Science Unravels in Stalker 2's Hidden Side Quest

In Stalker 2: Heart of Chornobyl, Dr. Shcherba's request for help initiates the side quest, "In the Name of Science," tasking players with locating electronic collars from various mutants. This detailed guide walks you through the quest, highlighting crucial choices impacting its outcome.

Collecting the Electronic Collars:

This quest involves finding five electronic collars scattered across the game's map. If you're missing collars, it's possible you already collected them during other missions or exploration. Below are the locations:

After gathering all collars, return to Shcherba at the Roofed Warehouse in the Chemical Plant. If the quest glitches (possibly due to prior collar sales), use the console command "XEndQuestNodeBySID E08_SQ01_S2_SetJournal_WaitForSherbaCall_Finish_Pin_0" to proceed.

Jamming Device: Disable or Recalibrate?

Upon delivering the collars, Shcherba reveals a jamming signal affecting them. He sends you to the Storage on the Hill to investigate. Inside, you'll face poltergeists, zombified soldiers, and rodents before reaching the jamming device.

You must choose:

• Destroy/Disable the Jammer (Recommended): This advances the quest, rewarding you with coupons and leading to a bloodsucker encounter and a further choice.

• Recalibrate the Jammer: This concludes the quest with coupons from Dvupalov as a reward.

Confrontation with Shcherba: Kill or Let Go?

Disabling the jammer leads to a call from Shcherba, followed by a wait (or the console command "XStartQuestNodeBySID E08_SQ01_S3_Technical_SherbaInvitedToLab" to bypass). You'll then receive Magic Vodka from Dvupalov. This vodka is crucial for negating PSI radiation during a subsequent trap set by Shcherba.

You'll then face a choice: kill Shcherba or let him go. Both choices yield the same rewards (a Gauss Gun and the "On a Leash" trophy), but letting Shcherba go is advisable to maintain positive relations.