Meanwhile, the hardest difficulty setting will not only make the gameplay more difficult, it will also strip back certain HUD and UI elements.

Of the major releases that are still lined up for the remainder of 2024, S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2: Heart of Chornobyl is one in particular that has caught the eye of many. With the open world survival horror first-person shooter set to launch just a little over a month from now, developer GSC Game World is continuing to roll out new details on it- including what we can expect from the experience as far as its approach to difficulty is concerned.

Speaking with Windows Central, the developer revealed that S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2 will have three difficulty settings available at launch- though even by default, it has been designed as a challenging experience. According to GSC Game World, even when played on Normal difficulty, S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2 is going to be a difficult game. Meanwhile, the harder option will be even more challenging, with even tougher gameplay being paired with elements of the HUD and UI being removed.

“At release, we’ll have three difficulties, but at ‘normal difficulty, the game is already tuned to be really difficult,” the studio says. “We have an even higher difficulty mode that doesn’t just make the gameplay more difficult, but also strips back HUD and UI elements.”

S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2: Heart of Chornobyl is due out on November 20 for Xbox Series X/S and PC, and will also be available via Game Pass at launch.