STALKER 2 has some impressive features mixed into its gameplay. For example, the immersion STALKER 2 gives its players is superior, thanks to Unreal Engine 5's improved graphics. The game also mixes survival elements for more realistic gameplay and provides plenty of new weapons and attachments for players to enjoy. On top of that, the NPCs are reactive to player actions, and the game comes with several endings that allow for greater replayability.

Of all the cool features that make STALKER 2 stand out, one of its most important features is receiving some much-needed criticism. In STALKER 2, like in similar games, weapons and gear don't last forever. Eventually, and with prolonged use, the durability of items wears down. While players can replace their gear, part of the game is investing in these items and upgrading them to be their best. So, replacing them isn't ideal, which is where repairs come into play.

Repairs Cost Too Much In STALKER 2

Repairing Weapons Or Replacing Them, That Is The Question

Players just starting out in STALKER 2 and who have no experience with the original trilogy might find it challenging to figure out what weapons to use long-term. With so many weapons to choose from, it can certainly be overwhelming, even for seasoned players. However, that's part of the fun – experimenting with different weapons until you find one you love. Once you find the weapon for you, it becomes all about upgrading and enhancing the weapon with better components.

Upgrading weapons requires an investment of resources, but that's how you strengthen your weapons to beat enemies like Electric and Fire Poltergeists. Still, even upgrades won't stop weapons from losing their durability and eventually requiring repairs. As it stands right now, though, repairs cost too much in STALKER 2. Great gear comes at great cost, so it might not be worth the investment.

Make those repairs sooner rather than later; repairing items before they hit 50% durability will save some of the cost, since the cost scales with the loss of item durability.

If your weapon is too damaged, sometimes it's better – and cheaper – to move on and replace your damaged weapon with a new one, but that defeats the purpose of upgrading your weapon and making it stronger. It can be frustrating to spend precious resources on upgrading weapons in STALKER 2 and then disposing of them because repairs are too costly. The stronger and more upgraded the weapon is, the more it'll cost to fix, too.

This feature may be getting an overhaul, but in the meantime, there's not really an in-game solution. Until a potential rework, there are workarounds in the form of mods, like the Reduced Repair Cost mod from grind to get more money to afford these repairs.

Future Updates Could Make Repairs Worthwhile

Developers Seem To Listen To Their Fanbase

STALKER 2 is receiving its first patch this week, bringing good news for players. The announcement of patches on Steam mentions, "Fixing the price of the weapons with upgrades installed compared to their value without attachments." Though it is ambiguous what that means for the general cost of repairs, it seems that the price of weapons will be more balanced when the patch hits this week. That points to the developers listening to their player base, which is a good look for the game's future.

The STALKER 2 patch also includes:

• Crash fixes
• Main quest progression fixes
• Gameplay and balance adjustments
• Cutscenes and visual fixes
• Softlock fixes
• interface improvements

Developers are already promising a future update with more fixes to come. Hopefully, these updates will continue to address player concerns and keep STALKER 2 constantly improving.

Sources: hwk/Nexus Mods, Steam