Chernobylite 2: Exclusion Zone

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Chernobylite 2: Exclusion Zone is a single player and multiplayer survival role playing shooter game with a science fiction theme. It was developed by The Farm 51 and was released on March 6, 2025. It received mostly positive reviews from players.

Explore the mysterious open world of the Chornobyl Exclusion Zone in this post-apocalyptic action RPG adventure. Craft your story by facing sinister hazards and monsters. Survive furious encounters with the help of your crafted weaponry, developed skills, gathered teammates, and supported factions

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70%

Audience ScoreBased on 301 reviews

story30 positive mentions

optimization26 negative mentions

Large and immersive open world with great atmosphere and exploration opportunities.
Combat system combining melee and ranged feels engaging and has satisfying impact.
Developers actively communicate with community, improving the game with frequent patches and updates.

Severe optimization issues leading to crashes, frame drops, and stuttering especially on some hardware.
Artificial or placeholder AI voice acting breaks immersion and is often criticized.
Gameplay changes drastically from the first game, losing survival horror elements in favor of more generic RPG mechanics, which alienates fans of the original.

story
122 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
25%
73%
2%
The story of the sequel receives mixed feedback, with some praising its intriguing continuation, meaningful choices, and atmospheric worldbuilding, while others criticize it for weaker character development, lack of emotional attachment, and a shift from a tightly woven survival horror narrative to a more generic RPG structure dominated by fetch quests. Fans of the original highlight a loss of personal stakes and tension, noting the open-world format dilutes the focused storytelling of the first game. Despite current technical issues and uneven mission design, the evolving narrative and RPG elements hold promise for those invested in immersive, story-driven survival experiences.
- “I considered it a masterpiece because of its haunting atmosphere, tight survival-horror loop, and deep story.”
- “The story doesn’t just drag you along either — your choices actually count.”
- “It is an addictive game with beautiful open world to visit and interesting story to tell.”
- “Its emptiness saps any sense of exploration; the experience devolves into mindless fetch quests with little to engage beyond ticking off objectives.”
- “The story is completely lost on me; I don't really understand anything going on, I have no attachment to any of the characters, they feel shoehorned, not introduced.”
- “The main character almost feels like he was originally meant to be a custom voiceless character before getting shoehorned in for a personal story element, but all that does in my opinion is force you to play as the most generic, boring SOB I've seen in a game.”
optimization
111 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
12%
65%
23%
Optimization for the game is generally poor, with frequent reports of stuttering, low FPS, excessive GPU load, and performance degradation over time, even on high-end hardware. While some updates have brought noticeable improvements and a more stable experience, many players still find the optimization lacking, impacting overall playability and enjoyment. Given its early access status, ongoing patches are expected to address these issues, but the current state often feels rough and unpolished.
- “Huge performance gains & 1st person cutscenes, textures improved greatly (loading in way more accurately) an update in unreal engine 5 version, new quests, new locations, new survival elements such as keeping your base members happy by keeping up on maintenance or else they walk out.”
- “Optimization, voice acting, and balance are now almost in a good place, and the progress since the start of early access is clearly visible.”
- “The new update not only delivers greatly improved performance, but also highly needed QOL and bug improvements, this update brings the game back to the roots of Chernobylite and makes it a worthy sequel.”
- “The current game has obvious deficiencies in optimization, such as frequent problems like excessive graphics card load, abnormal model positioning, suspected non-original skeletal animations, and ineffective cutscene interaction.”
- “In short, the terrible optimization impacts nearly all aspects of the game, ruining the overall experience to borderline unplayable for me personally.”
- “The primary killer for me is the performance; it's just awful, somewhat reminiscent of launch Cyberpunk even after multiple patches.”
gameplay
69 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
23%
73%
4%
