Do these 3 things before closing this tab:
1Clear out junk files and repair common Windows errors2Fix the driver behind crashes, sound loss and screen glitches3Repair Windows errors before they cause bigger problemsThis walkthrough covers the documented Richter route for “Answers Come at a Price” in S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2: Heart of Chornobyl. It takes you from Garbage’s Detention Center to X-18, explains both Factory approaches, and shows where to find the Nestor recording. Earlier choices can send you on a different route; the Ward branch is not covered here.
What changes the route?
“Answers Come at a Price” is a main quest in Garbage, but it does not have one universal path. The walkthrough below follows Richter’s version: meet Star at the Detention Center, then travel to X-18. A separate Ward route involves Colonel Korshunov and the Depot, but the available route details are incomplete, so do not use the steps or codes below for that branch.
| # | Preview | Product | Price | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |
|
Amped 2 - Xbox | $69.99 | Buy on Amazon |
| 2 |
|
Mafia 2 - Xbox 360 | $15.48 | Buy on Amazon |
| 3 |
|
The Art of S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2: Heart of Chornobyl | $31.19 | Buy on Amazon |
| 4 |
|
Halo 2 - Xbox | $36.95 | Buy on Amazon |
| 5 |
|
The Crew 2 - Xbox one | $8.99 | Buy on Amazon |
The documented Richter route was published by Gamer Guides on 15 November 2024 and last updated 3 January 2025. Later patch behavior has not been verified.
How do you reach the Detention Center?
- Enter Garbage through the Northern Checkpoint.
- Follow the main route east toward the Detention Center. Watch for suspended shard anomalies, which can cause bleeding.
- Be ready for a pack of dogs around the complex.
- Go upstairs inside the Detention Center to find Star.
What does Star tell you, and what is the X-18 code?
Star points you northwest toward X-18 and gives you the entrance code 2605. Speaking with him also starts the optional side mission “The Road to Salvation”: he asks you to rescue one of his men. He offers a silenced PTM pistol; its suppressor can be transferred to Skif’s pistol.
Quick wins for a faster PC:
Scan for outdated or missing drivers - takes under a minuteDriver Scan →Clear out junk files and repair common Windows errorsFree Scan →Fix the driver behind crashes, sound loss and screen glitchesFind Drivers →#1 Best Overall
- Amped 2 offers a freestyle snowboarding experience with a large and varied trick library. You'll explore vast areas of wide-open, real mountains packed with terrain parks. Play head-to-head with friends in the various multiplayer modes. When you're ready to take it to the next level, connect to Xbox Live to check rankings and challenge the world's best virtual riders. Travel the globe, and pull sick tricks in front of sponsors, photographers, and fans. The latest snowboarding magazines or videos
Should you sneak into the Factory or attack?
The Factory approach has Ward soldiers. The choice matters if you want to save Star’s captive: the guide says the captive will not survive a loud assault. Stealth is the route to take for the rescue.
Stealth approach
- Quicksave before entering; Ward soldiers can become alert quickly.
- Find a hole in the Factory’s northeast exterior wall and use the pipes to reach the upper floor.
- Crouch and move carefully to the locked room holding Star’s man.
- Break the lock with a melee attack. The captive escapes and mentions documents in the lab.
Loud approach
You can assault the Factory instead, but the captive will not survive that approach. Choose it only if rescuing him is not your priority.
Rank #2
How do you enter X-18 and get past the Bloodsucker?
- Return to the stairs and go down to the basement door.
- Enter code 2605 to open X-18.
- Proceed through the lab, keeping a shotgun ready for the Bloodsucker.
- When it attacks, use a small room for cover rather than trying to fight it in the open.
Where is the information about Nestor?
After the Bloodsucker encounter, take the right-hand route to the room with the tape recorder. Interacting with it plays the recording containing information about Nestor, completing the main objective. The left-hand route leads to the optional documents for “The Road to Salvation.”
Optional: collect the lab documents
The documents are identified as Product 81 Specifications. The route includes a looping Electro anomaly and a Thermal anomaly. Wait for the Electro anomaly to pass; use a Bolt to trigger the Thermal anomaly, then move quickly to the documents.
What’s actually slowing this PC down?
Pick the symptom - the matching free tool is one click away.
Rank #3
How do you meet the stranger and finish the mission?
- After the Nestor recording plays, a stranger contacts you and gives you the next code: 2603.
- Return toward the stairs, cross the wooden beam, and open the coded door with 2603.
- Deal with the rats in the corridor and continue to the end to meet the stranger.
Meeting the stranger completes “Answers Come at a Price” and starts “The Price Goes Up.” An SSP-99 Ecologist suit is on the exit route. If you collected the documents, return to Star to complete “The Road to Salvation.”
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.Route and code reference
| Step | What to do | Code or result |
|---|---|---|
| Detention Center | Meet Star upstairs | Star directs you to X-18 |
| X-18 entrance | Use the basement door | 2605 |
| Nestor objective | Play the tape recorder in the right-hand room | Main objective completed; stranger gives the next code |
| Coded door | Cross the wooden beam and enter the door | 2603 |
| Mission outcome | Meet the stranger at the corridor’s end | “Answers Come at a Price” ends; “The Price Goes Up” begins |
The documented source lists PC and Xbox Series X|S as platforms for S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2: Heart of Chornobyl; this walkthrough does not establish current edition or retail availability.
Quick Recap
Best Value
- The Crew 2 - Xbox one
Rank #4
- Master Chief can now wield two weapons at once, board Covenant vehicles and steal Covenant weapons like the incredible double energy sword
- Lead an all-new unit of super-soldiers, the ODST -- tougher, badder and deadlier versions of your old comrades
- New enemies, allies and surprises around every corner - intense combat action with enhanced AI and real-time lighting
- Immense single-player action with maassive landscapes and huge cities to explore and defend - destructible and interactive environments
- Take the action online with your Xbox Live and switch sides, to become a Covenant Elite!
Product prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on Amazon at the time of purchase will apply.
