Stalker 2 is one of the largest Unreal Engine 5 titles ever. The locations are almost completely hand-crafted.

Stalker 2, a new videogame, is going to be big. According to the official FAQ, the game map will cover more than 60 square kilometers. This makes it "one of largest open worlds ever seen in a videogame." Stalker 2's technical producer Evgeniy Kulik told PC Gamer, despite its size, the studio does not rely on procedural generation: Each location in the game was created "by hand."

GSC Game World uses Unreal Engine 5 for Stalker 2 Kulik said. This presents its own unique challenges, because as far he is aware, no other game that uses the engine is as large or geographically diverse. Stalker 2 programmers were required to create their own tools in order for level designers and artists to build the game.

Kulik stated during a conversation at Gamescom that "we invested quite a bit of ourselves and our talent to create these incredible assets." "Because every location you will see in the game is made by hand, from the biggest cities to the smallest villages. We didn't use anything procedural for this.

"All locations are created by hand by our level artists and designers. It's a challenge, but it helps us create these unique locations and atmospheres. There are many details."

Kulik explained that the developers chose the handcrafted approach, despite Stalker 2 being a massive game, "because we had really high standards for the game." "Our goal [was] to create the best possible experience. We wanted to make absolutely unique locations that could be absolutely memorable.

"We tried procedural generation but decided that it didn't quite meet the needs - doesn't meet the quality standard for gameplay and visuals. We decided to make each [location] unique. It took a long time and a lot effort, but the result is worth it.

GSC Game World released a 35-minute video in which they took us on a deep dive into the Swamps area of Stalker 2, a place first seen in Stalker Clear Sky. The studio stated at the time that they wanted to make sure players had an "authentic" Stalker-experience in the new game. While that may be stretching the definition a bit, it is making me more eager to get this game. Stalker 2 will be released on November 20, just three months from now.