There’s an area in Stalker: Shadow of Chornobyl that’s simply called The Garbage. It’s basically a miles-wide bin for radioactive waste and heavy machinery, the latter presumably used in the wake of the 1986 disaster. Back then, crane drivers in lead-lined cabins carried out their work in total blindness—their every move governed by radio operators who watched from a safe distance as the leaky reactor building was encased in a great concrete sarcophagus.
In Stalker’s fictionalised take on the region, The Garbage hosts some of the hottest and most frequent conflict. Visit one of its rubbish dumps for more than a few minutes and you’ll get caught up in a firefight between the Bandits and the Loners—who, despite their name, are among the most populous and organised factions in the game. Hang around for too long afterwards to pick bandages off the bodies, and you’ll likely get swept up in a second wave of shooting. This is a battle without end, where no resolution can ever be finally agreed upon.