Gameplay in this title is a mixed experience, with some players appreciating the expanded RPG elements, exploration, and atmosphere, while others criticize clunky combat, unfinished mechanics, and technical issues. The shift from the original's survival-horror style to more generic action-RPG mechanics divides opinions, and many highlight bugs, sluggish performance, and inconsistent animations dampening enjoyment. Despite its current state, reviewers see potential in the core gameplay loop and narrative, especially as an early access project poised for further improvement and refinement.
- “The core mechanics of looting, exploring and fighting are all there and while combat still needs to be tightened up there are some fun things already happening.”
- “Chernobylite 2 looks really solid for early access – you can feel the atmosphere of the zone at every turn, the exploration is engaging, and the mechanics have great potential.”
- “Chernobylite 2: Exclusion Zone is an impressive sequel that expands on its predecessor with deeper RPG mechanics, intense combat, and a hauntingly immersive world.”
- “Avoid unless you enjoy playing extended tech demos riddled with unfinished features and shallow mechanics.”
- “Combat is horrifically clunky, melee attack animations appear to have no actual relation to impacts or damage done (a side effect of making everything RPG statified instead of just letting a hit be a hit), elemental combat has mechanics that require radiation to recharge but somehow there's no apparent radiation pockets near the first boss you fight, and after the megapatch with supposed engine fixes the game is stuttering like it never was before.”
- “Yes, it has crazy radiation monsters but the feel is far more Tarkov... the gameplay is trash, mechanics are trash, it's just not fun; it's more of a chore to play than a game should be.”
graphics
38 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
42%
50%
8%
The game features generally good and immersive graphics with detailed environments, but suffers from frequent optimization issues such as frame rate drops, graphical glitches, and abnormal animations, impacting overall performance. While visuals can be impressive on high-end systems, persistent bugs, poor cutscene quality, and inconsistent graphical fidelity hinder the experience, especially compared to peers like STALKER 2. As an early access title, the graphics show promise but need significant improvement in stability and polish.
- “The graphics are amazing and the detail put into the "zone" in my opinion is a lot better than Stalker 2.”
- “The graphics and atmosphere are immersive and well-crafted.”
- “The graphics are great, the imagery is top-notch.”
- “The current game has obvious deficiencies in optimization, such as frequent issues including excessive graphics card load, abnormal model positioning, suspected non-original skeletal animations, and ineffective cutscene interaction.”
- “Optimization is really bad like in the majority of UE5 games, Stalker 2 included, while the graphical outcome does not justify this at all.”
- “Still getting graphical glitches in cutscenes, out-of-sync voice acting to animations, random drops in FPS from 90 to 13 - the game has also crashed a couple of times, which didn't happen before the patches.”
atmosphere
27 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
56%
33%
11%
The atmosphere in the game is widely praised for its dark, eerie, and immersive qualities, effectively blending survival horror, sci-fi, and mystery elements to create a captivating open-world experience. While the first installment's atmosphere is considered top-notch and haunting, some feel the sequel's tone shifts too much towards a simulation style, losing some of the original's tension and horror. Overall, despite early access limitations, the game's richly detailed environment and mood remain a strong highlight for many players.
- “I considered it a masterpiece because of its haunting atmosphere, tight survival-horror loop, and deep story.”
- “The eerie atmosphere of Chernobyl is more captivating than ever, making this a must-play for fans of survival and post-apocalyptic adventures.”
- “The dark atmosphere and awesome music pull you in right from the start.”
- “It feels clunky, the atmosphere is gone, and the new direction is a total miss for me.”
- “In general, I also feel the game is missing the strong atmosphere of the first Chernobylite.”
- “Most voices are spoken by a computer voice—so voiceover is by a mile not finished, losing atmosphere.”
stability
16 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The game's stability is heavily criticized, with frequent bugs, crashes, freezes, graphical glitches, and performance drops significantly impacting playability. Combat and skill systems are notably buggy, causing frustrating and inconsistent experiences. While some users encounter fewer issues, overall the game requires substantial patches and fixes to reach a stable and polished state.
- “Freezes, crashes back to Steam and just not playable anymore.”
- “Melee combat is ridiculously buggy... you can be in a fight and swing until your stamina is gone and get zero hits, but the enemy can be swinging all over the place and nearly kill you with 1 hit.”
