Hit up the difficulty then. Dead Space was on top of my best game ever list before this came alone. STALKER is similar but all the goddamn running/walking/getting tired and mauled by gasmask tetrapods gets old really fast.
On the other hand, 20% chance to hit crit with the good old hunting rifle on a raider atop a Satellite dish, exploding his head up to the heavens...Never gets old.
I'll agree that you level up too fast. After painting ghoul blood over ever subway tunnel...I got to lvl 20 before the Waters of life quest.