If you're into the deeper storylines and lore, spark is pretty fascinating since they've got all these connections to clear sky and some familiar faces like scar and strider hanging around. They'll definitely give you more of those mysterious zone stories to uncover but just remember, you'll have a rougher time with basic survival stuff since ward's gonna make your life difficult and you won't have access to the chemical plant fast-travel points.

Now if you're looking for a smoother experience, ward might be more your speed. They've got this whole sircaa backing which means better equipment, safer spots like malachite stc to catch your breath, and really solid traders with military-grade gear. The missions tend to flow better too especially if you're just starting out, but you won't get as deep into those juicy zone mysteries.

Here's something interesting - ward's supply lines are actually pretty reliable which means you'll spend less time scavenging and more time actually completing missions. With spark though, you're gonna struggle more but those story moments hit different when you're piecing together all the connections to older events. Really comes down to whether you want that richer backstory or just want to focus on staying alive with better gear.