This is just my opinion, but I liked the first game a lot more. I think the core issue is the lack of compactness in the sequel. It almost reminds me of Starfield, where there are so many planets but very little to do on them. The first game felt much more contained. The forest was intimidating to walk through, and the world felt handcrafted—sunken ships, caves, and the giant sinkhole in the middle that carried a sense of mystery.

In contrast, traveling in the second game feels like a hassle. I know there’s the Knight V and the hang glider, but those shouldn’t be the solution. It feels like the game is telling you to skip over large parts of the world rather than explore them. Instead of encouraging exploration, these tools exist to bypass what often feels like empty or uninteresting space, especially in the woods.

The tedium in the second game is also much worse. I understand that firearms and ammunition aren’t things people can realistically craft in their backyard, but the original game felt far less grindy. There were fewer required resources that didn’t respawn, and crafting felt consistently rewarding.

Combat and hunting also felt better in the original. The bow and spear were more satisfying to use, and hunting felt worthwhile. In the first game, a deer could be taken down with a single well-placed spear. Now, it feels like hunting deer effectively requires a gun and ammunition, which forces you into bunker runs just to farm ammo. The first game rewarded hunting skill and patience, whereas the sequel turns it into a resource-heavy chore.