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.

Chernobylite 2: Exclusion Zone is a post-apocalyptic action-RPG game, mixing free exploration of huge and extremely realistic open world, challenging combat, unique crafting, team and base management with non-linear, immersive storytelling.

Cole Grey, a former military and security guard, lives in a reality where the economy and industry are based entirely on a substance called Chernobylite. With its help, people have made a real leap in civilization. However, the construction of the utopia has been paid for by massive unemployment, pushing people like Cole to the margins of society. Due to severe financial problems, he joins the mysterious “Planewalker” initiative to provide for his family.

It quickly becomes apparent that there is a shortage of Chernobylite in Cole's universe, and the solution is the morally questionable initiative that involves traveling to parallel worlds in search of the mineral and obtaining it by any means possible. In addition, the Planewalker service requires appropriate genetic modifications. Cole must, therefore, physically absorb the essence of Chernobylite and, to increase his physical and intellectual capabilities, lose a part of his humanity. However, seeing no other options for himself, he agrees to the bloody and dangerous service, which results in him ending up trapped in the most sinister place in the world: the Chornobyl Exclusion Zone. There, he meets a Black Stalker, the Zone's dark guide and silent ruler. 

The Exclusion Zone is a battlefield that changes every day and reacts to your every action. Will you find a way to help the others defeat the army of vicious monsters? And when old conflicts are revived, whose side will you be on?

Following the vast amount of feedback gathered on Chernobylite from players, Chernobylite 2: Exclusion Zone introduces the elements most anticipated when compared to the original game: a vast open world and a gameplay model in line with the most canonical action-RPGs. The plot, player character development, exploration, combat, weapons and gadgets, the number of side characters, relationships with other story characters - each of these elements is expanded many times over the predecessor, providing more opportunities to build your own version of the story of survival in the mysterious and sinister Chornobyl Exclusion Zone.

The 3D-scanned post-apocalyptic world of Chornobyl has been given incomparably more detail and has been further enhanced with countless ambient elements brought by Chernobylite from other dimensions thanks to Unreal Engine 5 and Nanite, as well as Reality 51’s scanning technology, which The Farm 51 has been developing for over ten years.

Since its Steam Early Access launch on March 6, 2025, Chernobylite 2 has continued to evolve with the help of community feedback. The newly released Megapatch introduces a wide range of improvements, including overhauled systems, new features, enhanced visuals, and gameplay changes directly requested by the players.

This update represents not only technical progress but also our commitment to shaping the game with the community, not just for it. We’re incredibly grateful for the positive response from our players following the Megapatch, especially their support, help, and feedback, which is the cornerstone of these changes.

The new mechanics, bug fixes, and quality-of-life improvements are significantly enhancing the experience for both returning fans and new explorers alike. A brief description of the Megapatch is this: we switched all temporary voiceovers with proper ones recorded with live actors, we implemented several community-requested features, revamped the introduction part and the first boss (and the boss fight), as well as put a lot of attention to overall performance (stabilization and optimization) and implemented hundreds of bugfixes.

Get the game from Steam for 34.99$ with a 15% discount available for a week.

Alongside this milestone, we are excited to unveil our official development roadmap for the Early Access period. This roadmap outlines the upcoming milestones, key features, and community-driven goals planned for this year. This roadmap will evolve with our community’s help, suggestions, and opinions over the following months.

With the new content, expanded mechanics, and continued support over the horizon, we’re motivated more than ever to deliver a complete and unforgettable version of Chernobylite 2: Exclusion Zone.

This Megapatch responds to a lot of your requests!

Also, it doesn't only bring numerous improvements but adds new features that will significantly enhance your gameplay experience.

A lot of these were exclusively a result of you sharing your thoughts, opinions and even technical reports. And this is just the beginning - many more patches, updates, and hotfixes are coming in the future. As they should in an Early Access!

We have replaced, updated or changed hundreds of voiceovers across the entire game. The overall feel of the game and immersion during dialogs should improve significantly.

We also significantly improved the stability of the game, by addressing tons of crashes that were sent by players and discovered internally.

Along with bugfixes (we dealt with hundreds of bugs!) come changes to the technologies - like DLSS or XeSS, optimalization of processes that will either speed the game up or lower the resources usage.

Please remember that the features and other things listed below can still change during the upcoming weeks and months, as we will still count on your feedback - maybe some of them will need more polishing or reworking.

If you don’t like to read too much and you’re interested only in seeing what we changed, you can scroll to the end of this devlog. You can find the summary of the changes there.

Now, let’s dive into what the Megapatch brought us.

