Stalker's most streamlined official release. Each mechanic and gameplay element has been refined to a very satisfying degree. Although due to it's military centered plot, the story is more an afterthought and feels far less fantastical and has far less world building. At the same time I appreciate that this takes the opportunity to show the Zone from the perspective of a group that has always been fully antagonistic in the previous games. Featuring only 3 maps instead of the 10-12 in SoC and CS is deceptive in making the game feel shrunken down. Luckily these 3 areas are all just as wonderfully detailed as the series standard, now are far more open in design so there's more than 2 or 3 directions to go or angles to approach a point of interest. The titular Pripyat map in particular never failing to give me chills with it's imagery and atmosphere. A series highlight for me being a half hour shootout with a handful of squads of an enemy faction in one of Pripyat's main areas during a nighttime thunderstorm, with the only lighting being the lighting flashes along with my nightvision goggles. Absolutely legendary atmosphere.