The world ofS.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2is a large one with many things for players to come across. From the many groups of enemies looking to loot a person’s corpse to the massive monsters that the radiation has created, there is no shortage of content for players to engage with. This also includes the many quests that are available in both the main story and also the side missions that can help players flesh out their characters before they finish the story.

As is the case with anyopen-world game like this, though,not every side quest will ever be a winner. There are certainly side missions in this game that are either tedious to go through or just don’t have anything that stands out to players, and these are largely just ways to get more experience and maybe some more supplies. However, there are some that are worth the time to go through. This list is here to give players an idea of which side quests should be done as soon as possible.

Stalker 2 - Shcherba

8In The Name Of Science

Get A Truly Powerful Weapon

This late-game mission will come as players arenearing the end of the main story, but it is well worth the time for players to complete. In order for this quest to be unlocked for players, they will need to complete the quest for Shcherba calledIn Search of Past Glory, which involves bringing the scientist the Controller Project Documents.

What makes this quest worth it is that it willgive players access to theGauss Gunif they make the right decision to disable the jamming device rather than recalibrate it. This weapon comes with some of the best damage in the game, along with excellent penetration, range, and accuracy. This is a useful tool to bring along as the last few missions come along.

Stalker 2 - Valik

7Warlock’s Debtor

Get A Great Gun Early On

Finding the side quests that can help a player put their best foot forward isa huge advantage in the game. Warlock’s Debtor is one of these, and once it is available, players should finish it immediately. It becomes available once they have arrived at Zalissya after the tutorial is finished.

Completing the Warlock’s Debtor missiongets players the AKM-74S, which has some great stats and will dish out excellent damage. It also comes with a large helping of ammo, and that is a huge advantage in this game, where ammo is scarce in the early stages of the game.

Stalker 2 - Nightingale’s Hunt

6Nightingale’s Hunt

Gain Some Good Supplies And An Artifact

The first thing that makes this side quest worth doing is thatit will give playersa ton of Electronic Collars, which will be useful for a future mission in the main story chain. This future mission, A Minor Incident, can come with a tedious section that can be circumvented by getting these collars now.

Further, players canget ahold ofthe Weird Ball Artifact, which can be extremely useful. This Artifact will reduce any bullet damage when the player is standing still. This happens more than people think and can be the difference between life and death.

Stalker 2 - Lost Boys

5Lost Boys

Early Missions That Nets Coupons

There are several good side quests to be completedonce the player reaches Zalissya, and that includes this one right here. It is a fairly straightforward mission that presents players with a choice of saving a character or attacking them. Players need to save them to reap the best rewards.

Doing so will give players theRubber Layer blueprint, which is a useful item to have, and people can also find a stash from Mastiff, who will be found over the course of the quest.

Stalker 2 - The Poppy Field

4The Poppy Field

Reap The Rewards

Being able toget good weaponsearly on in the game will make the entire progression through the game much easier for players.Completing the Poppy Field side questcan do just that for people after they haveobtained the Orthodox Icon item. With this, they can go through this side quest to completion.

One of the best rewards for this mission is for the UDP users, which is theTactical Pistol Silencerthat can help immensely with stealth, but all players canget the Unknown Stalker’s AR416, a solid assault rifle that boasts an excellent rate of fire.

Stalker 2 - Mysterious Case

3Mysterious Case

Bring In The Money

While modern civilization may have fallen in the world of the game, that doesn’t mean that money isn’t important. There are plenty of merchants around the Zone that can sell players some useful gear as they progress through the game.

Mysterious Case is a side missionthat can net a personsome decent moneyto help them purchase better gear at the merchants. Available in the Lviv area of the game, it’s a decently straightforward mission that can bring not only money, but also some supplies and ammo.

Stalker 2 - Three Captains

2Three Captains

Get A Great Sniper Rifle

While getting to this mission will take time, once a player is able to get to the end of these questsin the Zaton region, the wait will be worth it. This quest simply asks players to assassinate a couple of characters — or side with them instead.

Whichever option a person chooses, they will getthe Clusterf*** sniper rifle, whichhas excellent accuracyand rate of fire. This weapon is a great tool to have in the later areas and missions of the game.

Huron No Honor Among Thieves In S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2 Heart Of Chornobyl

1No Honor Among Thieves

More Money, Less Problems

The final mission on this list is here to give players even more money to spend onupgrades and gear.It involves players gettinginvolved in a faction war, with the end reward being a good chunk of change.

It isn’t a very difficult mission to complete, andthe reward of 2159 Couponsis too good to pass up. Netting this will be a good boost to a player’s wallet.

S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2: Heart of Chornobyl Tag Page Cover Art

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