Stalker 2: Heart of Chornobyl (stylised as S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2) has one of the less forgiving inventory management systems in gaming. As such, juggling items can be difficult, but there are ways to ease the burden.
Stalker 2 is designed to be an unforgiving experience across the board. Resources are rare, food is scarce, and weapons are expensive to maintain. Meanwhile, the world is actively trying to kill the player at all times.
You’ll want to be able to pick up as much as possible when you come across it, but the game’s carry weight system can be quite restrictive. There also isn’t any leveling system, so it isn’t possible to increase a stat to improve your capacity.
Without delving into the murky world of mods, here are the best ways to carry more stuff in Stalker 2.
Buy Carrying Capacity armor upgrades
Some of the armor found in Stalker 2 can be directly upgraded to allow the player to carry more. To do this, head over to a Technician and see if the modification is available for the armor you’re wearing. If not, you’ll have to track down some alternative apparel.
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Equip Artifacts that grant additional carry weight
Found in the terrifying gravitational anomalies that litter the Zone, Artifacts grant a variety of different buffs and passive benefits when equipped. Some (like the Stone Blood), will give a direct increase to the amount you can carry while actively on your character.
Reduce weapon weight via upgrades
While you’re at the Technician, it’s worth checking to see if any of your weapons are able to have their weight reduced. Though this can be expensive, it’s worth doing if you’ve tracked down a weapon that you want to remain a staple in your arsenal for the foreseeable future.
Take the Hercules Drug
One of the rarer finds throughout the Zone, the Hercules Drug adds +20 to the player’s carry weight for 300 seconds. If you have one of these, it’s worth saving for when you find a loot heavy area, so you can get as much back to the nearest settlement as possible, before storing extraneous items in your stash.
Special Stalker suits come with additional carry weight
While out and about on your travels, you may come across certain Stalker suits that intrinsically increase the amount you can carry. The Cuirass Exoskeleton is a great example of this, adding 8kg to the amount you can carry without being overencumbered.