Lighting is definitely better than before, as there is actual global illumination now, but there are areas of the lighting that are still very flaky, as well as shadows.
Which doesn't really work. Sitting in a pitch black room, with 2 side windows, daylight outside... that's no GI. For the outside is better (still not right yet), but inside lighting is really, really bad. The modded version that I've played on the older version I think it looked better.
Adding Metro to the mix or Body Cam... Stalker 2 falls way, way behind in many areas.
Played a bit more... 300hrs+ on the old version(s) and mods vs. now:
-Ballistics is still trash. An AK being weaker than PTM, although the AKM has around 5x the muzzle energy of the pistol is insane. Same for the M platform.
-Enemies/NPCs are bullet sponges, still.
-AI?... Well, they sit and play the guitar with dead bodies next to them while I shoot at blood suckers... some spawn back way to quickly.
-Artificial scarcity economy is still there, hurting the immersion, making all those pew-pew trailers basically a lie, since that isn't the usual gameplay.
-Jumping / climbing is ridiculously dumb down as well.
I'm in no mood to buy the expansion. It doesn't worth it, maybe for something less than 10 euros for ol' times sakes.