Monolith is a pretty interesting faction especially with the lore increase in stalker 2 and maybe you could throw in loners (stalkers) and bandits with them because monolith is composed of brainwashed loners and bandits
I had honestly expected a kind of reversal, that duty would thrive under the zones new management and freedom would have taken a hit. The duty announcements at the cement factory sound uninspired now, and Rostok feels so different under Freedom, even as a friend to Freedom it feels off.
True. Honestly, I would rather have Freedom weaken bcoz they are at best organized loners that are basically acting as the semi-competent militia that is supposedly protecting the zone, all while tolerating drug use, deals with mercs, deals with bandits (possibly implied in SOC amd CS) and other bollockery. Duty meanwhile actually had a chance cuz they were more or less a competent military-tier fighting force with standardization and all that.
@@Fanatic808 Wouldn't be surprised if this was adressed by a future DLC, since Stalker 2 doesn't have any faction mechanics compared to its predecessors. I honestly hope it would just be added into the main story as a sequence of side jobs and new mechanics when working for the factions. Storming Rostok with Duty could be absolutely amazing.
Oh great Wisefish, I have been subbed to you since your 10 Disturbing Vaults video. I will be looking forward to your S.T.A.L.K.E.R. content with great interest!
Im assuming it was forced on them by the ward since they forced the peace in the zone. Probably knew duty wouldnt like them messing with the wish granter and so forced them to an unfavorable position for em.
@@4Pickledonions from the way it’s implied in the game it doesn’t sound like they lost Rostok in a battle but were forced to give it up without a fight by the ward
While it's certainly no Rostok, the Cement Factory still seems like a pretty decent base. I just question the wisdom of the bar having a second floor with a railing and that is only accessible by ladder. Seems like that would lend itself to a lot of injuries from falls.
@@printisdead1983 so far in stalker 2 unless you really go out of your way to antagonize a group like outright attacking their door guards at their main base you won't get hated by anyone other than the ward and maybe spark if you side with the ward (havent done that yet). Like I accidently shot a guy outside malachite and got a message saying "the scientists think you're the boogeyman"
@justinmacdonald2102 i didnt leave the lesser zone till 20 hours in did every job and mission i could and grabbed every stash there was, ive never played stalker before ,dont know what to expect so i stocked Up, fully upgraded three weapons and have moved on to the Garbage region, only real problems i have so far are like ten of those headless pig things spawning out of no where aftet ive already reconned the area and was clear, but even with its bugs , i gotta say this game is good, all i yern for is just some better voice acting or even just more lines idk sometimes it takes me out of the game, i dont see why everyone is upset about the weight limits like isnt that a major aspect of the game, i come from the og RE inventory management time lol ,besides ive realized i shouldnt carry 100 medkits lol, and ive got every bullet i can have on me , all calibers for each weapon i carry , im ALWAYS ENCUMBERED LOL
now im curious wat did serdorovich do to piss off new recruits tat moved to the freedom side....did he became greedy after strelok accomplished in the center of Prypyat?? i need to know
I did say in the video, at the time they went to him there was no medic there so he was ripping off new recruits basically because he was able to get a monopoly on them, if they didn’t get the med packs they’d die so they were indebted to him, eventually I guess they paid off the debt and just ran away from that part of the zone. But yeah seems Sido just became money hungry and maybe annoyed that his part of the zone wasn’t the main entry hub anymore for recruits anymore, Zalissya is.
@@WiseFish damn, i hav high respects to stalkers, now freedom is the new stalkers...no wonder the map looks different, even the swamps are unrecognizable...i wonder wat happen to clear aku 🤔
Sidorovich was always known to be very stingy and a lot of people were fed up with him even ten years ago. He simply pushed his monopoly in the area a little too much.
Stalker 2 put Freedom and Duty into some real perspective for me on what they do for the zone, despite their lack of attention. I hope future updates expands on them and really fleshes out that the zone needs both of them.
