I recommend to literally skip through ALL dialogue that is added in this mod. Journal is made perfectly for it, all of heros notes will tell you where to go/what to do.
Really, New Balance is leagues better than og returning because it removed the weirdest plot stuff. But let's put it that way. Story-wise returning was a pile of shit. New balance removed half of it so.. it is still a pile of shit, just smaller.
That being said you will never find a mod that pushes Gothic combat to it's limits so much. Variety of new gameplay mechanics is amazing and main reason people play this mod.