards will likely last the player for the next few quests at least. If not, they’ll fetch a decent price once they reach the settlement of Zalissya, which can help them buy even more materials.
It certainly seems like there are no negative outcomes for either choice in this quest, though, so players are free to do whatever they want. Even several more hours into the game, neither Zhorik, nor Gloomy, nor the people at the post office have reappeared. If they do prefer to just skip past this inconsequential side quest and get on with the main story ofSTALKER 2: Heart of Chornobyl, they’re free to do exactly that.
S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2: Heart of Chornobyl
S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2: Heart of Chornobyl is a survival horror FPS game that picks up in the world where the first game’s expansion, Call of Pripyat, left off. Players will head deep into the heart of the Chornobyl Exclusion Zone as they meet new allies, foes, and terrifying mutated creatures carving out their tale in a world ravaged by nuclear disaster years prior.
