Graphics are much better. Even at night with the brightness up, it still feels like night. The textures are sharper, trees look better, new HD zombies look great. Overall a wonderful overhaul to the graphics.
The game is more difficult so far. Using a blunderbuss, primitive tools, etc. Makes it more difficult.
However this is also a negative. You have no chance of finding something good at early levels. in A18 it was way too easy to get quality 5 and 6 ak's in the first couple days. But now there is 0 chance of finding something nice because everything is locked behind gamestage. Not sure the point of the lucky looter perk now.
It's feeling a little less sandbox and a little more linear with the fact that you only gain specific items as you level and increase your gamestage.
The new tools are nice, a ratchet to take apart cars instead of a wrench? It's great, so much faster.
I also noticed they changed mining iron, now you get scrap iron instead of iron chunks. Not a big deal, but a noticeable change.
The crit's are a nice addition. Sprained arm, etc. But I don't think I've ever seen my hunger icon gone for more than a minute or so. The game is a non stop battle for food now. I thought there was going to be a hunger and thirst meter on your ui, I only get the icon that tells me when I'm hunger and thirsty, which is pretty much all the time.
Overall it seems pretty good so far, but I'm only a few days into the game.