Chernobylite 2: Exclusion Zone
Release Date	Gameplay & Story	Pre-Order & DLC	Review

Explore and survive the mysterious horrific world of Chernobylite 2: Exclusion Zone. Read on to learn everything we know, our review of the early access, and more.

Everything We Know About Chernobylite 2: Exclusion Zone

Chernobylite 2: Exclusion Zone Story Plot

In Chernobylite 2: Exclusion Zone, you play as a Planewalker, an interdimensional traveler searching for the highly volatile and powerful material known as Chernobylite. Trapped within the Zone and cut off from the outside world, you must fend off relentless nightmare creatures while gathering the remaining survivors to fight for survival.

Chernobylite 2: Exclusion Zone Gameplay

Chernobylite 2 is an action RPG that blends open-world exploration, challenging combat, crafting, team and base management, and non-linear storytelling. Set in a highly detailed recreation of the Chornobyl Exclusion Zone, players can switch between first-person and third-person perspectives to fully immerse themselves in the environment.

Character progression is highly customizable, allowing players to shape their hero’s abilities and personality. Whether as a brute-force warrior wielding heavy weapons or a calculated sniper relying on persuasion, every choice impacts gameplay. The unique Planewalking mechanic enables seamless switching between different character builds and equipment, allowing for strategic adaptation to any situation.

Combat offers a mix of melee and firearms, but resource management is crucial—ammo is limited. Players can also engage in cooperative multiplayer, forming teams to battle rival factions. Additionally, base-building mechanics allow for the creation of a personal sanctuary, providing a strategic hub for survival and planning.

Chernobylite 2: Exclusion Zone Release Date

Chernobylite 2: Exclusion Zone is now available in early access on Steam for $39.99. While a full release date has yet to be announced, the developers have committed to refining the game based on player feedback throughout the early access period.

Digital Storefronts
Steam
Price		$39.99

Chernobylite 2: Exclusion Zone Review [Early Access] | Too Radioactive to Play

I never had the chance to play the first Chernobylite, but I’ve always heard praise for its unique premise and survival RPG mechanics. Naturally, I was excited to dive into its sequel. With the game currently in early access, I expected some rough edges, but unfortunately, the number of issues present significantly impacts its otherwise simple yet enjoyable gameplay.

A Unique Story That Doesn’t Need AI

Chernobylite 2: Exclusion Zone delivers a gripping blend of sci-fi horror and mystery, placing players in the role of Cole Grey, a Planewalker enlisted in the NAR’s top-secret program. Tasked with tracking down Chernobylite—a volatile material born from the Chernobyl disaster—Cole and his team pilot the Harvester, a massive vessel capable of traversing dimensions.

While Chernobylite grants access to infinite realities, its power comes at a devastating cost. Trapped within the Zone and cut off from the outside world, you must battle relentless nightmare creatures, navigate the horrors of fractured dimensions, and rally survivors in a desperate fight for survival.

Despite its compelling premise, the game stumbles in its execution. The use of AI-generated NPC voices feels jarring, clashing with the traditionally voiced protagonist and disrupting immersion. Additionally, while the concept is strong, the writing often lacks emotional depth, making player choices feel less impactful. Still, the game’s atmospheric tension and sense of mystery ensure that, for those drawn to its eerie, otherworldly narrative, the journey remains intriguing, if flawed.

Optimization Woes and Immersion-Breaking Bugs

Right from the start, the game's optimization issues are hard to ignore. The sheer size—demanding a massive 115GB for an early access title—raises eyebrows. With such a hefty storage requirement, one would expect a level of polish that just isn’t present. Instead, the game is plagued by frequent bugs, graphical glitches, and noticeable stuttering, all of which detract from the experience.

While I haven’t encountered full-on crashes, the performance issues make it feel like the game isn’t running as intended. Frequent FPS drops during fast travel, sudden texture pop-ins, and erratic visual glitches create an inconsistent experience. One moment, character models look fine; the next, hair disappears, heads inflate, and weapons turn invisible. Clipping issues and floating assets further pull you out of immersion, making it hard to stay engaged.

To be fair, early access titles often come with bugs, but the frequency here is concerning. It’s clear the developers have a long road ahead to fine-tune performance and stability. Hopefully, future patches address these issues because, as it stands, the game feels more like a tech demo in progress rather than a solid foundation for full release.

