This week, some of you had the opportunity to talk directly with the creators of Chernobylite 2: Exclusion Zone for the first time during an AMA on our official Reddit. Artur (Game Director) and Wojtek (Creative Director) patiently answered all your questions, regardless of whether they were a single sentence or a large essay of a dozen or so lines.
The result is a huge knowledge base about Chernobylite 2. You're in for a long but fascinating read. However, if you didn't find the answers to your burning questions, or didn't have time to ask your question during the AMA, don't worry! We're planning more similar meetings with you in the near future. Stay tuned for more information.
This transcript is from the Reddit AMA, held on February 4. Questions and answers have been organized by category and slightly edited for better readability.
GAME DEVELOPING
sebmak: You have announced that Chernobylite 2 will be a full-fledged RPG game with an open world. How did you manage to create such a large project with a team of less than 50 people?
Wojtek:
1. We have very strong team, most of our key members work together for around 10 years.
We developed a lot of custom technologies and 3D-scanned a lot of content for Chornobyl world within last years. We re-use 3D scans from previous projects in Unreal 5 with better quality.
2. We use Metahuman and other Unreal 5 tools that speed up the process a lot.
3. We have ready to use locations from original Chernobylite that can be re-used and re-worked (doesn't make sense to create them from the scratch, they're the same anyway).
4. We have a lot of passion :-)
sebmak: Can you provide examples of reference games for Chernobylite 2?
Wojtek: We're strongly influenced by titles like:
Fallout series (general RPG)
Witcher series (general RPG)
Elden ring (combat system)
Mass Effect (building the team and preparing for big mission)
Steveott99: What was the thought process's of going from something like S.T.A.L.K.E.R. to more of an RPG? Aswell as what kind of playstyles or roles can be played with these rpg mechanics (stealth, melee etc)
Artur: That’s a difficult question because we never really felt similar to S.T.A.L.K.E.R. - our idea for Chernobylite was primarily inspired by Fallout and This War of Mine. Chernobylite 2 is a completely natural continuation of the path we started with Get Even - shifting the focus from shooting to storytelling and gameplay freedom.
Currently, the game can be played in five different ways - using melee combat, shooting, stealth, avoiding conflict, or utilizing technology and tricks. We expect that most players will adapt their playstyle to the situation while favoring one of these approaches.
MandoDinGrogu: What are you most excited to see players experience when the game drops?
Wojtek: We'd like them to sink in the Zone for hours and days. To feel the adventure or exploring known and unknown places because the main hero of the game is the Exclusion Zone. To immerse in the story and cry or be happy at the end of the plot.
Thatguy3775: Are you guys looking for more voice actors? I'd be super glad to help out if so. I've got a credit in another project I can share if you're interested.
Wojtek: Thanks for your will to support and work with us! The best way if you'd like to get in touch is to send us DM with your contact data.
kailan-harris: 1. What has been the most challenging and the most exciting aspect of making the sequel? 2. Will a lot of the locations still be recognisable as Chernobyl still or will everything have drastically changed? 3. Does the studio have any other future projects in mind/ planned? 4. What are the challenges and benefits of being a small team working on such a great project? 5. What other ways than the kickstarter can we support and help out with development?
Wojtek:
1. The most challenging and the most exciting aspect of new game is the same thing: open world. We dreamed of making the game that allows you to explore the Zone without limits and spend there any time you want. We did it, but it costed us a lot of work (it still costs) - making an open-world game is much harder than hub-based and mission-oriented experience like Chernobylite 1. Both technology and design is a way more complicated in this case.
2. You can count on visiting all real Chornobyl locations known from the first game and many more new places created for the new game.
3. We have some ideas for new projects, and within company we have small team prototyping a completely different game, but it's too early to reveal anything on that subject.
4. Being a small team allows you to understand each other and keep the communication and team spirit on a much higher level than in big crews. We can create the exact game we want and stay independent as the team and as the company. But when you don't have big team and big budget you need to be very careful about all your decisions, because often you don't have backup plans for many failures, so the planning and iterating has to be very flexible and cautious.
5. After Kickstarter for sure there will be more options to support us. Stay tuned for more news from our team.
Bobornot40: You reported that Chernobylite 2 has a map 20 times larger than the first part. Can you tell if there will be new, real (scanned with photogrammetry) locations in it. If so, how many, how large compared to those available in the first part?
Wojtek: It's hard to list all the locations specifically, because they're placed within the continuous world - but yes, we have many more new locations created with photogrammetry (in general, about 80% of our environment assets are photogrammetry based).
sebmak: Can you say on which version of the UE5 engine the demo will be released? What new features of this engine have you used? What have you achieved with it?
