Much like theFalloutfranchise, theSTALKERseries is full of all manner of mutated creatures that threaten the inhabitants of the Zone.The Zone itself, which encompasses roughly the same area that the real-world Chernobyl Exclusion Zone does, is a desolate, irradiated wasteland dotted with the overgrown ruins of the former Soviet Union.
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It’d truly be a sight behold if it wasn’t also an utterly nightmarish place where unexplained phenomena occur on a regular basis, with the aforementioned mutants that infest it contributing majorly to this hellish state of affairs. Here is a list of some of the most dangerous and otherworldly mutant enemies that players are likely to encounter in theSTALKERseries.
8Psydog: Exactly What It Sounds Like
The Psydog might look like the more generic Pseudodog, however, it is far more deadly due to its abilities. As its name suggests, the Psydog haspsychic abilitiesthat affect the minds of humans. In-game this translates to it being able to create illusionary copies of itself that will swarm and attempt to overwhelm its prey.
The real Psydog will retreat as this is happening, only attacking after its prey is incapacitated. Killing the Psydog copies will just cause it to make more. This creature’s psychic abilities are somewhat similar to that of the Controller.
7Snork: When Stalkers Live Up To The Name
Stalkers tend to become very familiar with the Zone as a result of their constant exploration of the area. The Snork is what happens when a Stalker (or really any human soldier) becomes a little too familiar with the Zone. These horrifically mutated humans might look like nothing more than ragged and emaciated Stalkers, but they are extremely dangerous due to their inexplicablyenhanced strength, reflexes, and seemingly feral nature.
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Snorks are voracious cannibals and while their sight is poor they have an excellent sense of smell, which they will use to pursue and devour any human that they can get their savage hands on.
6Bloodsucker: The Zone’s Very Own Vampires
Bloodsuckers are perhaps theSTALKERseries' most famous mutant enemy (both in-universe and out), to the point that it has received more attention than any other inSTALKER 2’spromotion media. No one knows where Bloodsuckers come from, but these Cthulhu-looking beasts are generally known to roam swamps and underground recesses, creating lairs in which they will stash their prey for later consumption.
This entails using their large facial tentacles to literally drain blood from the body, hence the name “Bloodsucker.” Curiously, they have the ability to engage active camouflage at will, though they are at their weakest when doing so (except inSTALKER: Clear Sky). Bloodsuckers are the subject of legend for many Stalkers and serve as a symbol of both the inhospitality and alien nature of the Zone.
5Burer: Size Matters Not
Burers are short in stature but no less dangerous to the average Stalker. Preferring to stay inthe dark and dirty undergroundsof the Zone (where they will mostly feed on corpses), these stocky mutants sport several telekinetic and psychic abilities that make them one of the toughest enemies to engage inSTALKER: Call of Pripyat.They can throw objects, create a telekinetic shield, drain the player’s stamina, generate a potentially devastating shockwave and even rip the player’s weapon right out of their hands.
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Burers are also known to travel in groups, so if one is encountered there is likely another or even several close by. In-universe lore points to genetic experimentation on criminals by the Secret Service as the Burer’s causal origin.
4Controller: Too Brainy For Their Own Good
Near the center of the Zone, one may find themselves encountering a somewhat humanoid creature with a big head and even bigger anger issues - the Controller. Controllers have a similar origin to Burers in that they are a result of genetic experimentation by the Secret Service and possess powerful psychic abilities.
In addition to their powerful psychic bolts, they can mentally affect both the player and NPCs, negatively affecting the former’s aiming and flat-out taking control of the latter. Players can avoid the Controller’s telepathic assault as long as they don’t look directly at them, though there’s not much NPCs can do about having their minds taken over.
3Poltergeist: Somebody Call Steven Spielberg
Like many aspects of the Zone, Poltergeists have pretty much zero explanation. These ghostly enemies roam the derelict ruins of the Zone and will attack unsuspecting players with a wide range of abilities including telekinesis, gravitational anomalies, and even fireballs (Poltergeists that do this are known as Pyrogeists).
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Fortunately, Poltergeists aren’t very tough and will die rather quickly from conventional small-arms fire. Unlike the latter two games, the Poltergeists inShadow of Chernobylactually have a physical body that is visible upon death. Otherwise, these enemies simply appear as a ball of lightning of either blue or red coloration.
2Chimera: Two For The Price Of One
Mirroring old Greek mythology, one of theSTALKERseries' deadliest mutants is the Chimera, a multi-headed beast that may result from scientific meddling. The Chimera has a body that resembles a lion, a bear’s claws, and two heads that actually resemble a human more than anything.
These mutants are capable of incredible feats of strength and speed, being able to jump great distances and even flip over a car all on their own.These creatures are also very tough, in part thanks to their having double of several major organs, meaning that the player ought to pack a few explosives or high damaging ranged weapons to combat them. The Chimera only appears inSTALKER: Call of Pripyat.
1Pseudogiant: Three Tons Of ‘Em
The Pseudogiant looks rather suspiciously like a man - or rather a man after he’s mutated into a hideous, almost blobfish-looking creature with disproportionately sized limbs and a tail, that is. While the Pseudogiant’s origins are still a mystery, it can be inferred that they aren’t a result of any experimentation as they lack the trademark psychic abilities that lab-grown horrors like the Burer and Controller have (though they are somewhat radioactive even after death).
This, however, doesn’t mean it isn’t one of the most dangerous mutants that Stalkers will face out in the Zone. They have enhanced strength and inhuman resilience, both of which contribute to it being one of, if not the most powerfulmutant enemiesin the series to date.
