Stalker 2: Cost of Hope leads players into picking two different paths; both are reasonable on their own, and both lead to new missions and cutscenes that drastically change the theme of the storyline. Unlike the main game, where players had to choose between four separate endings, Cost of Hope allows players to pick between two. Both endings are unique, and one could certainly make tons of arguments to make both sides a reasonable choice to end the storyline. One thing in common in both ending, they are both depressing and end in the death of major characters; I’m going to keep the spoilers minimal in this guide.
Here I will go through the trigger point for both endings in the DLC, unlock information, reward details, and lastly which ending is the good one compared to the other in Stalker 2: Cost of Hope.
S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2 Cost of Hope – Point Of No Return
The option to choose different endings shows up during ‘ The Destructive Power of the Mind’ quest. This quest unlocks automatically after completing the main missions: Moving in the Shadows, Shadows of the Past, and To the Origins of Freedom. I highly recommend you create a backup save point here to help you go back to this point in the story so you can complete the story to see the other ending.
Stalker 2: Cost of Hope features two endings: Duty Ending and Freedom Ending. Once you have picked a side, there is no going back to switch sides to change the storyline.
During the Destructive Power of the Mind mission, when the heist comes to an end and you are close to recovering the stolen technology from Nord and the Mercenaries. You must decide what to do with the technology. Here, we have two people: Zulu and Mavka, two people with two different worldviews and two separate ideas on what should be done with the technology.
Zulu is more critical of the technology and what it unfolds in the future; Mavka, on the other hand, is very optimistic about using the technology to make the world better. In short, Zulu is all about destroying technology. Mavka wants to use it, and you must decide which one is right and wrong by going with one dialogue option:
- #1 “Zulu, you’re wrong.“ Here you are siding with Mavka, which leads to the Freedom Ending.
- #2 “Mavka, back off.“– Here you are siding with Zulu, which opens the game to the Duty Ending.
Freedom Ending| Choosing Mavka Side
The storyline and the quests from The Destructive Power of the Mind will change from the Zulu Ending. Here you will get a complete set of brand new quests that differ from the other ending:
- Status Quo
- Dangerous Way
- Uninvited Guests
Lastly, all three quests will end with one final quest, “The Price of a Miracle”, which stays common between both endings. The last mission will play out the consequences of your choice by choosing Mavka over Zulu in the Destructive Power of the Mind mission.
Unlocks: Here is a list of items that get unlocked via Freedom Route: Guardian (A customized Saiga D-12), Leichtfuchs (a customized ARev), and Freedom’s Bounty (a customized Kharod).
Duty Ending| Choosing Zulu Side
Same as Freedom Ending, here we will encounter three completely different quests before ending with the finale. These quests are:
- In Memory of the Fallen
- The Road to the Center of the Storm
- Gunpowder, Sweat, and Blood
And lastly, finally ending it all with “The Price of Miracle.” Just like in the Freedom ending, the Duty ending will have a different storyline and key moments different from the other ending. Again, the consequences of your decision to side with Zulu over Mavka will play out here.
Unlocks: Stranger’s Rifle (Customized Dnipro) and Mriya (Mavka’s Personal Sniper Rifle)
Which Ending is the Good One?
Duty Ending makes more sense to be considered to be the good one, as Zulu is always seen as the best in humanity and Zone as a destructive force to humankind. In comparison, Mavka views the Zone as a blessing from the god of humanity.
And we have played countless video games and watched countless movies where accepting the abnormal source always ends in disaster. We have seen that unfold in Doom and the Assassin’s Creed Franchise. Destroying the source of abnormality is an ideal step to make the world a better place rather than accepting the ugly side of nature. None of them can be counted as a happy ending; at the end of the day, it is a Stalker game, and the Zone always wins.