Artur: The demo is being prepared on 5.4 with certain functionalities merged from 5.5. We’re striving to make full use of all the engine’s features - world partition (a system for building an open world), PCG (a system for generating realistic foliage), Metahuman (the entire workflow for character creation and animation), and Lumen (a comprehensive lighting system).
Klutzy_Ad_3887: Will the Game run on the Asus Ally or the Steam Deck ?
Wojtek: We want to do that, but it's too early to guarantee how the game will work on these devices. First we need to optimize the game for big consoles like PS5 and XSX, then having the code more optimized we'll attempt to run the game on handhelds (the same as we did with Chernobylite 1, which recently had a Nintendo Switch release and Steam Deck enhancements patch).
grucha87: Do you prepare a game for physical realese?
Wojtek: We want to have a general physical edition, but it's not our priority today. We're a small team and to keep independency we prefer to stay with digital distribution as our main sale channel. There will certainly be a limited physical edition that you can get by supporting us in the current Kickstarter campaign if you're into this.
DreaMaster77: Will you be ready for the day one? Sometimes we have to wait for updates to have the entire game.
Wojtek: Depends what you think by being ready. We developed Chernobylite 1 not just by releasing the game (first in Early Access, then in Final Release), but also by expanding it for years - and it was a conscious plan. With Chernobylite 2 we'll follow the same path - first releasing the game in the main form, then to keep delivering more and more content with following expansion packs.
ChixieGoesInsane: Will you add DLC skins from first game to Chernobylite 2?
Wojtek: For sure there will be some skins similar to the ones from Chernobylite 1. We're not sure about using exactly the same skins, because they were paid in Chernobylite 1 and some people could find it offensive if they'd have to pay for the same content again, but maybe we'll find the other way to deliver you your favorite stuff here.
Druciakk: The first game had its flaws but generally I enjoyed it, I even maxed out all achievements. The game had strong core mechanics and I was very surprised that the second game completely changed the vision. To be honest I'm quite disappointed with this decision. I believe that with bigger budget, improved mechanics, open world and some new things, the second game as fps could be a really solid game and a good competition to Stalker 2. To be honest, there are not many realistic shooters nowadays. :( Why did you decide to go into open world rpg creating another souls-like looking game instead of expanding the model of the first game?
Wojtek: First game was always RPG and we never attempted to create a shooter or to compete with any Stalker games, even if by locating it in the Zone they may feel similar.
We have many times smaller team and budget than Stalker 2, so we can't even try to position ourselves as the alternative - making an open-world shooter is behind our capabilities. Instead, we believe that people who enjoyed Stalker games may also like Chernobylite, but not as a continuation of their experience, but rather something complementary.
This is why we make RPG game - and we definitely are not a souls-like game, even if combat itself has similar controls and animations. But the reasons and way you fight are totally different than in souls-like games.
And in our vision Chernobylite 2 is an expansion of all the ideas behind Chernobylite 1 - we just gave more freedom and more ways of playing. The key aspect of first game was to let you experience your Chornobyl adventure in any way you want, so in second part you're getting new tools and ways of playing. But if you actually like to play the game exactly like the first part (using first-person perspective, focusing on survival and so on), you can definitely do it.
Sille_salmon: Why’s it look more like remnant than the first game?
Wojtek: Because now it's more classic action-RPG than survival horror RPG. We wanted to create a massive open world and let you play freely in any way you want - without limits of specific missions and locations.
Do_not_disturb_dot: What about random wild animacreatures?
Wojtek: Most of creatures in Chernobylite 2 are very mutated and rather not random. We don't do a lot on the side of creating a random entities, because we're small team and everything we create for the game, usually serves the purpose of story and specific events. But whenever you wander around the Zone, you also meet a lot of random appearances of different creatures and persons.
GAME MECHANICS
MrLegit827: Will there be coop/multiplayer?
Artur: Although our main focus is on the single-player experience - because that’s where we feel most confident - yes, the game will have multiplayer integrated with the main campaign. Some missions will be playable in co-op with friends, and beyond that, certain activities will be available to complete with other players. I don’t want to go into too much detail on the latter just yet, as we don’t want to promise anything we might not be able to deliver - some aspects are still limited by technical constraints.
doppelgangersearch: Will we be able to drive vehicles in the game at any point with complete control over movement?
