Five years have passed since the Second Catastrophe, which eclipsed the events of April 1986. The zone is tormented by increased emissions, displacing abnormal fields and opening roads to previously inaccessible places. Clans are fighting for new territories and key positions. Stalkers perish, but others follow them. In the zone there are scientific expeditions of the "West", seeking to unravel the mystery of the zone. The game takes place one year before the events described in "STALKER: Shadow of Chernobyl". A year before the most successful campaign of Strelka and his comrades to the center of the Zone - the third in a row. We learn about him and his group from a new angle - looking at him through the eyes of the free-hired Shram, literally dying after each release. What will Scar solve? With whom will reduce his unstable "Zone" ? All this you will learn by going through the Old Story mod.
First of all, the translations are often not existent so prepare for messing around a lot. Having played old CS and recalling the story is largely needed to get through the game. Where English translations are there, they are pretty messed up.
The flavour improvements, like weapons, artifact mergers etc. are quite cool.
The changes to the story, including the different start doesnt really give anything. It doesnt really take either, just its pretty pointless largely. E.g. after finding Father Valerian killed, you got a strange memo from the commandant. Like why the...? How did that add anything? Also could be because translations are lacking. I did like the changes in Swamp though, very improved.
Faction wars are lacking, as Duty goes full ballistic in Garbage in 3/3 games killing of the all bandits except at the hangar or at the concentration camp. On the positive side it gives plenty loot.
The downside is that the story/playtime is to brief to take full advantage of the flavour changes, so it adds up dull.
If revisiting CS after a while off, its okay. It saves a fair bit on parts which are the most boring, e.g. the Swamp war in the beginning but falls short on adding significant value.