S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2: Traverse Lesser Zone & Find Artifact

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Alright, so you've just spawned into the Lesser Zone in S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2: Heart of Chornobyl. This is where most folks get their first taste of The Zone, so take a sec to get your bearings and mess around with the movement tutorials. When you're ready, we need to head north towards the perimeter. Keep an eye out to the right as you approach; there's a breakable box and a medical box with some healing supplies. Don't skip these, they're super useful early on!

Walkthrough

1
Cross the Perimeter: Head north to the wall. Look for an opening. To the right, you'll find a breakable box and a medical box with healing supplies. Grab them!
2
Enter the Sewer Tunnel: Follow the path left and down a slope. You'll need to crouch under some debris. Grab the Medkit you'll find along the way – these are crucial for healing, but remember Bandages are for bleeding. As you get to a door blocked by wooden planks, pull out your Knife and strike it to break through.
3
Go Through the Sewer Tunnel: Make sure your light is on; it's dark in here. After the next door, you'll encounter your first Anomaly: an Electro one. It sends out a surge of energy that travels down the tunnel and loops back. If it hits you, it'll deal heavy damage. The trick is to wait for the surge to pass, then sprint up the tunnel. There's a body to loot along the way. At the end, go right to find another body and a Medkit. Keep going around the corner, and take the right path to exit the sewer.
4
Get to the Mobile Lab: Once you're outside, check your map. The Mobile Lab is northeast. You'll need to pass through Rudnya-Veresnya first. This area has some buildings with loot, but more importantly, you'll be attacked by Rats and other mutants. If you grabbed the Assault Rifle from the body in the sewers, use it for the bigger mutants, and stick to your Pistol for the Rats. In the northern house, you can find an AKM-47S, a better assault rifle. Loot everything, then head northeast. You'll find a house you need to climb into via a ladder. The Mobile Lab is just ahead. Climb onto it and enter through the hatch on top.
5
Find Nehoda and the Echo Detector: Inside the Scientists' Bunker, you'll find things have gone quiet. Loot the bodies and stashes around – you'll find Scientists' Medipacks (these heal everything: health, bleeding, and radiation – save them for emergencies!) and, most importantly, the Echo Detector. This gadget lets you track Artifacts. Loot Nehoda's body and his PDA. Now, turn the power back on by flipping the switch near Nehoda. Head back to where you entered the bunker and find a laptop to copy data from.
6
Find the Artifact in the Anomalous Field: With the Scanning Points data and your Echo Detector ready, it's time to scan the Artifact. Go back to where you found the Echo Detector; the door should now be open. Head outside and equip the Detector. Go to your right, and you'll find Acid pools that make the Detector's light blink rapidly. Move to the spot where it blinks fastest, and an Artifact should appear in one of the pools. Grab it and equip it – be aware it'll give you some Radiation. Be careful, though, an invisible Mutant will soon attack!

Tips

When crossing the perimeter, always check the right side for extra loot.
Don't forget to use Bandages to stop bleeding, as Medkits only restore health.
The Electro Anomaly in the sewer is dangerous; wait for the surge to pass before sprinting.
Looting the northern house in Rudnya-Veresnya can get you a better assault rifle.
Scientists' Medipacks are rare and powerful; save them for critical situations.
The Echo Detector is key to finding Artifacts; keep it equipped when searching.

Echo Detector
Artifact
Various loot and supplies

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There and Back Again Mission Walkthrough: Lesser Zone