Stalker 2: Heart of Chornobyl – Guide to Completing “All That is Left” and Finding the Soul Artifact

Key Takeaways:

1. Multiple Choices, Multiple Endings: Your decisions during missions in Stalker 2: Heart of Chornobyl can lead to branching storylines, encouraging replayability.
2. Artifact Rewards vs. Personal Use: The Soul Artifact offers gameplay advantages but comes with trade-offs, adding a layer of strategic depth.
3. Challenges in Combat and Exploration: Navigating hostile zones and dealing with mutants requires careful planning, making exploration both daunting and rewarding.

“All That is Left” in Stalker 2: Heart of Chornobyl

In the harsh, radioactive wastelands of Stalker 2: Heart of Chornobyl, missions are not just tasks they are intricate, decision-driven adventures that immerse you in its grim world. One such mission, “All That is Left,” serves as a highlight, offering choices that impact the story and your survival.

This guide will walk you through everything you need to know from starting the mission to handling mutants, navigating treacherous paths, and deciding who to give the coveted Soul Artifact to.

Starting “All That is Left”

Before embarking on the mission, you need to meet these prerequisites:

Prerequisites:

1. Team Up with the Ward: Hand over the Ward Sensors to Captain Zotov during the Needle in a Haystack mission.
2. Complete “Behind Seven Seals”: Gain access to the Garbage Zone by crossing the Pontoon Bridge.
3. Meet Lieutenant Mateus: Locate Mateus in Garbage after completing the above steps. He will offer the mission as part of the main storyline.

Once these conditions are met, speak with Mateus and agree to retrieve the Soul Artifact from the nearby Chemical Plant.

Navigating the Chemical Plant

The Chemical Plant is rife with dangers, from hostile mutants to tricky environmental hazards. Here’s a step-by-step guide to reaching the artifact:

Facing the Pseudodog Pack

1. Ambush Alert: As you approach the Chemical Plant, a pack of Pseudodog Mutants will ambush you.
2. Strategy: Focus on killing the pack’s leader. Its death will instantly eliminate the rest of the pack.
   • Tip: Back up to a choke point near the entrance and force the leader into your line of fire. Use high-damage weapons for a quicker takedown.

Reaching the Soul Artifact

1. Enter the Chemical Plant: Proceed through the walkway into the facility.
2. Climb to the Catwalk:
   • Walk along the metal railing under a broken staircase.
   • Jump onto the railing, then onto a nearby cement cylinder.
   • Follow the cylinders until you find a bent section of the catwalk railing. Climb through to access the artifact.

The Soul Artifact – Choices and Consequences

Picking up the Soul Artifact triggers several events. Professor Zaretyski contacts you, requesting a meeting, but her arrival brings complications.

Returning the Soul Artifact

To Professor Zaretyski

• Challenges:
  • Zaretyski’s crew may attack on sight, waking a nearby Mutant.
  • The Professor often succumbs to environmental hazards (poisonous chemicals), leaving her fate uncertain.
• Reward (Unknown): The Professor’s offer for the artifact remains a mystery due to recurring bugs.

To Lieutenant Mateus

• Rewards:
  • Mateus explains the artifact’s sentimental value, tied to a deceased friend.
  • You receive 3,500 Credits a substantial in-game reward.
  • Continuing the main storyline becomes smoother with his gratitude.

Keeping the Artifact

• Gameplay Perks:
  • Boosts Endurance but increases Radiation Levels.
• Recommendation: Only keep it if your playstyle prioritizes survivability over financial rewards.

Alternative Path: Extra Rewards with the PDA

While completing “All That is Left,” an alternate route lets you leverage the deceased Lieutenant’s PDA for additional rewards:

1. Retrieve the PDA: Found on a corpse in the bunker near the Soul Artifact.
2. Earn 1,000 Credits: Return the body to a scientist, throwing it into a nearby anomaly.
3. Artifact Ownership: Offer the PDA to Mateus instead of the artifact, completing the mission while keeping the Soul Artifact for yourself.

Combat Tips for Mutant Encounters

The wastelands of Stalker 2 are unforgiving. Follow these tips for dealing with mutants:

1. Use Environmental Advantages:
   • Funnel enemies into narrow corridors.
   • Utilize obstacles to create chokepoints.
2. Stock Up on Supplies:
   • Carry enough ammunition and healing items.
   • Use armor-piercing rounds for tougher enemies.
3. Stay Mobile: Mutants have erratic attack patterns; keep moving to avoid taking damage.

FAQs

Q: Can you prevent Professor Zaretyski from dying?

A: Currently, her death appears unavoidable due to a bug. Reloading or restarting the mission does not alter the outcome. Updates from the developers might address this issue.

Q: What happens if you keep the Soul Artifact?

A: Keeping the artifact boosts your Endurance but increases Radiation Levels, requiring additional resources to mitigate radiation damage.

Q: Are there other missions with similar branching paths?

A: Yes, many missions in Stalker 2: Heart of Chornobyl offer branching choices, enhancing replayability. Key decisions often impact future encounters.