Southern Livonia a Green Hell

I just need to talk about this map. Tonight I took my character off the main roads and towns and decided to explore the backwoods of Livonia. It was one of the most terrifying experiences I have ever played in a video game, period. It all started out fine, walking the trails and sightseeing. The pure terror started at sun fall. I was hiking far off the trails hoping I would stumble across some hidden military installation to upgrade my gear when I started to hear faint roars in the distance. At first, I didn't really pay notice of it and carried on my merry way. I put on some music and continued my journey. And as it got darker the roars got louder and I became more and more on edge. It wasn't long after I passed through a very dense section of forest when I hear the roar seemingly right next to me. Instinctively I start booking it, I look back only to hear muffled grunts and roars. Then I can hear the fucking bear running at me so I start screaming in terror. When I realize I can't outrun it I turn around and attempt to put a shotgun shell into its face. However, it's too late and the thing mauls me knocking me unconscious.
For some reason, the thing didn't finish me and left me bleeding out in the middle of the woods. I wake up and bandage my wounds. At this point, I was scared shitless and just started fucking booking it away from the area. It doesn't end there though. As I was running it turns out that I had backtracked to where I had been before the attack. I quickly check my compass (I was attempting to explore east to find military loot) and realize the only path to my destination was back through the wood. This time I am much more aware. I sneak through the woods hearing this thing within at least 100m of me roaring like some type of demon. I make it to a run-down village where I creep through the dilapidated houses dispatching zombies as quietly as I can. All while I hear the bear roaring from within the woods. I find my way to a Hunting tower where I take some time to regen blood and calm my nerves. From there I could see my surroundings, I was surrounded by forest on all sides and seemingly surrounded by more bears which I could now hear roaring from all sides. I decide to stay up in that tower for most of the night watching the treeline for these fucking things. When the sun starts to rise over the horizon I make my move. I dart from the tower and just bum rush through the trees, Somehow I was able to avoid the other bears and make it out of the woods into a clearing.
But my time in this green hell was not over yet. I had stumbled right into a field where a heli had crashed. This is exactly the kind of thing I had been looking for. I strode into the field and made it yo the heli without any trouble. I found some useful items including a ghillie suit. As I was heading back and stepped into the tree line a sudden crack of a rifle sent a round into the back of my chest. I immediately went prone behind a tree and began to bandage. I had no clue where the shot had come from, and my only choice at that point was to stay and most likely be killed by the gunman or try to escape. I opted for an escape using the ghillie I had picked up I crawled through the underbrush as he took shots in the general directions he must have seen me from. Finally, I make it a decent distance from the heli and I get up and just start running. I make it out of the area and decide to cut my loses and gtfo out of the region. I head back north and leave the south behind. It was only when I get back to the relative safety of Gieraltow that I realize how incredibly intense the last hour or so had been

I'm a relatively new player and withing the first 20 hours of my playtime I had probably one of the most memorable experiences I had ever had in a video game. I know this game gets a lock of flack, but it is honestly one of the most immersive and terrifying games I have ever played. The sheer terror I felt sneaking through that bear country was something I had not felt in even the best horror games. I don't even know what more to say. I would love to hear some of your guys' stories playing this game.

tldr; fuck bears dude.. fuck bears