Major changes and improvements

Final voiceovers replaced the placeholder ones

High-quality voice acting is essential for storytelling, and we are committed to ensuring every character sounds as they should.

As we already said before many times, the missing or machine-generated voices were never meant to be there for long - we just used them as placeholders to speed up the production process.

So, having that in mind, we’re happy to tell you that most of the temporary voiceovers have been replaced with real recordings.

Despite the huge overhaul, it’ll still need polishing, adjusting and optimizing (that’s also in progress), like how fast the voices are or if they’re connected to the text properly, et cetera. So, if you notice any missing lines, please let us know in the Steam forum or via the in-game report tool.

Translations

With the help of our community, we have proofread and refined the Russian, Italian, and Spanish translations. We also worked on Polish translations more by our own.

Same as with the voiceovers, the translations are not final - they’re still a subject of polishing and bughunting. Also, the rest of the languages not mentioned here are being done as we speak.

Another good news is that we’ve got a lot of help from you, our players, and more of you reached out to us about helping with new or existing translations. Despite that, we’ll be happy for additional “hands on deck”, so if you’d like to contribute to improving translations or adding new languages, please reach out to @Pablo on our Discord channel (CLICK)!

Tablet now usable in TPP (Community Request)

One of the most requested features has been added! The tablet can now be used in Third-Person Perspective (TPP) while retaining most of its functionality. This means you can now experience the entire game in TPP without limitations.

This change gives you more flexibility in how you interact with the game world. Whether you prefer the immersive nature of First-Person Perspective (FPP) or the broader situational awareness of TPP, you can now choose freely without missing out on critical mechanics.

Seamless camera switching between FPP and TPP (Community Request)

Another huge quality-of-life improvement: you can now dynamically switch between FPP and TPP at any moment. Whether you're in combat, exploring, or interacting with objects, switching perspectives is now completely fluid and unrestricted.

Previously, you could also change the perspective easily by accessing the settings menu - it was by default the first option shown there. Now, you can change it on the go. We understand that different situations may call for different perspectives, and this change ensures that you always have control over how you experience the game.

This improvement not only enhances gameplay fluidity but also makes the game more accessible for players who prefer one perspective over the other. Or the ones that want to smoothly check out either of two options (FPP / TPP) at any given moment.

Weapon slots are now fully customizable (Community Request)

Gone are the days of rigid loadout restrictions! You can now assign weapons freely, allowing for a completely personalised combat experience.

Want to pair a traditional firearm with an essence-powered weapon? Or maybe swap out your primary gun for an extra melee weapon? Now you can!

This change offers greater strategic depth, giving players the freedom to experiment with different loadouts. We believe that your choice is crucial, as we want to give you as much freedom as possible - just look at the settings options, where you can choose from multiple options to adjust the game difficulty and mechanics as you like.

This adjustment ensures that your inventory reflects your unique playstyle. Which, in turn, gives you a much more immersive experience, especially if you choose to play as a core ranged / melee character.

Option to disable headbobbing (Community Request)

Motion sickness from camera movement? We've got you covered! You can now disable headbobbing in the settings, allowing for a smoother, more comfortable FPP experience.

This is a small but impactful change, especially for those sensitive to certain camera motions. It’s another step toward ensuring that all players can enjoy the game without discomfort.

We spoke about it a few times before, we were assessing the work it needed and how to do it. But now - it’s happening.

Loot system overhaul (Community Request)

Loot drops have been rebalanced to be more logical and rewarding. No more pants requiring high Perception to wear - loot attributes will now make much more sense within the game’s world.

This overhaul ensures a better balance between challenge and reward, making loot discovery feel more meaningful. Expect a much-improved experience when scavenging and equipping new gear.

Complete revamp of the first boss fight (Community Request)

A lot of you mentioned that the first boss fight was way too easy and didn’t give that “epic battle” feeling. So we decided to make it spicier!

The boss now looks a lot more dangerous and he uses many more attacks (we gave him a few extra). He also is definitely more agile, so he will be a bigger challenge to those who prefer to play ranged-based characters.

Tell us later if we did a good job regarding this boss fight or if we should still improve something!

Early Access Feedback subforum (CLICK)

You can now skip the whole intro (Community Request)

A lot of you suggested that playing the same, intro part of the game again and again is boring. So… yeah. That’s on us. Now you can just skip the intro if you don’t feel like playing it.

Skipping the intro means you go directly to the Zone, so feel free to just jump into the game, especially if you know the beginning of the whole Cole Gray’s whole story.

This option is available via the new game settings.

