This guide details the four distinct endings in S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2: Heart of Chornobyl, determined by player choices in three key missions: Subtle Matter, Dangerous Liaisons, and The Last Wish. A manual save before Legends of the Zone allows players to experience all endings without a full replay.
Choices and Endings:
1. She Will Never Be Free:
- Subtle Matter: Choose "Life is for the living."
- Dangerous Liaisons: Choose "[Escape]."
- The Last Wish: Choose "[Fire]."
This ending aligns with Strelok's goal of protecting the Zone, requiring the player to antagonize all other factions: rejecting Scar, escaping Korshunov, and killing Kaymanov.
2. Project Y:
- Subtle Matter: Choose "Life is for the living."
- Dangerous Liaisons: Choose "[Escape]."
- The Last Wish: Choose "[Lower the Gun]."
Similar to the previous ending, but instead of killing Kaymanov, the player spares him, siding with his scientific approach to the Zone's fate.
3. Today Never Ends:
- Subtle Matter: Choose "Eternal spring."
- Dangerous Liaisons: Choose "[Escape]."
- The Last Wish: No specific choice required for this ending.
This ending involves assisting Scar, the leader of the Spark faction, leading to his entry into a pod believed to transport him to the Shining Zone. Only choices in two missions determine this outcome.
4. Brave New World:
- Subtle Matter: Choose "Life is for the living."
- Dangerous Liaisons: Choose "I'm not your enemy."
- The Last Wish: No specific choice required for this ending.
This ending sees the player siding with Colonel Krushunov and the Ward faction in their quest to eliminate the Zone. Like the Spark ending, only two missions influence this outcome.
