The best FPS/RPG series just got better. challenging and intelligent RPG superbly mixed with a bleak and realisti
All the things that worked well in previous installments are still here:
* the best weapon modeling system of any FPS out there - tons of different and realistic weapons with multiple ammo types and upgrades available.
- tons of gear including armor, helmets, night vision,
* one of the most challenging and realistic yet surprisingly rewarding fpsrpg out there.
* one the most engulfing and complex environments to play in - creatures, zombies, soldiers, stalkers, anomalies, radiation, electricity, gas, blow outs.
* more cool gear than you can possible carry.
But even more importantly - almost all the little things that were missing in previous games - making them just short of great - are finally put together in this one:
* improved search - you don't have to know of a stash to loot it - if you can find it you can take it!
* improved inventory management - the correct ammo lights up for each gun type - at last! no need to carry multiple types of ammo you don't even need or spend hours trying to figure out which ammo type goes where.
* improved med-kit and bandages key mapping; plus icons added to the interface so you can see right away how many you have left of each.
* improved trade system - you have more traders in this one then in previous games so there's more chance to sell your loot and then buy new gear (and then go and upgrade that gear).
small and subtle improvements but such that still manage to eliminate a few not-to-minor sources of aggravation in the previous games. Ultimately, it makes for a much better game experience overall.
I personally loved it and was sorry when it was over - one of the most engulfing gaming experiences I've had in years.
I just love the cycle of kill a bunch of bandits, take their cash, ammo and gear, sell it to buy a better and more powerful sniper rifle so you can take out a bunch of soldiers with multiple headshots from a distance, then loot the soldiers so you can afford that armor with built in 3rd gen night vision so you can be just as effective at night from 100 yards than you are during the day.
The story doesn't really matter to me - I just love how this game feels. It's the most gripping blend of first person shooter with role playing game that I've had the pleasure to play but it does have a pretty high learning curve if you've never played one of the previous games.
Definitely not for the casual gamer.