An Ambitious RPG That Needs A Lot Ironing Out

One of the most surprising aspects of Chernobylite 2: Exclusion Zone is that, despite being advertised as a co-op experience, there is currently no co-op available—and according to the developers, the game will remain primarily a single-player experience even at full release. While this is disappointing for those expecting a cooperative journey, there is still potential if the eventual co-op implementation is handled well.

At its core, Chernobylite 2 feels reminiscent of an MMO in its structure. Upon launching the game, you're greeted with what looks like a server-based interface, where you can adjust settings and customize enemy difficulty. From there, you’ll explore the vast, open world of the real-life Chernobyl Exclusion Zone—though, unfortunately, the world often feels lifeless and empty.

The game leans heavily into RPG mechanics, allowing you to customize your character through different builds, skills, and attributes. These impact both combat effectiveness and dialogue choices, adding a layer of depth to interactions. Core attributes influence environmental interactions and conversations, while experience points are spent on upgrading stats. A faction-based reputation system—which was only briefly introduced in tutorial prompts—seems to tie into a perk tree, although I wasn’t able to fully access it in early access.

Combat: A Mixed Bag

While Chernobylite 2 incorporates various combat playstyles, the execution is somewhat janky and unpolished. You can engage enemies in melee combat, use a diverse arsenal of firearms, or opt for stealth tactics. There’s also the ability to call for assistance from allies.

A unique feature is Planewalking, which allows you to adapt builds and equipment to different situations—almost like an extraction shooter, where you’re constantly hunting for physical Chernobylite crystals.

However, combat feels rough around the edges. Enemy AI is underwhelming, offering little challenge, and while the variety in approaches is commendable, the mechanics themselves lack polish. Third-person perspective seems to provide a better experience than first-person, both in terms of fluidity and overall feel.

Survival, Base Building, and Factions

Beyond combat, the game introduces survival elements, requiring you to manage vitals like food, sleep, and other necessities to stay alive. There’s also a base-building system, offering a safe haven to rest and prepare for missions.

The faction system is one of the game’s stronger aspects. You can align with mutants, scientists, or mercenaries, and your reputation influences your allies and available missions. Helping certain factions can unlock special events or new opportunities throughout the map, adding a sense of player-driven impact.

Exploration & Boss Encounters

While the world is massive, exploration often feels bland and unfocused. Objectives can feel disjointed, and outside of faction missions, there isn’t always a clear sense of purpose. That said, there are still hidden details and activities to discover.

One of the highlights is the boss battles, which are creative, gruesome, and well-designed. I won’t spoil them, but they stand out compared to the regular enemies, which lack challenge and variety. It’s a shame that this level of thoughtful design isn’t present throughout the rest of the combat encounters.

There’s a lot of ambition in Chernobylite 2, and fans of Fallout-style RPGs may find enjoyment in its faction dynamics, survival mechanics, and eerie atmosphere. However, as it stands, the game is riddled with inconsistencies, from lackluster enemy AI to frequent performance issues like bugs, stuttering, and frame drops. While there are glimpses of a great experience, the game still feels unpolished and unfocused in its current state.

Wait for More Updates

For now, Chernobylite 2 is a game of highs and lows, with promising ideas held back by technical shortcomings. Whether it can live up to its potential depends on future updates, but as of now, it’s a wait-and-see situation.

At this stage, I’d strongly recommend holding off for a month or two before diving into Chernobylite 2: Exclusion Zone in early access. While the game has immense potential, it’s currently bogged down by game-breaking bugs and performance issues that make for a frustrating experience.

At a $40 price point, it’s hard to justify the investment—especially when neither the gameplay nor the story feels compelling enough to make up for its rough state.

That said, the passion behind this project is evident, and with further optimization and added depth, it could become something truly special. A co-op mode, in particular, would elevate the experience significantly. If the developers continue refining the game, Chernobylite 2 could live up to its promise—but for now, patience is the best approach.

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Chernobylite 2: Exclusion Zone Product Information

Title	Chernobylite 2: Exclusion Zone
Release Date	March 6, 2025, 2025 (Early Access)
Developer	The Farm 51
Publisher	The Farm 51
Supported Platforms	PC(Steam)
Genre	Shooter, RPG
Number of Players	1-2
ESRB Rating	RP
Official Website	Chernobylite 2: Exclusion Zone OfficialWebsite