Wojtek: We have some cool transportation vehicle in the game, but at this moment we'd like to keep its details in secret.
doppelgangersearch: One of my favorite parts of the first game was the base and building and organizing your space. Stacking mushrooms and herbs, moving lights around and organizing my resources. I was upset when the game ended and all the effort I put into my base was really not even needed because I couldn't go back to it or explore the exclusion zone and go back into my base when I wanted. Will the sequel have the ability to use the base after you complete the campaign? Like your "Tour the Zone" feature - could also let you go back to your base?
Wojtek: We definitely want to do that, especially because base building in Chernobylite 2 is way more advanced than in the first game. You can build more things, including your base layout and rooms, having many more objects to be placed in your shelter.
doppelgangersearch: I really enjoyed the simplicity of the game before the Chornobylite material took over the whole area. Will the sequel have any time where the exclusion zone is not covered in green crystals and massively irradiated enemies to combat?
Wojtek: Many places in the Zone look almost intact comparing to Chernobylite 1, but it's worth to mention that some chernobylite crystals are appearing and disappearing - it depends on different things in the story.
Background_Change412: 1. What new gameplay mechanics or features can we expect in Chernobylite 2? 2. Will there be multiple endings like in the first game? If so, how much will player choices impact the story? 3. Can we expect more survival horror elements, or is the game leaning more towards action this time? 4. How does the Zone evolve in Chernobylite 2 compared to the first game? Are there more dynamic or unpredictable events? 5. How has AI been improved for enemies and NPCs? 6. How long is the story, including side quests? 7. Are there any vehicles in the game? 8. Are you planning to add a PvP mode? 9. Will co-op be available in the demo or beta? 10. Are there any plans for mod support or user-generated content? 11. Will there be a photo mode to capture the eerie beauty of the Zone? 12. If someone hasn’t played the first Chernobylite, will they still be able to enjoy Chernobylite 2?
Artur:
1. While creating Chernobylite 2, we aimed to improve and expand absolutely every element of the prequel. Instead of closed maps, we now have a full open world. In addition to shooting, there is also melee combat (with a greater variety of weapons). There are significantly more enemies, and we've greatly expanded base-building options - now you can create entire rooms, not just place furniture. Instead of just managing psyche and HP, you now have to take care of various health parameters for your character.
2. Yes, the game will have multiple endings and a branching narrative just as complex as the sequel.
3. For us, the horror in Chernobylite has always stemmed from the atmosphere of Chernobyl and the mature stylistic approach—this remains unchanged.
4. The Zone is being increasingly altered and consumed by Chernobylite, with sinkholes forming in the ground and strange crystalline towers rising on the horizon. Other than that? It’s still Chernobyl.
5. Yes, there are significantly more enemies, and they behave in diverse ways. Also, NPCs finally no longer wear masks. ;)
6. A tough question, as everyone plays differently. 50 hours? Maybe more...
7. ;)
8. We conducted tests and decided to drop PvP. We want the game’s balance to work as best as possible for solo players.
9. Not in the demo, but in the beta, yes.
10. We would love for the game to be accessible to modders, but we don’t have much experience in that area. I think it's something we will explore further.
11. Sure.
12. Yes. We designed the game so that new players can enjoy the sequel without feeling lost. However, fans of the first game will find it easier to understand many nuances and story details. Also, familiarity with Get Even will help.
oUnDeAdXsLaYeRo: 1. Will the weapons any special effects, like legendary weapons in fallout? 2. Will weapons have weapon tiers (green, blue) like dead island etc. 3. Are weapons upgradeable?
Wojtek: We have an enhanced system of different weapon upgrades and classes. In general, you can use different power-ups, upgrades, attachments and special ammo. There are factors that inflicts how the weapon works (fire/ice/radiation) that can be also customisable.
MaximBardin: 1. Will you be able to savegame at any time like in the first game? or will there be checkpoints? 2. Will there be quick-travel? (portals, or map "fast walking like in Fallout") 3. Will the melee weapons break? (like in some "Zombie" games, I really disliked this "feature"), and if so, will you be able to fix them on the spot? 4. How often will the mobs respawn?
Artur:
1. There are checkpoints, but you can manually save the game at any time.
2. Yes, Chernobylite 2 features a network of teleporters that allow for fast travel to designated locations. The game is very large, and we don’t want you to have to revisit the same areas unnecessarily.
3. Yes, both weapons and armor can degrade. You can repair them at your base or with traders in fracton bases. Your companions can also automatically repair your gear while you sleep - if you’ve upgraded your base properly.
4. When we go to sleep. Night and day in the Zone look a bit different.
doppelgangersearch: Will the game have more perk options and abilities to spend points on? I completed the first game with about 20 points that I couldn't use. I had bought every companions skills and abilities and there was a big period of the game where progression with stopped or slowed down tremendously. I'm curious how many more abilities and skills will be added to content.
