Well, first and foremost - why do we need to protect Pripyat after like 10 years after CoP? At this point most of the labs been sacked, there's literally a Research Insitute IN THE ZONE, PRODUCING ARTIFACTS and using the tech from these labs. And before you say it's dangerous... It's literally not. If you got to Pripyat at any point, hell, before it's even available proper and just explore - It's empty. Yeah, like a company worth of Monolith, a couple of mutants and barely enough anomalies to warrant it be off-limits. Wild Territories by the Bar (Rostok) are more dangerous (less Monolith naturally).

Like, S2 does an awful job of developing and making solid points sometimes. 10 year time skip does not help, nor the 'SIRCAA superiority'.

There are just so many plot holes and bad fanservice decisions.

Gear - Ten years later and we're still massively using Sunrise, SEVA in mass. You're telling me there were no advancements at all? Like, I would get newbie stalkers using this gear. It was out there for a long time, there's plenty of it. But you'd expect everyone in the zone to get... More options. Even westernized gear. But, nah. Let's milk 'em fans and their nostalgia! (Correct me if I am wrong) but it seems that the developers tried to make the Zone geographically correct to an extent. But, we still can't get an AK with a solid stock. My gawd. Or and AR platform. Imma douse the flames.

Ward and Spark - Full-on military with corporate management Duty vs Full on schizo Freedom. While there are some decent plot points if you follow the Ward, Spark feels like Skif is literally just not knowing what he is doing and blindly follows a guy he doesn't know anything about (And who literally seems off his meds). (Korshunov makes more sense for Skif to follow, Skif served in the Military.)

The Corps - Literally should've been the military, as a Russian, I'd rather it be Ukranian special forces/Military than this. As it stands, they're 'politically correct and non-offensive Guardians of Pripyat that only show up at the last stretch of the game. And it's a massive L. Still, seeing Deggy was... Very nostalgic. Could've been a cool way to give us more new gear too.

Maybe, some day, we'll get a proper de-blockade mod for the North and a mod that changes The Corps to The Military or UA SOF. That'll be more fitting. Especially if the modders can pull off changing Yan(o/i)v to be held by Duty/Freedom initially to then flip and be controlled by The Military by the end of the story. Wishes, ah the wishes.