I wouldn't say Duty ever was the most powerful faction. That'd be the official military by technicality. Duty have had mutant problems and always Freedom in they're side. Another critic I got is the funding part. It's never said they are funded by the Ukrainian government. (Unless I have missed something from my own lore dives) It's more implied they have corrupt military officers that help them out because of they're old ties to the Military. Alongside that complaint, I'd say the factions in general (Freedom & Duty's) goals are a bit exaggerated. Maybe that's just me. Either way it's nice to see more high quality S.T.A.L.K.E.R content in this community so can't complain much more than that.
When I was younger, 16 or 17, I was all about freedom. I loved their idea of using the zone for good and that it shouldn’t belong to anybody and everybody outside could enjoy the advancements from it. Now that I’m older, I’ve sided with duty. The horrors of the zone are not even realized until it gets into the hands of governments and corporations. That’s exactly why it was born in the first place. Imagine governments using psi emitters on their own people, using artifacts or anomalous energy for wars and domination, power hungry individuals gladly using its powers for evil. I realized that humanity should not have access to the zone, and none of what it produces should escape its confines. The cons far outweigh the pros. We see this with the ward ending, the horrors of a large conglomerate gaining control over the zone are not even fully realized. Just a glimpse, global surveillance.
The freedom members probably also get things done because they can casually talk to other ranks with no issue, so communication is much easier. As a portlander, freedom sounds like my kind of faction XD
freedomer here, (2 ironman runs in gamma playing freedom), this faction strengt relies on its adaptability, in all games is hinted that the zone is "concius" and is in peace with those who are in peace with it, like Noah and Doc with their domesticated pseudo-dogs. if there is a faction that the zone can help, besides monolith, is freedom.
@@YesterMoon47 cus duty is based on actual military, and the military law says clearly you obey the command of your higher ups without question, that's how the military works
I wish they had duty and freedom team up to take on the ward. Duty being the military arm of the faction and freedom becoming the the support and logistics. As it stands the factions are in such disarray it almost feels useless to have them in the game now.
@@austinguthrie5528 Depends on what system you're using but the game is pretty buggy at the moment I mean it's a bit better now cuz of updates and I love it nonetheless on PC performance is lacking
As much as I agree with Duty in terms of goals and mindset, the Zone is just way too dangerous for your average untrained unequipped civilian, I feel I'd fit better with Freedom on a personal level. I still very much like how cool Duty's uniforms are compared to Freedom. I also am upset by what Ward did to Duty, threw them out of their original home in Rostok and into the Cement Factory which might as well be the boonies or back end slums of the Zone. And all this for a forced peace with Freedom so Ward can rise up and fulfill their own selfish agendas.
@@daniellau9177 I wouldn't say like the Brotherhood of Steel that's a baseline assumption they are way different Freedom is fully made out of loners, poachers, and criminals etc
Not really. Duty is more like army for washouts. They do the exact same thing as the army but they are comprised of stalkers. They also don't particularly care about hoarding weapons or anything else, they are literally just about purging mutants and finding a way to make the Zone go away. Unfortunately, they are tragically misguided. They are trying to use firepower and force to stop literal nature and they have gotten exactly nowhere since they started. Freedom are... not quite anarchists and they are not nearly as althuristic in their goals as the video makes them sound. They like to believe that they are working for the good of humanity, but what they actually want is just freedom from societal constraits. Essentially, they found a place where they can do whatever they want whenever they want without anyone enforcing some arbitrary rules on them and they are pretty much just enjoying the living. Their beat with Duty is almost completely one-sided and Freedom largely has no interest in fighting Duty besides just stopping it from bringing the outside world and its many constrictions into the Zone. Freedom believes that the Zone is great exactly as it is and everyone who simply takes what it freely offers can greatly benefit. They don't hate Duty or deliberately oppose it, they mostly just want to be left alone. Some of them even speak positively about Duty because them hunting mutants benefits Freedom too.
If I'm being honest, I feel like ward is a lame replacement for duty. Just feels weird that duty and freedom feel like they barely even exist even though you see them everywhere
@@donnym3415 that’s my problem with the factions as a whole they’re there but they don’t do anything. Especially for Duty and Freedom beyond a couple side missions you have no real interaction with them.
@@donnym3415 I only remember seeing a duty squad one time. I must have completely missed their base because I never saw it. 90 hours in and finished the story without ever running into them.