Artur: The RPG mechanics in Chernobylite 1 were quite conservative because we were hesitant to venture too far into unfamiliar territory. Now, we’re no longer afraid. In Chernobylite 2, you’ll be able to spend experience points on:
- Unlocking one of 45 skills (this time without any "cheap" weapon stat boosts - every skill will make a real difference in gameplay).
- Developing one of six character attributes (such as strength or intelligence), which will impact specific combat elements, unlock hidden dialogue options, grant access to previously unreachable areas, and improve proficiency with various equipment and weapons.
YuriTheBot: As i read on steam the main character is not customizable so does the main protagonist of chernobylite 2 is gonna be charismatic enough that players will remember it after a while? Also i have a question about the post story game mode, Do you mean that Chernobylite2 have no new game+ or no continue after the ending credits?
Wojtek: One of the reasons we made him a specific person is the will to make him charismatic. We hope you'll feel that.
But note that he's customizable in many different ways - his identity is fixed, but you decide what is the path of developing your character, and we give many tools to do that. At top of it, there is Planewalking, the special feature of the game that allows you to have more than one character at your disposal.
We definitely want to add a possibility to continue endless playing after you finish the main campaign. The scope of this feature will depend on the scale of further Kickstarter support. In the worst case we'll add this mode after the game is released as some expansion.
Tuaterstar: With the game being open world, will we see multiple player base locations?
Artur: In the early prototypes, we had multiple bases, but traveling between them felt like an unnecessary waste of time and didn’t fit the atmosphere of the prequel at all. That’s why we decided on a single base - large and packed with features. However, there’s still plenty to do and build outside of it as well.
MaximBardin: 1. How would the factions work? will there be "settlements" for each faction? how\where would they be based? (building, basement, settlement...) 2. How would the interactions between factions work? will there be faction wars? could you join one or all factions? or just do tasks for them? 3. Would you have your own base? will it be like in the first game or more like a settlement? 4. What about a Russian dub like in the first game? 5. Would it be possible to finish the game using only melee weapons? (because I've seen some huge metal monster in one video)
Artur:
1. Each faction has its own base, settlements, and zones of influence that change over time. Faction favor can be used in many ways.
2. Imagine that every character from the first Chernobylite is now a faction. You try to work with each of them to gain as much as possible, but you often have to choose sides, which comes with consequences. Additionally, each of your companions belongs to a faction… but that doesn’t necessarily mean they agree with it or share its goals. In Chernobylite, everyone is playing their own game, trying to gain the upper hand.
3. Yes, you will have a base, and its expansion options will be significantly greater than in the first game.
4. We really want to record a Ukrainian VO, but the ongoing war makes that difficult.
5. Yes, you can complete the game using only melee combat or only firearms without any issues. In fact, aside from a few exceptions, it’s even possible to finish the game without fighting at all - by simply “convincing” a potential boss to see things your way.
Winter_Bother_9514: Will there be any wild animals? Bears? Wolves? Or maybe dogs/horses?
Wojtek: There are more twisted creatures in our world than just regular animals, because the Exclusion Zone in Chernobylite 2 is the most irradiated place in the whole world. However, whatever mutants are, their origins are the real creatures you know from your life...
MaximBardin: How will your decisions influence the game world? Please explain in more detail. Would you be able to "go back" and fix things or do things differently like in the 1st game?
Wojtek: It's hard to describe it in detail in short time, but in general you build relations with people and factions, what affects the whole situation in the Zone - who's against who, what faction will have advantage over others. It will influence different story actions and random events within the Zone, as well as your situation against all the groups of Zone inhabitants. Depending on what faction is taking over the Zone, you may encounter different support or enemies.
Not exactly like in the first game. In Chernobylite 1 the system of "going back" was supposed to let you check and change events within relatively short story and limited amount of actions. In Chernobylite 2 the story itself is a way bigger, filled with more plot events and twists, so it's more about your current decisions and progression than about going back and fixing things. Changing events within such a big plot would be almost impossible or annoying. Anyway, we'll let you feel the weight of your choices, for sure.
Winter_Bother_9514: How planewalking will work? We can reassign skills? Or we need to create new character that we will be able to use, or maybe something else?
Artur: Do you know that moment in RPGs when you find a new melee weapon and want to try it out, but your character is built for ranged combat, and you don’t feel like respeccing? That’s where planewalking comes in.
It’s most similar to leading a party where you can only control one character at a time, but you can switch between them on the fly. Each of these characters is still "you," but with a different class, unique progression, and the ability to equip any fitting gear.
