Walkthrough - X10: The Brain ScorcherLast modified: 15/7/2010 20:28:03 CET
Table of content
Table of contentTop floor
Table of contentBottom floor
Table of contentGetting out
Table of contentRed Forest
Map of X10 (Click to view large version)
Map of X10
This area unfortunately does not have a map but it's pretty linear so hopefully you shouldn't have any problems finding your way. I have constructed a map, however, and added some "landmarks" so hopefully it'll help in case you get stuck or otherwise lose your bearings.

For the most part the facility is deserted with the exception of about three Bloodsuckers - so you should be able to proceed fairly quickly until you reach the deactivation mechanism for the Brain Scorcher. Once you turn off the Brain Scorcher though, getting out wont be as easy as it was getting in.

During your way through the "lab" you'll come across three doors with a keypad next to them. Only one of the doors (#2) will actually have something interesting behind it - the two others has a wall and a small empty room behind them, respectively. Refer to the text below for the code for door #2.

Top floorBack to top
Your starting point is on the top floor, at the southern part of the facility. You're likely to come upon a number of metal and wooden boxes so be sure to break them to find goodies. When you move forward to the north you'll see a partially shut door in front of you - you can't go through, so head west, down the ramp and into the hallway going north. You'll soon come to a small room with a pool and a shaft in it - proceed through, going west and then north. You'll come to a room with a round "tank" (or somesuch) in the middle, and beyond that a larger room with three pumps (or something along those lines) in it; to the south you can find a small room with a locked door and a keypad next to it (this is keypad door #1 on the map). Unfortunately I have never discovered a code to open it so I am not sure if there actually is something on the other side. Anyways, since this is a dead end, head north, up the stairs, into the hallway that is initially going west and soon turning north; at the end of the hallway is a large room and it has the first Bloodsucker in it. There is a metal box just inside the doorway (behind a metal grating) here with some 9x39 mm ammo, a scientific first aid kit and an antirad inside it. You may also be able to find some artifacts and a F1 Grenade near the south-western corner of the room. In the next room you can go both north and south - going north though will take you to a small room - it has a metal box sitting on a shelf, so break that and take the goodies - more 9x39 mm ammo and another scientific first aid kit. Move south into the hallway and then west towards another large room. This room has what appears to be a freight elevator in the middle. In the south-eastern part of the room you can find the stairs moving down to the bottom floor - before you head down, you may wish to explore the southern part of the top floor - you'll come upon two large rooms with some boxes in them.
Bottom floorBack to top
Moving down to the bottom floor you'll come upon a medium sized room that has another locked door and a keypad in it (this is keypad door #2 on the map) - you may have found the code to the door on Monolith soldiers, but don't despair if you haven't - the code to the door is 342089. Inside you'll find a number of medkits along with some 5.56x45 mm AP rounds sitting on the table. Moving on, head west into the hallway and follow it - you'll soon see it open towards the north and south. It's a dead end to the north, but to the south you'll see a large room with two parallel walls inside it. This room has another Bloodsucker inside (or near) it so deal with it and head west. The third Bloodsucker is in a room up ahead - but it may have heard you deal with the second one, so proceed with caution.

You'll reach a small room with three alcoves in it - there may be boxes here, so break them and pick up any interesting items you may find. Move north and then west, up the stairs, and then north again. You'll come to a room with a ladder and another shaft in it. In the following room you can find a metal box sitting on a shelf - it has some 9x39 mm rounds inside it.
Cutscene from X10. (Click to view large version)
Video Cutscene from X10.
Moving on towards the north you'll come to a room with some sort of machinery in it - behind it you can see some metal grating as well as the exit. Continue on, moving east, up the stairs and into a large room with some ledges and ladders in it.Continue east, through series of three almost identical rooms. In the final room to the east, you can find some stairs going up to a walkway - head up there, into the hallway and you'll come to the final room - the mechanism for shutting down the Brain Scorcher. The switch is one the console west of the marker on your minimap. The room also has another locked door with a keypad next to it - but alas, I think this is again a door you wont be able to open, I've never found the code for it myself. Activate the switch and you'll - surprise, surprise - pass out and be treated to another cutscene.

Once you wake up you'll notice that your minimap has picked up about 20 PDA's - in other words, you got company, and they're not here to chat, either.

