2by weaponising its monsters instead of shooting its guns, my one-with-nature experiment was yielding mixed results.

A trip to rescue a Catholic stalkers treasured icon nearly solves both my problems at once.

Sadly, not even the Zones deadliest hunters are a match for the Zone itself.

A Bloodsucker attacks in STALKER 2: Heart of Chornobyl.

IsntA-Life supposed to be broken?

Why does it keep spitting out roaming bands of dickheads to kill my pets on sight?

The problem, I decide, is that Im adopting them from the wrong places.

A dead Bloodsucker lays next to the whirligig anomaly that killed it in STALKER 2: Heart of Chornobyl.

All the more infuriating, then, when none of that happens.

And just like that, its back to moping.

Still, I oblige, heading off to explore the terrain and scale an unfinished high-rise.

Roaming amateur stalkers shoot down a Flesh mutant in STALKER 2: Heart of Chornobyl.

If it pans out I can at least have the slightest taste of what successful beastmastering would vaguely resemble.

Its another Bloodsucker, and yes, hell do.

The bandits from earlier, too, have finally abandoned their camp.

Holding Solder at gunpoint in STALKER 2: Heart of Chornobyl.

Its the vehicle yard where Id previously dodged that lone shooter, and he willalsodo.

Maybe the first fella left.

The sucker is relentless, shrugging off multiple point-blank buckshot shells before felling him as well.

A Snork attacks during a storm in STALKER 2: Heart of Chornobyl.

Im satisfied, though, with this positive K/D ratio.

Hey Semy, isnt that funny?

Alright, Get lost, I hear ya.

A Duty lieutenant tells Skif to get lost in STALKER 2: Heart of Chornobyl.

A Bloodsucker ambush in STALKER 2: Heart of Chornobyl.

A Bloodsucker attacks a Duty soldier in STALKER 2: Heart of Chornobyl.

A slain Duty lieutenant in STALKER 2: Heart of Chornobyl.