Of course, planewalking has its limitations. There are only four shells, you can switch only a few times per day, and if one of them dies, bringing it back to life is very difficult.
YuriTheBot: How many weapons will be in the game? Because Chernobylite 1 kinda lacks of weapon.
Wojtek: As Neo said in Matrix: Guns. Lots of guns. I guess no-one in the team knows their real number today. I'm a bit joking, because we can count this easily, but every weapon (and now there are dozens of them) has many attachments, customization options, variants and so on. Anyway, we hope you'll be satisfied.
MaximBardin: Will there be companions in the game?
Artur: Companions can sometimes join you for specific missions or battles, but they don’t travel with you all the time. Our early prototypes of a "party system" made it clear that having constant company takes away the magic of solitude in Chernobyl.
MaximBardin: Will there be that skill like in Fallout 4, where you could "stop time\slow down time", choose enemy part (with % hit chance of each part) and attack it with fire and melee weapons? it was so cool.
Artur: We have few certain abilities that manipulate time, but they work completely differently than VATS in Fallout.
LORE
Kitchen-Macaroon1202: I only have one concern for the second game: will Olivier be there?
Artur: Yes, you can expect certain characters from the prequel to appear in Chernobylite 2. However, there’s a twist - since you’ll be a planewalker traveling between worlds, you won’t have complete certainty that the reality you’ve entered is exactly the one you remember from the first game. As a result, the characters you know may recall certain events differently than you do.
141-Ghost-141: Being an RPG, will the game be akin to Fallout 4 with a voiced protagonist, or like every other Fallout game with an unvoiced protagonist?
Artur: Just like in the prequel - the protagonist speaks, but in the vast majority of cases, it’s up to the player to decide what they say and do. Our games have always featured a well-defined protagonist with a story that may seem simple and generic at first glance but actually hides many twists. Chernobylite 2 will be similar… Or maybe it won’t be, and I’m just messing with your head? ;)
Tuaterstar: What’s the design philosophy behind the new otherworldly creatures?
Artur: In this case, we drew a lot of inspiration from Stranger Things and The Expanse. At first, Chernobylite seems like a portal to an other world - a world that seeps into ours, slowly consuming and corrupting it.
But Chernobylite is not just a force of nature. While it doesn’t perceive time linearly, it is becoming increasingly adept at understanding humans and defending itself against them. It learns to manipulate our desires and fears more effectively, turning the laws of physics into a weapon. That’s why every monster, in some way, tells a story - about Chernobylite expansion, the game's protagonists, or Chernobyl itself.
doppelgangersearch: The first game barely gave you time inside Reactor 4. I understand less is more and the climax was perfect for the sarcophagus, but will the sequel allow us more time within the prominent areas without needing a short story mission to put us there? Like I wish the "tour the zone" would include the inside of Reactor 4.
Wojtek: In general, in Chernobylite 2 you can walk wherever you want - your exploration possibility is not limited by the hub and specific missions, but to access some areas, you'll need to play for a while. Let's keep the Power Plant role in the new game a bit mysterious for a while.
ChiliFlame: 1. Will the choices the player made in the first game be relevant or even used in the sequel? If so - without spoilers I'm sure - how? 2. How did the team land on the Chernobylite infused vehicles as enemies?
Wojtek:
1. Without spoilers it's almost impossible to describe how the Chernobylite 2 story is connected with the first game. But definitely not in direct connection to your choices (if you know all the endings of Chernobylite 1, you can probably imagine why).
2. That's the real story - when visiting the Zone in reality, we went under these huge rusted cranes and I said they're like metal monsters waiting for someone to breathe some demonic life into them. We started fantasizing how to make them live in the first game, but because of limited locations sizes and not really advanced animation system we couldn't afford using them within gameplay. In Chernobylite 2 it was possible to fulfill this dream and make the big metal monsters fighting with you.
_Fox_464: Wich ending is the canon one? And will the game change too much? It seems like some cheesy sci-fi show in some of the trailers Will Mikhail (litterally me) be there?
Wojtek: It would be too big a spoiler to discuss the endings of any of the Chernobylite games here. Definitely, the story of Chernobylite 2 is a continuation of the story from Chernobylite 1. But... very twisted continuation. Expect Mikhail, but remember that he's very unexpectable in what he does and how he lives.
FUTURE
chandlerr12: Are you planning a third game in the Chernobylite world if the second one succeeds?
Artur: Definitely. But first we plan to keep expanding the Chernobylite 2 for some long time, the same as we did with Chernobylite 1.
We are working on our new game! Add it to your wishlist!
https://store.steampowered.com/app/2075100/Chernobylite_2_Exclusion_Zone