On the Edge: Stalker 2 Quest Walkthrough

During the story mission Just Like the Good Old Days in S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2: Heart Of Chornobyl, when you need to help fix the ventilation and find the signal source, a marker for this side quest will appear on the map. We explain how to fend off the attack of Monolith fighters, bypass the Bulba anomaly, find the hidden weapon of Koldu, locate the surgical kit of Nikolaich, and neutralize Uncle Lenya.

Head northwest from the Sphere to reach Zalesye and start this side mission. First, help the allied group fend off the Monolith fighters, after which the door where you can talk to Batya will open.

After a brief dialogue, help fend off the second wave of enemies, who surprisingly do not use grenades. We advise using long-range tactics, gradually eliminating each Monolith fighter. Now enter the same room and talk to Koldu in the adjacent room.

After talking to Koldu, you will have to fend off a pack of dogs and then talk to Hamster, marked on the map, from whom you need supplies. Upon entering the bunker where the man is hiding, you will face a choice: either pay 6000 coupons for the guard to leave or eliminate both. But even if you decide to pay, you will still have to deal with Hamster.

After completing the request, return to Koldu and inform him about the successful retrieval of supplies. Then approach Batya and talk to him to receive 1000 coupons as a reward.

In the same house where Koldu and Batya are located, enter the room on the right and talk to the stalker named Nikolaich to accept an optional quest.

After the conversation, Nikolaich will send coordinates of the surgical kits to your PDA. As a first step, we recommend finding the kit with vodka and medicine, which is located in the center of the location. Head through the houses in Zalesye, enter the makeshift shed, and find the stash.

The path to the second kit will be uneventful, but do not underestimate the place where it is located. This is Bulba — an anomalous zone that will constantly pull you inside, even if you are 20 meters from its center. Be prepared to act cautiously to avoid getting caught in its trap. If you start getting pulled in, continue using a quick run to minimize the anomaly's effect and avoid approaching its center.

If you have enough medkits with you, besides the second part of the surgical kit, we recommend getting inside and retrieving the new artifact — Strange Ball. Thanks to it, bullets in combat will deal less damage, especially if you are standing still.

The third part of the kit (left) is located in a semi-destroyed hut situated over a chasm. As you approach, a pack of rats will attack the hero. Use a grenade to get rid of all the rodents. After that, enter the hut and take the kit. Then return to Nikolaich for a conversation, and afterwards, approach Batya to receive 1000 coupons as a reward.

In addition to the request to deal with Hamster, Koldu will also ask you to find his weapon and give you the coordinates. Head to the blue marker on the map, which points to the technician's hideout.

Enter the room, take the Companion Rifle, and return to the man for a conversation. You can choose not to give Koldu his weapon if you need it — just don't start a dialogue with him. If you decide to return the rifle, you will receive 1000 coupons as a reward.

The path to Uncle Lenya's house will take almost a kilometer, and since the guide turned out to be a traitor, you will have to walk. Along the way, you are likely to be attacked by both bandits and dogs. We recommend not wasting time fighting and just ignoring them.

Upon arriving at the marker, you will see that the house door is initially open, and if you look closely, you will notice a trap. Disarm it, enter inside, and interact with the radio.

After listening to the message, fend off the ambush set by Uncle Lenya, then eliminate him. Take the PDA and return to Zalesye to talk to Batya and complete the quest.

Although the quest is considered complete after the final report to Batya, as soon as you move a few hundred meters away from Zalesye, the Monolith fighters will return, and you will have to help the village stalkers repel the attack. The most challenging part of this battle is the numerical superiority of the enemies — they will attack in waves of 10-15 people. Try to prepare in advance, stock up on enough medical supplies and ammunition to avoid failing the quest.

Successfully fending off the Monolith fighters, enter the assembly hall and watch the cutscene. After the second Monolith attack, the scene with Batya, when you meet him in the main hall, may not trigger for unknown reasons. In some cases, the NPC may block the door of the main building, preventing you from entering and completing the quest. If you talk to Koldu before completing the additional tasks, the second Monolith attack may start too early or not trigger at all. This will lead to the destruction of Zalesye (all NPCs will die), and you will fail the mission. In all the above cases, all you can do is load the last save.