YouTube’s ‘Candyland’ has shared a graphics comparison video between STALKER 2 and Stalker: Clear Sky. Candyland tried to use similar scenes in this comparison, therefore this video will give you an idea of STALKER 2’s graphical improvements.
STALKER 2: Heart of Chernobyl is using Unreal Engine 4 and will take advantage of both Ray Tracing and photogrammetry. On the other hand, Stalker: Clear Sky used the X-Ray 1.5 Engine.
Unfortunately, Candyland used the vanilla version of Stalker: Clear Sky for this video comparison. And, to be honest, it would have been better if they used STALKER Clear Sky Remaster. STALKER Clear Sky Remaster adds Ultra HD Textures, 4K skyboxes and modern visual effects like Global illumination and high-quality ambient occlusion. Additionally, it overhauls the game’s vegetation with bump mapped leaves and new HD textures. It also reworks the game’s particle system with particles collision, adds custom weather, and introduces soft shadows/grass shadows.
Now keep in mind that Stalker: Clear Sky came out in 2008. That’s over a decade so it’s no wonder that its sequel looks so much better. Still, I believe this is a video that most STALKER fans will find interesting.
STALKER 2: Heart of Chernobyl will release on April 28th, 2022.
Enjoy!

John is the founder and Editor in Chief at DSOGaming. He is a PC gaming fan and highly supports the modding and indie communities. Before creating DSOGaming, John worked on numerous gaming websites. While he is a die-hard PC gamer, his gaming roots can be found on consoles. John loved – and still does – the 16-bit consoles, and considers SNES to be one of the best consoles. Still, the PC platform won him over consoles. That was mainly due to 3DFX and its iconic dedicated 3D accelerator graphics card, Voodoo 2. John has also written a higher degree thesis on the “The Evolution of PC graphics cards.”
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Ar you kidding me? Those fire 10 years ago were better
I can live with a Metro Exodus compromise, because let’s not kid yourselves for a second, there will be downgrades.
I can’t, Metro is awful “cinematic” sh*t filled with hand holding.
Don’t worry for the graphics, they will be waaaaay better, but you can worry for everything else
Visuals look great, it’s everything else I’m worried about.
Loooooooots of improvements to be made in that AI until launch.
At least I hope they fix it.
Ill make a better video soon S2 against fully modded game
https://youtu.be/kOGdj3b3Ahk
Hope the game isn’t hitscan and has bullet physics like the originals.
Why Clear Sky? Did the later game, Call of Pripyat, have downgraded graphics or something along those lines?
It looks good, but the technological leap isn’t that impressive.
First STALKER games still manage to have great atmosphere, and with mods, they look like they haven’t aged that much.
Anyway, it’s okay, we don’t play STALKER primarily for graphics. ?
Let’s wait and see until we know more about the gameplay! ?