@Fanatic808 oh yeah 100%. You have zero interaction with duty and you help out barkeep once...that's it. Come on devs. Oldest factions and you sideline them come on guys
I wouldn't think of factions like that. There's no best faction, only the one that you think has the better idea. For me, that may have been Clear Sky, but they've been disbanded and destroyed.
@@l0rf I’m playing through the original game atm so I was just wondering out of duty or freedom who’s better I do think duty look cooler but freedom being like potheads fits well with me aha
@motionadapt1589 Yeah, Duty didn't really sit right with me. The Zone is incredibly dangerous, but to just outright destroy it and block all access to it like the Duty guys want to do? No, that's just wrong. That's like finding a new book in the library, not liking the content, and then burning the library down. Freedom is maybe too carefree with the Zone, but I can get along with them.
Ironically, Freedom wears military colors, and Duty wears anarchist colors. SVOBODOLG! 3:37 Theoretically, that should produce a libertarian meritocracy. 6:51 Stand out by blending in. Flectarn seems like an ideal camo for the Zone. 7:10 A left-handed gas mask! 17:23 / 17:53 Voronin was strategic-minded. He knew that it was a savvy move to let Freedom guard the Barrier to the North, otherwise Duty would have to spread their manpower out more. That's what Skull and his splinter couldn't comprehend. 17:48 [cue Massive Attack's 'Superpredators' ('The Jackal' intro rendition)] 18:16 Wolf was also trying to help them, right? Wasn't he the one who delivered "the package?"
All I know is the ward is like the stormcloaks in Skyrim, morons and assholes doing their own thing and if you don’t get involved they’ll try to force you or kill you.
I thought the same about spark I didn't realize I didn't have to help the Ward at first and since I did they were like super nice so I just stuck with them. Then my second lady through I didn't and they were assholes. So my conclusion is there all assholes
Hope you all enjoy the lore video Stalkers! Let me know who you want next in the faction series!
Monolith is a pretty interesting faction especially with the lore increase in stalker 2 and maybe you could throw in loners (stalkers) and bandits with them because monolith is composed of brainwashed loners and bandits
MONOLITH
Monolith and Clear Sky.
CHEEKI BREEKI
Yes stalker lore videos
Man as much as I love STALKER 2 I hate how dirty they did the factions
Yaaaaa, I’m kinda ashamed of Duty now. 🤦♂️
I had honestly expected a kind of reversal, that duty would thrive under the zones new management and freedom would have taken a hit. The duty announcements at the cement factory sound uninspired now, and Rostok feels so different under Freedom, even as a friend to Freedom it feels off.
True. Honestly, I would rather have Freedom weaken bcoz they are at best organized loners that are basically acting as the semi-competent militia that is supposedly protecting the zone, all while tolerating drug use, deals with mercs, deals with bandits (possibly implied in SOC amd CS) and other bollockery. Duty meanwhile actually had a chance cuz they were more or less a competent military-tier fighting force with standardization and all that.
@ couldn’t have phrased it better myself
@@Fanatic808 Wouldn't be surprised if this was adressed by a future DLC, since Stalker 2 doesn't have any faction mechanics compared to its predecessors. I honestly hope it would just be added into the main story as a sequence of side jobs and new mechanics when working for the factions. Storming Rostok with Duty could be absolutely amazing.
Love the quality of the videos, been watching since the cyberpunk videos! Keep up the amazing content!
Oh great Wisefish, I have been subbed to you since your 10 Disturbing Vaults video. I will be looking forward to your S.T.A.L.K.E.R. content with great interest!
Nah, you see Freedom members get fresh bread (which is as filling as canned food) every day. They gave me a sample, I'm kinda bias to fresh bread tbh.
Woah that in-footage you got is insanely beautiful!
I know presented armors are of the same rank, but Dutys is just so fucking cool
19:25 *not Strelok, its Major Degtyarev
Just was about to coment this. Nice.
Bra wtf peace treaty Duty gave away Rostok and freedom?? The cement factory was no man's land.