Blaster with customization options (Kickstarter Feature)

Thanks to our Kickstarter backers, the iconic Blaster returns - and also with incredible customization options! Modify it to best suit your playstyle.

Customization is a core aspect of gameplay, and this upgrade makes the Blaster a more versatile and exciting weapon.

Stealth Attacks Now Possible with Ranged Weapons

Previously, stealth takedowns were only possible with melee weapons. Now, if you prefer a ranged-only playstyle, you can still take advantage of stealth mechanics.

This change provides more tactical options, making stealth-based gameplay viable for all builds. Whether you prefer a silent sniper approach or close-quarters combat, you now have more ways to execute your strategy.

Two new essence-based weapons

Tired of the Power Glove or your regular melee weapon? You can now rip the arms off defeated Chernohosts and repurpose them into brand-new essence-fueled weapons.

These new additions diversify the arsenal to refresh the combat mechanics and playstyle variations. Also, to add a bit more depth into how you deal with the Zone around you. More details will be revealed soon.

First mission revamp

We’ve significantly reworked the game’s first mission. Previously, it was too linear and action-heavy, failing to represent the more open-ended gameplay of the later sections.

This revision ensures that you experience the true essence of the game right from the start. Expect an intro that better captures the atmosphere and mechanics of the full game.

Dialogue sequences enhanced

We know that if we have a story-based game, even though with a lot of action, we still have to pay a lot of attention to how you feel connected to its world. Dialogues are some of the things that aid you in immersing yourself in the Zone.

We have improved numerous dialogue sequences by adding new animations, gestures, and camera angles. This should help to get a better feeling of the story. Also, some of the later quests lacked the same level of polish as earlier ones, and we are addressing that in the upcoming Megapatch.

As we said, dialogue plays a crucial role in immersion, and these refinements bring more life to character interactions, making the story you’re diving into more engaging.

FPP Mode Overhaul (Kickstarter Feature)

The First-Person Perspective (FPP) mode has also received extensive updates. All weapons - melee and ranged - now function properly with accurate effects, sounds, and animations.

Remember, this mode still requires further updates and it’s still under heavy development, but it is now in a much better state than before. More updates will follow!

Stealth + crouching animation completely reworked

Many of you pointed out that it was kind of “cheesy” or just not good enough, so we recreated it again from scratch. Tell us if that works better now!

Enemy voices system completely reworked

Now, the dialogues between the enemies are now much more logical, they add to the overall “Zone vibes”. Also, the enemies respond to the player’s actions better (like commenting on what is happening around them).

Hundreds of bug fixes

We’re not exaggerating. We’ve fixed hundreds of bugs, literally - both those reported by you and those we discovered internally.

Of course, there are still some, and the Megapatch will introduce new ones, but that’s accounted for in our production process. Ideally, we’d love to be able to find all of them before you get the update, but that’s just not possible. So again, if you encounter any issues or bugs, please let us know in the Steam forum or via the in-game report tool.

While no game is ever completely bug-free, this update brings us much closer to delivering a smoother, more polished experience.

Community changes - thanks to your feedback!

• Tablet now usable in TPP (Community Request)
• Seamless camera switching between FPP and TPP (Community Request)
• Weapon slots are now fully customizable (Community Request)
• Option to disable headbobbing (Community Request)
• Loot system overhaul (Community Request)
• Complete revamp of the first boss fight (Community Request)
• You can now skip the whole intro (Community Request)

Completely new features

• Blaster with customization options (Kickstarter Feature)
• Stealth Attacks Now Possible with Ranged Weapons
• Two new essence-based weapons

Improvements

• First mission revamp
• Dialogue sequences enhanced
• Stealth + crouching animation completely reworked
• Enemy voices system completely reworked
• FPP Mode Overhaul (Kickstarter Feature)
• Final voiceovers replaced the placeholder ones
• Translations: Russian, Polish, Ukrainian and Spanish were mostly proofreaded

Technogoly changes / updates

• Reworked the shader compilation process - a bit more time, but no stuttering
• We optimized many CPU processes - more FPS on older / weaker GPU
• We optimized the way the foliage works - better GPU usage
• We optimized many effects - better GPU usage
• XeSS updated to version 2
• DLSS updated to version 4.0

Community Bug Report - major bugfixes
We fixed hundreds of bugs (literally), but here are the major ones worth a special mention:

• Fixed missing texture on the Chornobyl Ferris Wheel
• Fixed numerous holes in environment
• Fixed Olga's hair during dialogue with her inside the base
• Adjusted Hand Grenade damage with the rest of the explosives
• Removed placeholder timer from the multiplayer lobby
• Fixed issue where player couldn't move into containers with controller
• We have removed incorrectly placed weapons from enemies' heads
• Fixed bug where collision with the environment was not loaded properly and the player fell through the ground
• Some elemental hosts did not display textures during ranged attacks. We've fixed that.
• Adjusted position of smoke VFX
• Placeholder notes were switched to the finalized versions
• Fixed collision with the wall on Crystal Tower where the player could go out of bounds
• Fixed door during "Mavka" quest where it does not open after being scanned
• We fixed a bug that caused the game to crash when loading saved game states
• We have closed the infinite experience bug possible with planewalker change
• Fixed holes in concrete slabs near the base
• We have fixed a hole in the environment near the bunkers

Additional important fixes

• Fixed collisions on self-made workbench weapons. Those should no longer fall through the ground.
• Fixed photo mode on scenes in different open-world zones
• Fixed permanent block when the player entered photo mode during dialogue
• Hardening Tutorial - Fixed instance where the player did not receive information on how many points he scored
• Respect your gear training - Fixed T-posed Khulan inside the training
• Fixed performance during RPG-7 hits
• Fixed repair stations for weapons
• Fixed Tower Defence Portal appearing again after completing the introduction mission
• Fixed weather and post-process that changed too fast in many areas
• Adjusted and fixed collisions and speed of platforms
• Replaced placeholder item "Weird Device" with a final one during the "Like a Mage" tutorial
• Adjusted camera position during dialogs in several places
• Adjusted Alina's position in front of the scientists' base
• Fixed blinking Skybox visible from Huge Zone
• Fixed Glyeb's head that followed the player during "Two Sides of The Same Coin" quest
• Fixed Dual Sword animations and cutscenes before the first boss fight
• Several tutorials were adjusted for FPP view
• Fixed issue where changing weapons during ADS broke usage of some of them
• Fixed desynchronized lipsync during dialogues in several places
• Fixed the Magic Astral Barrage skill that had no recoil
• Fixed reloading animations that played even if interrupted by the player
• Fixed crystals interrupting camera view during skills use like Magic Astral Barrage in FPP
• Fixed the possibility to trigger Magic Astral Barrage while standing on the ground
• Fixed repair numbers rounding incorrectly on repair workbenches
• Fixed icons for the "Self-improved Vityaz" weapon inside the Equipment view
• Improved power glove animation to match hand's movement
• Player can no longer fall through planewaking world 2 & 3

Key Features:

• Explore the big and realistic open world of the real Chornobyl Exclusion Zone. Chernobylite has taken over the zone, transforming many of its elements, and people are trying to defend themselves against it using prototype technology.
• Create and develop your hero. Attributes and skills will affect the effectiveness of combat, as well as the style of conversation. An arrogant muscle man with a big sword trying to intimidate everyone? Or a smart sniper who always finds the right arguments? The choice is yours.
• Fight for survival with an advanced melee combat system or keep your enemies away with a diverse arsenal of firearms in a third-person perspective - gain complete control over your character. You can also use the stealth approach or ask others for help. When you explore the game world, you can see it from your eyes’ perspective, but whenever it comes to combat, you’ll get the third-person perspective to see all the threats around you more clearly and be able to react more accurately.
• The combat system of Chernobylite 2 is a massive expansion of its predecessor. The introduction of advanced melee weapons fight and crafting system gives more diversity to the character build, strategies, and tactics you can create independently. Don’t forget that if you like to play at the pace of the original Chernobylite, you still can!
• Embark on the exciting journey of team building. Each of your mates is a potential teacher, ready to impart their knowledge and skills. Assemble your team and discover the unique strengths and abilities they bring. The question is, will you earn their trust and unlock their full potential?
• Adapt your build and equipment to the situation with planewalking, which allows you to change things on the fly. You’re free to develop more than one character skill set. Are you encountering a situation that your previously prepared heavy melee build will solve better than your current ranged sniper? Planewalk and use another one.
• Develop your base. There, you can create valuable items and upgrade your weapons every day. Assign your people to tasks, and they will take care of your equipment and supplies.
• Fight for influence and negotiate with factions. The Exclusion Zone is a battlefield that changes every day and reacts to your every action. Can you help them defeat the army of vicious monsters? And when old conflicts are revived, whose side will you be on?
• Experience online cooperative missions embedded in a single-player campaign allowing players to interact in various ways to achieve the goal.

Chernobylite 2: Exclusion Zone is coming to PC (Steam), PS5 and Xbox Series X|S in 2025.