The player plays as a physicist, formerly employed at Chernobyl Nuclear Plant who is suffering from the loss of their loved one in the Chernobyl Disaster 30 years ago and returns to the disaster zone to look for their partner. Most of the single-player gameplay revolves around exploring the exclusion zone, gathering supplies and tools while encountering "Stalkers" and hostile military personnel. The player is also forced to make decisions which affect the nonlinear story line. There is also a crafting system, which allows the player to craft their own equipment and weapons. Any character can die and any task can be failed. Deep in the contaminated environment also lie strange supernatural threats, due to the "chernobylite" created from the nuclear aftermath.