Im assuming it was forced on them by the ward since they forced the peace in the zone. Probably knew duty wouldnt like them messing with the wish granter and so forced them to an unfavorable position for em.
@@octrock10 yea that’s what I’m assuming since it makes no sense for duty to have lost Rostok to freedom in a battle and then sign a fucking treaty
@@Fanatic808 I mean does make sense to have a peace treaty after losing major headquarters and traders
@@4Pickledonions from the way it’s implied in the game it doesn’t sound like they lost Rostok in a battle but were forced to give it up without a fight by the ward
Im pretty sure during their open conflicts they had a few stalemates.
While it's certainly no Rostok, the Cement Factory still seems like a pretty decent base. I just question the wisdom of the bar having a second floor with a railing and that is only accessible by ladder. Seems like that would lend itself to a lot of injuries from falls.
Ive just been returning fire on most that engage , didnt realize there was a faction system ,its my first stalker
@@printisdead1983 so far in stalker 2 unless you really go out of your way to antagonize a group like outright attacking their door guards at their main base you won't get hated by anyone other than the ward and maybe spark if you side with the ward (havent done that yet). Like I accidently shot a guy outside malachite and got a message saying "the scientists think you're the boogeyman"
@justinmacdonald2102 i didnt leave the lesser zone till 20 hours in did every job and mission i could and grabbed every stash there was, ive never played stalker before ,dont know what to expect so i stocked Up, fully upgraded three weapons and have moved on to the Garbage region, only real problems i have so far are like ten of those headless pig things spawning out of no where aftet ive already reconned the area and was clear, but even with its bugs , i gotta say this game is good, all i yern for is just some better voice acting or even just more lines idk sometimes it takes me out of the game, i dont see why everyone is upset about the weight limits like isnt that a major aspect of the game, i come from the og RE inventory management time lol ,besides ive realized i shouldnt carry 100 medkits lol, and ive got every bullet i can have on me , all calibers for each weapon i carry , im ALWAYS ENCUMBERED LOL
Duty got so disrespected in Stalker 2
Duty got done Dirty, man
All old factions were. It is a real shame
Fundamentally I agree with Freedom (minus how lax the rules are) but visually I can’t deny Duty’s red and black swag.
now im curious wat did serdorovich do to piss off new recruits tat moved to the freedom side....did he became greedy after strelok accomplished in the center of Prypyat?? i need to know
I did say in the video, at the time they went to him there was no medic there so he was ripping off new recruits basically because he was able to get a monopoly on them, if they didn’t get the med packs they’d die so they were indebted to him, eventually I guess they paid off the debt and just ran away from that part of the zone. But yeah seems Sido just became money hungry and maybe annoyed that his part of the zone wasn’t the main entry hub anymore for recruits anymore, Zalissya is.
@@WiseFish damn, i hav high respects to stalkers, now freedom is the new stalkers...no wonder the map looks different, even the swamps are unrecognizable...i wonder wat happen to clear aku 🤔
@@l4w1nc0l7 Play clear sky
@@l4w1nc0l7 They vanished. Probably became Monolithians.
Sidorovich was always known to be very stingy and a lot of people were fed up with him even ten years ago. He simply pushed his monopoly in the area a little too much.
Walk slowly through glass shards and you won't be torn to shreds
*Damn, I was wondering how to avoid getting shredded by them.*
I just go around them..
Stalker 2 put Freedom and Duty into some real perspective for me on what they do for the zone, despite their lack of attention. I hope future updates expands on them and really fleshes out that the zone needs both of them.
I wouldn't say Duty ever was the most powerful faction.
That'd be the official military by technicality.
Duty have had mutant problems and always Freedom in they're side.
Another critic I got is the funding part.
It's never said they are funded by the Ukrainian government. (Unless I have missed something from my own lore dives)
It's more implied they have corrupt military officers that help them out because of they're old ties to the Military.
Alongside that complaint, I'd say the factions in general (Freedom & Duty's) goals are a bit exaggerated.
Maybe that's just me.
Either way it's nice to see more high quality S.T.A.L.K.E.R content in this community so can't complain much more than that.
duty was top3. military was top2 and monolith is still at the top of the food chain
Loner Stalker 4 Lyfe
Hey Bro! Freedom welcomes all to the zone, see our barman Ganja for the good stuff! ALOOOHHAAA
Cheers bro see you there!
