Making decisions can be hard, and it seems more difficult to do them in a video game. When you are playing a deep survival adventure such as Stalker 2, every choice will have some hidden benefits and downsides to them. Here at the end of the Wishful Thinking quest, the game gives us two options: either side with the Ward or Noontide. This guide covers the consequences of both choices to help make the right decision in this quest.
Side With Noontide Or The Ward
Once you finish the “Forge of Progress” main questline, you will unlock the next quest “Wishful Thinking“. The pivotal decision in the quest comes at the end, where the game leaves you with two options: Side with Noontide or the Ward. The decision comes after sparing or killing of Professor Herman. As you might have guessed, the choices here weigh in the later part of the mission.
The two dialogue options to choose the side:
- I’m with you (Noontide).
- I’m with the Ward.
Option 1: Side With Noontide
“I’m with you“
- Fight the Ward: In the later phase of the mission, you will encounter a lot of Ward soldiers trying to stop you. You have to get your hands dirty and defeat all of them to continue. Things will get hairy here,
- No Bonus Reward: You will not get any bonus reward for siding with the Noontide instead of Wards. Since the game shows the Noontides with courage and bravery, you will have a moral point of breaking bread with the Noontides instead of Ward.
- Siding with Dunby also be +1 for Spark, Strider, and Noontide faction.
Changes:
- You will help Strider to detonate a wall, and then a confrontation with Dr. Dalin will come to fruition. All of it will end with To the Last Drop of Blood quest.
This basically serves as one for the good guys in the Zone. If you want to reach the good ending, while the option here does not have any influence over the good ending for the game, it is a morally righteous decision to side with the Noontide.
Option 2: Side With The Ward
“I’m with the Ward“
- Fight Dubny: When you side with the Ward, you will have to kill Dubny and all of his buddies in the room. But luckily since Ward soldiers are outside the room, you will have a pretty easy time taking Dubny out of the picture.
- No Bonus Reward: No changes for the quest will take place if you decide to roll with the Ward. All the rewards will play out the same.
- +1 Ward Reputation: The only thing that will matter here is your relationship with the Ward. Since you choose them, you will be one step closer to the Ward Ending.
Changes:
- A long cutscene awaits at the end, with a quest “Law and Order .“
Ward is seen as brutal and barbaric in their dealing with the problem. Siding with them will reflect the evil nature of the world. However, killing Dubny doesn’t cut out the Good Ending, you can still get the ending.
Which Side Offers The Best Outcome?
Siding with Noontide makes a better choice morally and financially.
When you do side with Noontides, you will kill a bunch of Ward soldiers outside. A lot of blood will be shed, but they will drop good weapons and loot that you can surely use on your journey.
Morally, the game does put Richter, Noontide, and Spark as honorable characters and point the Wards to be far more barbarian when it comes to their dealing with the problems.
So in both cases, morally and financially, siding with the Noontide will be worth your time. But if you are gunning for the Ward Ending, choosing Ward will add more reputation with the faction. Do check out our other guides on the game where you have to make decisions like the one on whether to show the unusual PDA or whether to give the artifact to Mateus or the Scientist.