- “Still getting graphical glitches in cut scenes, out of sync voice acting to animations, random drops in fps from 90 to 13 fps - game has also crashed a couple times too which didn't happen when I first got it before the patches.”
emotional
3 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Users feel a deep emotional disappointment as the series shifts from its unique survival roots to a more mainstream looter-shooter style, longing for a return to a story-driven experience with stronger emotional connections.
- “It’s heartbreaking to see a series I loved trade its unique identity for a more mainstream looter-shooter feel.”
- “I just hope it returns to a survival game with proper story and emotional attachment instead of a glorified Fallout.”
- “Wholesome whisper”
humor
3 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The humor in the game is largely derived from its amusing bugs, poor AI voiceovers, and mismatched animations, creating a janky but funny experience. While the game has entertaining mechanics, its unfinished aspects contribute to an unintended comedic charm.
- “AI voice-overs are downright hilariously bad.”
- “Some of the animation doesn't match the gameplay, but this just makes it funny and janky.”
- “I met some funny bugs; even in Goat Simulator I didn't see such bugs as here :))) This is a funny game with good game mechanics but unfinished combats and other things. I think the game is about 32% done or maybe even less.”
music
3 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
67%
33%
The music is praised for its dark, immersive atmosphere that deeply enhances the experience, with some users eager to purchase the soundtrack. However, there are occasional criticisms about the lack of sound cues for certain gameplay actions, such as leveling up. Overall, the soundtrack is a strong and engaging aspect of the game.
- “Not sure if it's the same composer as the first game, but there is a reason I bought the OST for the first one and I will buy this one as well if it lives up to that in the end.”
- “The dark atmosphere and awesome music pull you in right from the start.”
- “I didn't even know I leveled up until I got back to the base because there is no sound, music, or fanfare whatsoever.”
character development
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The character development is well-integrated with the story, creating a compelling emotional experience that balances hope and despair. The game offers a solid foundation for RPG elements, including meaningful character growth, engaging combat, voiced NPCs, and an expansive world to explore.
- “It is not the horror/scary aspects of the game, or the landscape, or the character design, etc. It is all of these things and more that make you feel like you just 'want to make it home.' That feeling hooks into the story itself, leading you along with both hope and despair in your hands, and using both to overcome the situations you find yourself in.”
- “What I've seen is a good base for an RPG with legit combat, character development, voice-acted NPCs, and a big world to explore.”
monetization
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Users criticize the monetization for feeling like cash grabs with low-quality graphics and minimal effort from developers. There is also a desire for gameplay features that enhance experience without restrictive monetization elements.
replayability
1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Users agree that the game offers strong replayability, providing an engaging experience that encourages multiple playthroughs.
grinding
1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Grinding in the game is considered slow and tedious, with experience gains being minimal from creatures and only increasing significantly after purchasing skills, leading to a repetitive and time-consuming leveling process.
- “The experience gain is slow and increments by only 1000 points every time you buy a skill, which I find too tedious since the creatures don't provide enough experience.”

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13h Median play time

19h Average play time

4-15h Spent by most gamers

*Based on 9 analyzed playthroughs

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Chernobylite 2: Exclusion Zone is a survival role playing shooter game with science fiction theme.

Chernobylite 2: Exclusion Zone is available on Xbox Series X|S, PC, PlayStation 5, PlayStation 4 and others.

On average players spend around 19 hours playing Chernobylite 2: Exclusion Zone.

Chernobylite 2: Exclusion Zone was released on March 6, 2025.

Chernobylite 2: Exclusion Zone was developed by The Farm 51.

Chernobylite 2: Exclusion Zone has received mostly positive reviews from players. Most players liked this game for its story but disliked it for its optimization.

Chernobylite 2: Exclusion Zone is a single player game with multiplayer and local co-op support.

Similar games include INSOMNIA: The Ark, S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2: Heart of Chornobyl, Chernobylite, Wild West Dynasty, GreedFall: The Dying World and others.

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