When I was younger, 16 or 17, I was all about freedom. I loved their idea of using the zone for good and that it shouldn’t belong to anybody and everybody outside could enjoy the advancements from it. Now that I’m older, I’ve sided with duty. The horrors of the zone are not even realized until it gets into the hands of governments and corporations. That’s exactly why it was born in the first place. Imagine governments using psi emitters on their own people, using artifacts or anomalous energy for wars and domination, power hungry individuals gladly using its powers for evil. I realized that humanity should not have access to the zone, and none of what it produces should escape its confines. The cons far outweigh the pros. We see this with the ward ending, the horrors of a large conglomerate gaining control over the zone are not even fully realized. Just a glimpse, global surveillance.
Freedom is basically loners with extra steps and extra greed in S2
Do the Mercs next
This, I’ve always enjoyed playing as a merc.
Leeeeets gooooo
The freedom members probably also get things done because they can casually talk to other ranks with no issue, so communication is much easier.
As a portlander, freedom sounds like my kind of faction XD
freedomer here, (2 ironman runs in gamma playing freedom), this faction strengt relies on its adaptability, in all games is hinted that the zone is "concius" and is in peace with those who are in peace with it, like Noah and Doc with their domesticated pseudo-dogs. if there is a faction that the zone can help, besides monolith, is freedom.
@@YesterMoon47 cus duty is based on actual military, and the military law says clearly you obey the command of your higher ups without question, that's how the military works
It's a shame they didn't bring back my favorite faction, the Renegades.
They kinda did they have a base in the red forest with the scorpion simbol even tho they are trated like normal bandits
I wish they had duty and freedom team up to take on the ward. Duty being the military arm of the faction and freedom becoming the the support and logistics. As it stands the factions are in such disarray it almost feels useless to have them in the game now.
May half to pick Stalker 2 up, playing through the Metro series and I'm Jonesing for some more post-apocalyptic-ish Eastern European shenanigans.
@@austinguthrie5528
Depends on what system you're using but the game is pretty buggy at the moment I mean it's a bit better now cuz of updates and I love it nonetheless on PC performance is lacking
As much as I agree with Duty in terms of goals and mindset, the Zone is just way too dangerous for your average untrained unequipped civilian, I feel I'd fit better with Freedom on a personal level. I still very much like how cool Duty's uniforms are compared to Freedom.
I also am upset by what Ward did to Duty, threw them out of their original home in Rostok and into the Cement Factory which might as well be the boonies or back end slums of the Zone. And all this for a forced peace with Freedom so Ward can rise up and fulfill their own selfish agendas.
So Duty is like the Brotherhood of Steel, and Freedom is the Followers of the Apocalypse
Yes but Freedom do kill unlike the Followers
@@daniellau9177 I wouldn't say like the Brotherhood of Steel that's a baseline assumption they are way different Freedom is fully made out of loners, poachers, and criminals etc
Not really. Duty is more like army for washouts. They do the exact same thing as the army but they are comprised of stalkers. They also don't particularly care about hoarding weapons or anything else, they are literally just about purging mutants and finding a way to make the Zone go away. Unfortunately, they are tragically misguided. They are trying to use firepower and force to stop literal nature and they have gotten exactly nowhere since they started.
Freedom are... not quite anarchists and they are not nearly as althuristic in their goals as the video makes them sound. They like to believe that they are working for the good of humanity, but what they actually want is just freedom from societal constraits. Essentially, they found a place where they can do whatever they want whenever they want without anyone enforcing some arbitrary rules on them and they are pretty much just enjoying the living. Their beat with Duty is almost completely one-sided and Freedom largely has no interest in fighting Duty besides just stopping it from bringing the outside world and its many constrictions into the Zone. Freedom believes that the Zone is great exactly as it is and everyone who simply takes what it freely offers can greatly benefit. They don't hate Duty or deliberately oppose it, they mostly just want to be left alone. Some of them even speak positively about Duty because them hunting mutants benefits Freedom too.