Getting outBack to top
Flushing out a soldier. (Click to view large version)
Video Flushing out a soldier.
You now have to escape from the facility. As stated above, you'll have to deal with alot of enemies, Monolith soldiers specifically. Depending on what type of armor and weapon(s) you brought, getting out can be tricky since you'll be facing an armed and armored opposition - they'll be using anything from Akm's up to TRs 301 and GP 37 rifles, and some of them will be wearing Exoskeleton armor. Fortunately all of the Monolith guys are scattered all over the bottom and top floor, so you won't have to go up against that many at a time. Before you proceed, you should maximise your bulletproof cap by wearing any appropriate arfifacts that you may have.

The first enemy is located in the last of the three identical rooms, and there is another soldier in the room next to it. The next batch of soldiers is in the large room to the west - some may be located upon the upper walkways, so make sure you lean out and check for soldiers in all directions.

In the upcoming hallways you may wish to use some of your grenades, which you are likely to have plenty of by now - they can be especially useful for clearing the way or just flusing out soldiers. Slowly but surely you should be able to make your way back to the entrance. If you use a silenced weapon, such as the Vintar BC, most of the soldiers wont even know that you're coming and will simply stand guard - which makes them quite easy to take down.

Red ForestBack to top

Sound Transmission outside X10.
Use the train car as a choke point. (Click to view large version)
Use the train car as a choke point.
Once you're at the entrance and head back into the Red Forest you'll hear a transmission from the military. They have moved in on the perimeter, as well as some lone stalkers, so when you move back towards the train car you're likely to see a large firefight going on. Use the fact that both the military and the Monolith will be focused on eachother and the lone stalkers.

Wait for the combat to finish outside. If you use an unsilenced weapon, or throw some grenades about, you'll come under the attention of the remaining military soldiers - the train car can be an excellent spot to use as a choke point since most, if not all, of the soldiers will come to you. Once you've disposed of them you can head out into the outer facility and make your way back.

Sound Barkeep after X10.

Now that you have disabled the Brain Scorcher, the road to the north going into Pripyat is now open, and as the Barkeep informs you it seems that everyone is heading towards the center of the Zone. He also informs you that a group of stalkers are gathering in Pripyat and are going to try to reach the center of the Zone - and that you can group up with them if you make haste. No need to hurry though, since they'll basically be waiting for you to arrive. I would definately suggest that, before going to Pripyat, you head back to the Bar to replenish your ammo and possibly to get a fresh, new armor and weapons. Going to Pripyat is almost a one-way ticket so once you get there, you're not likely to come back.

NoteBefore you proceed to Pripyat make sure that you've completed the Meet the Guide mission (and the follow-up mission called Meet with Doctor) since both of these are required if you wish to enter the secret stash in Pripyat; this stash isn't a regular stash, but actually a room inside a worn-down hotel. The stash not only contains an excellent armor, but more importantly a decoder that's needed if you wish to explore the so-called best endings the game has to offer. You can still complete the game without the decoder, but if you bring the encoder you can choose to explore both one of the regular endings as well as the better ones.

You should automatically have received the Meet the Guide mission when you searched the body of Ghost back in X16.

Here's a list of what I personally tend to bring when going to Pripyat:
BulletA good armor, possibly a SEVA suit or equivalent. You'll find a better armor in Pripyat, given that you did seek out Guide and the Doctor, so consider any armor you bring from the Bar to be temporary.
BulletA Vintar BC. If you brought one to Red Forest when you went to disable the Brain Scorcher, you may wish to bring a fresh one that will have less chance of jamming. Bring about 5-700 rounds - pack the best ammo you have (eg. SP-5 and SP-6 rounds for the Vintar) and fill up with "stock" ammo. If you don't like to rely on a single weapon, I reckon you can bring an assault rifle as well - the GP 37 would be my personal choice.
Bullet10-15 antirads and the most powerful antiradiation artifacts that you have (Crystals and Urchins).
BulletBring a good antibleeding artifact, all the most powerful bulletproof cap artifacts that you have (but remember only to bring as many as you can actually use at one time), also endurance recovery will come in hand. Also bring a Soul or similar artifact to help you replenish your health during quiet moments without having to use medkits or bandages.
BulletMedkits - I typically bring 15-20 of the best I have (military first aid kits), and about twice as many bandages.
BulletEat well before you leave the Bar, and bring at least one or two pieces of food, canned food preferrably.


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