Ultimate Guide to Completing the “Hot On The Trail Quest” in STALKER 2

Guide to the “Hot On The Trail”Quest in S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2: Heart of Chornobyl

As you navigate the Wild Lands in S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2: Heart of Chornobyl, your primary objective will be to infiltrate the Noontide Base during the Hot On The Trail quest. This mission involves tracking individuals and items while overcoming perilous terrains and confronting formidable foes.

To start the Hot On The Trail quest, you must either present a Warden Badge or deliver cargo to Professor Lodochka. Afterward, locate Dubny, who will guide you to find Strider on the rooftop, where you will recover a key from North’s body. Utilize the key to descend to the basement, navigating through sewers while eliminating mutants and zombies. Finally, report back to Strider after securing the Inductor and necessary pills to alleviate Psi radiation.

1. Initiating the Quest

Starting the Quest | Source: In-game footage

The Hot On The Trail quest launches following your discussion with Scar in a prior quest, and your choices will influence future events. To proceed, you’ll need entry to the Noontide Base. Here are the options available:

If you disclosed the broken PDA to Colonel Korshunov in the Slag Heap, you received a Warden Badge, granting direct access to the base.
If you instead showed the PDA to Scar or chose not to show it, you’ll receive the A Heavy Burden quest. Completing this quest by retrieving Noontide’s cargo will allow you into the base.

Completing “A Heavy Burden”Quest

Travel to the blue marker and search the rocky area to locate a briefcase and a PDA on a nearby corpse.
With the cargo collected, proceed along the small path towards the base. Prepare to face three Bloodsucker mutants, whose strong presence is complicated by the swampy terrain.
Be alert for tripwires near the entrance; these can trigger grenades if disturbed.

2. Meeting Dubny and Strider

Upon entering the Noontide Base, your next goal will be to find Dubny. Depending on your method of entry, interact with Dubny to receive instructions for locating Strider.

Take the stairs in the main base and head left to discover wooden planks leading to a hole.
Follow this pathway to reach Dubny. He will then instruct you to seek out Strider, who is managing an emergency scenario.

Guidelines to Reach Strider

Follow the yellow marker until you enter a large space with injured guards at the entrance.
Upon entry, go left of the minivan and advance toward the far wall. Pass through the second gap in the wall.
Jump onto the middle section of the train and exit through the gap in the fence.
Crouch through obstacles and navigate via the first gap on the right wall.
Circle around the room’s fumes to reach the opposing side, then take the wooden platforms to find Strider.

3. WPS Underground Area

After your encounter with Strider and presenting the PDA, you’ll need to reconnect with Lodochka, who will direct you to the WPS building to finalize this segment of the quest.

On your way, you’ll intercept a radio message that updates your quest objective to locate survivors.
Discover them in a nearby building; they will inform you about a mutant breach.
They’ll also instruct you to collect a key from North, who can be found on the rooftop.

Accessing the Rooftop

Disregard the primary building and follow the yellow marker towards a smaller adjacent structure.
Upon entering, ascend the stairs on your right to reach the middle level.
Leap across the broken floors towards the container and ascend the next staircase.
Defeat any zombies encountered and climb the ladder to access the rooftop.
North’s body will be situated on the pipes near a small table, from which you must retrieve the key.
Afterward, follow the yellow marker to the basement entrance, using parkour to navigate downward.
With the key acquired, you may also access North’s cabin beside the container you previously jumped on.

4. The Final Showdown with the Mutant

Defeating the Mutant | Source: In-game footage

To progress with the quest, descend into the basement and navigate the sewer path, which contains acid traps. Afterward, you will encounter the mutant.

The final boss battle occurs in the WPS basement, where you’ll face additional zombies and a potent mutant, which inflicts damaging PSI radiation.
This unique radiation drains health and creates visual distortions, necessitating strategic play.
Utilize a hit-and-run tactic: find cover during charges and counterattack when feasible.
A shotgun is advised for close encounters, while a scoped weapon is beneficial for dealing with the zombies.

Concluding Steps

Post-defeating the mutant, follow the path to collect the Inductor and pills that mitigate Psi radiation.
In the hallway leading to the exit, bypass the staircase to discover the Monolith Stash on your left; its contents may be minimal since it could be looted already.
If you accepted the Shift Change quest, prepare to battle Hog and other hostile humans on your exit.
Return to Strider to successfully conclude the quest.

This guide equips you with the knowledge and confidence to tackle the Hot On The Trail quest in S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2. Remain vigilant, manage resources wisely, and adapt to the challenges that surface.

5. Overview of S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2: Heart of Chornobyl

S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2: Heart of Chornobyl is a next-generation sequel that promises an exhilarating gameplay experience. This much-anticipated title blends action, survival, and horror aspects, set against the captivating backdrop of the Chornobyl Exclusion Zone.

Players will immerse themselves in a branching narrative that unfolds within this post-apocalyptic setting, where their decisions shape the outcome. Prepare to face daunting challenges and moral choices that prompt deep engagement with the world around you.

Are you ready to explore the depths of Chornobyl?

Source & Images

Ultimate Guide to Completing the “Hot On The Trail Quest” in STALKER 2