Turn off your life indefinitely
If I'm being honest, I feel like ward is a lame replacement for duty. Just feels weird that duty and freedom feel like they barely even exist even though you see them everywhere
@@donnym3415 that’s my problem with the factions as a whole they’re there but they don’t do anything. Especially for Duty and Freedom beyond a couple side missions you have no real interaction with them.
@@donnym3415 I only remember seeing a duty squad one time. I must have completely missed their base because I never saw it. 90 hours in and finished the story without ever running into them.
@MintyLime703 cement factory near the cooling towers. They're all over that side of the map
@Fanatic808 oh yeah 100%. You have zero interaction with duty and you help out barkeep once...that's it. Come on devs. Oldest factions and you sideline them come on guys
Literally all the new factions suck, except maybe SIRCAA and the IPSF
Guess ill have to exterminate Freedom once again.
Don’t do it bro!
@@WiseFish No mercy for dirty hippies. Lol
Total Freedom death!
Hell yeah take Rostock back!
Show no mercy to the infidels. For the Monolith😂
Flectarn mostly western wepons why do i feel like HnK is some how involved?
Do more of these plsss
Thanks WiseFish.
I can't wait you made Lore of My favorite Faction the Bandit...
You guys know why they popular.
@kasrkindeltaspetsnazcompan364
They are my favorite because of cool clothes, misplaced confidence, and money.
@mr.puddles5246
To me because the meme they just spawn.
As a newbie to the stalker universe who’s the best faction to join?
I wouldn't think of factions like that. There's no best faction, only the one that you think has the better idea. For me, that may have been Clear Sky, but they've been disbanded and destroyed.
@@l0rf I’m playing through the original game atm so
I was just wondering out of duty or freedom who’s better I do think duty look cooler but freedom being like potheads fits well with me aha
@motionadapt1589 Yeah, Duty didn't really sit right with me. The Zone is incredibly dangerous, but to just outright destroy it and block all access to it like the Duty guys want to do? No, that's just wrong. That's like finding a new book in the library, not liking the content, and then burning the library down. Freedom is maybe too carefree with the Zone, but I can get along with them.
Whichever one you think is coolest
Freedom. They're cool and strong 😎
As far as looks go I prefer freedom. But I like Duty more.
Ironically, Freedom wears military colors, and Duty wears anarchist colors. SVOBODOLG!
3:37 Theoretically, that should produce a libertarian meritocracy.
6:51 Stand out by blending in. Flectarn seems like an ideal camo for the Zone.
7:10 A left-handed gas mask!
17:23 / 17:53 Voronin was strategic-minded. He knew that it was a savvy move to let Freedom guard the Barrier to the North, otherwise Duty would have to spread their manpower out more. That's what Skull and his splinter couldn't comprehend.
17:48 [cue Massive Attack's 'Superpredators' ('The Jackal' intro rendition)]
18:16 Wolf was also trying to help them, right? Wasn't he the one who delivered "the package?"
Freedom is more based around Anarchism rather than Libertarianism. Ukraine has a rich history of Anarchism
I like Duty slightly more than Freedom but I’ll admit both look cool. Freedom got me into collecting some flecktarn parkas.
Blue bois all the way
There's at least 3 blue boi factions in the games.
Nestor Makhno was a famous Ukraine anarchist
So Whos the current leaders of Duty and Freedom? Is is the same old people from the original or different people?
@@r.s.w.u5764 Voronin from SOC and implied CoP is leading Duty, and Myshuta (I think that is his name) and original Leader before SoC returned
Duty Forever!
All I know is the ward is like the stormcloaks in Skyrim, morons and assholes doing their own thing and if you don’t get involved they’ll try to force you or kill you.
I thought the same about spark I didn't realize I didn't have to help the Ward at first and since I did they were like super nice so I just stuck with them. Then my second lady through I didn't and they were assholes. So my conclusion is there all assholes
I love you
Average rule fans vs average cannabis enjoyers
Duty sucks 😂
Freedom is the way man 😎
ВОЛЯ 🐺
Yay first comment for once!!!
Beat me by 44 seconds. Well done well done.
Well done