Stalker 2: Heart of Chornobyl's "In the Name of Science" Side Quest: A Complete Guide
Following the Visions of Truth main mission and a call from Dr. Shcherba, players embark on the side quest "In the Name of Science." This quest involves retrieving electronic collars from various mutants, leading to multiple choices impacting the outcome.
Locating the Electronic Collars
The initial task is to find five electronic collars from specific locations:
| Region | Collar Location | Mutant |
|---|---|---|
| Garbage | The Brood | Snork |
| Wild Island | Boathouse | Psy Bayun |
| Zaton | Hydrodynamics Lab | Controller |
| Malachite | Brain Scorcher | |
| Red Forest | Containers | Pseudogiant |
Note: If collars are missing, they may have been collected earlier. A console command ("XEndQuestNodeBySID E08_SQ01_S2_SetJournal_WaitForSherbaCall_Finish_Pin_0") can resolve this issue.
The Jamming Device Dilemma
After delivering the collars to Shcherba, a jamming signal is discovered. Players must investigate a device at the Storage on the Hill, west of the Roofed Warehouse. The choice is to destroy or recalibrate the jamming device:
- Destroy/Disable (Recommended): The quest progresses, yielding coupons and leading to a bloodsucker encounter and further choices.
- Recalibrate: Rewards coupons, concluding the quest.
The Final Confrontation: To Kill or Not to Kill?
Disabling the jammer leads to a call from Shcherba, more coupons, and a wait period (or console command "XStartQuestNodeBySID E08_SQ01_S3_Technical_SherbaInvitedToLab" to bypass). Upon returning, Skif receives Magic Vodka from Dr. Dvupalov, encounters bloodsuckers, and faces a trap involving PSI-radiation. The Magic Vodka negates the radiation's effects.
The final choice involves confronting Shcherba: kill him or let him go. Both choices yield the same rewards (a Gauss Gun and the "On a Leash" trophy), but letting Shcherba go maintains better relations with the scientists.
