Following a review by my colleague Charlie Hall STALKER 2 for Polygon and wrote some tips for beginners, he gave me an additional tip that I would like to pass on to all of you: Play the Ukrainian voice game with English subtitles. Yes, you will have to read a little and therefore pay more attention while playing, but STALKER 2 is tough, so you pay a lot of attention to it anyway. This change is absolutely worth it.
The English-speaking voice actors sound good, of course, and if you never switch to Ukrainian voice actors, you might just enjoy the entire game without any idea what you’re missing. (I used the word “enjoy” in disregard of the game’s relatively unstable state at the time of writing; I play on Xbox Series S via Game Pass, the version that has certain issuesbut I’ve had decent luck so far.)
There are many good reasons to change the language. One reason is plain senior realism. STALKER 2 was designed by Ukrainian studio GSC Game World, and its work continues even after the Russian invasion in 2022. The STALKER series is a post-apocalyptic science fiction set in the Chernobyl Exclusion Zone in Ukraine, and STALKER 2 continues this story by featuring characters local to the area, dealing with both supernatural and real threats, and finding community with each other despite the circumstances they barely survive each day. For all these reasons, it just makes sense artistically and emotionally to hear Ukrainian spoken among the characters in this game.
But you will also enjoy the performances. The voice actor for Skif, the main character of the game, is a particularly excellent performance that is truly special to me. Since it’s his voice you’ll be hearing throughout the game, it’s even more worth switching up and really stepping into his shoes when entering the Zone.
