So, you’ve been happily rummaging throughSTALKER 2‘s Exclusion Zone, hunting for artifacts, only to grow sick and tired of the Echo detector? Worry not, because this game has three upgraded versions of the detector to choose from, each better than the last. You just have to hunt them down.
For franchise veterans jumping back into the thick of it, none of what I’m about to discuss below is going to be a novelty.All the classic detectors fromCall of Pripyatare making a triumphant return inSTALKER 2as well, with the special addition of a new mid-tier option for the earlier stages of the game.No matter which one you choose to go with, though, rest assured that the starting Echo detector is absolutely the worst of the bunch, and you should upgrade from it as early as possible. Here’s how to get your hands on some of the alternatives!
All Detectors found in STALKER 2: Heart of Chornobyl
There’s a grand total of four unique detector models to be found inSTALKER 2:
I’ve listed them here in the order of utility/Koupon investment, and it’s worth pointing out right off the bat that it may take a while before you can upgrade from the Echo over to anything else. Most curiously, even thoughSTALKER 2does provide you with newer-generation detectors as you progress through the staggeringly long main questline, youcanget each of the featured detectors before that. You just need to be a bit lucky with your traders’ stock, honestly.
Here are the special missions that will unlock specific detectors inSTALKER 2:
That being said, I’ve happily purchased a Hilka-type detector without playing the “Budmo!” side mission simply by finding it in the Barkeep’s inventory over at the 100 Rads Bar in Rostok. It only took a few more hours for me to find one lying about in the overworld, possibly as a randomized drop populated by the game. In other words, everything suggests there are multiple ways of upgrading your detector of choice, though completing the appropriate missions is the most straightforward way to get them.
How do different Detectors work in STALKER 2?
As soon as you pick up a new detector inSTALKER 2, it’s going to be immediately apparent that there’s a minor learning curve to using it in practice. Veterans will already have this well in hand, I’m sure, but for the newcomers, here’s a quick cheat sheet explaining how each of the game’s detectors functions:
To be perfectly clear, a skilled Stalker will be able to use the Echo Detector to find virtually any Artifact in the game. Upgraded detectors, however, make this process way more accessible so that you don’t have to risk your neck willy-nilly. So, the more you pay for your detector, the more information it will provide during your Artifact hunts.
Even if you have no intention of buying a Veles Detector, should you find one in a trader’s inventory, I recommend upgrading to Hilka and/or Bear, as they’re incomparably more useful than the baseline Echo Detector.
