I died a lot playing Stalker 2: Heart of Chornobyl.

Like the 2008 original, developer GSC Game World's long-awaited sequel is a punishing affair, because life is difficult and fleeting in the Zone--the irradiated area around Chornobyl filled with deadly, physics-defying anomalies, mutants, and various people who will kill you for just about any reason. If you fail to keep your wits about you in the Zone, your time there will end quickly, making exploring Stalker 2's open world both fascinating and oppressive.

I recently played a little more than three hours of Stalker 2 that covered the beginning of the game and its opening few missions. My experience in the Zone could sometimes get frustrating, especially after trying to take down the same group of bandits four or five times, only to get overwhelmed and shot to death or blown up by one guy's extremely well-placed grenade. But once I started to get the hang of keeping myself alive by moving cautiously, exploring, and identifying threats at a distance, I found that Stalker 2 felt harrowing and invigorating in equal measure. It requires players to be on their guard and rewards them with strange, exciting experiences in the Zone.