GCS Game World has dropped the first DLC for Stalker 2, the Stories Untold content update, which features not just new missions, but new characters, weapons, and much more to sink your teeth into.
The “Dark as a Dungeon” quest is the first mission in the DLC, and you need to rescue a man named Banzai from bandits’ captivity in the Old Mine. I was confused about how to start the Stalker 2 DLC, but it’s actually straightforward.
Once you’ve got Banzai’s message, it’s time to put on your gas masks and dive deep into the Old Mine to complete the “Dark as a Dungeon” mission in Stalker 2: Stories Untold. For your convenience, I’ve curated an easy-to-follow guide below.
How To Complete Dark As A Dungeon Quest In Stalker 2
The Dark as a Dungeon quest has 3 objectives:
- Free Banzai from his captivity
- Turn off the pump in the Old Mine
- Retrieve Banzai’s drive from the bandits
Let’s look at each of these one by one.
1. Free Banzai from his captivity
To start the “Dark as a Dungeon” quest in Stalker 2, you need to find Banzai and free him from his captivity. Head to the Old Mine at the Red Forest, as shown in the image above, and fight the thugs who captured him.
You’ll find a tunnel straight ahead. Inside it, follow the train tracks until they divert to the right. Keep on the rightward part, and you’ll meet Banzai, locked in a cell to your left.
Shoot the lock to break it and free him from his captivity, which begins the “Dark as a Dungeon” Quest, the first one in Stalker 2: Stories Untold DLC.
2. Turn off the pump in the Old Mine
Your next objective after saving Banzai is to turn off the pump inside the Old Mine. Head back to the area where the train tracks separate, but follow the one that goes straight ahead this time. On your left, you’ll find a door.
Inside, take a right, and walk straight to get closer to the sound of a pump running. If you’re a player who games with no sound, I recommend doing otherwise, as it makes it much easier to locate the pump.
You’ll find a wooden door with a lock that needs to be broken. Inside this door, you can turn off the pump by pulling the lever to your left. This concludes the easy part of the quest in Stalker 2. Now, you need to retrieve Banzai’s drive from the bandits, the gang that captured him.
3. Retrieve Banzai’s drive from the bandits
Once you turn off the pump, a mysterious person by the name of “Pickaxe” signals the other bandits to turn the pump on, so be prepared to fight fire with fire. Return to the same area where the train tracks divert, and you should meet some unfriendly individuals straight ahead.
Return to Banzai’s cell, and you should find him hidden to the right, taking shelter from the “stupid thugs”. Opposite to where the cell’s located, you’ll find a door that leads deeper into the Old Mine. Drop down and defeat the bandits, then turn the electricity off.
Drop down further to find a ladder beside the metal poles. Climb up and walk straight ahead to find a breakable wall, which hides Pickaxe’s body behind it.
Search his corpse to retrieve Pickaxe’s worn-out PDA, which holds a conversation between him and a mysterious figure, codenamed Skull.
Search the surrounding area, which happens to be Pickaxe’s workspace, to find a large blue chest that has Banzai’s drive, along with a Two-O-Three Underbarrel Grenade Launcher.
Return to Banzai and give him his drive back. Unfortunately, you won’t be able to retrieve his tools, so inform the poor guy of this shortcoming. After your conversation with him, the quest concludes.
That’s all you need to know about completing the “Dark as a Dungeon” quest in Stalker 2: Stories Untold. For more extensive guides on this survival horror title, check out the ones on All Night Vision Goggle Locations.
