Metro 2033 Redux

Metro is a strange game. It is a pureblood FPS, but certainly not a run and gun affair such as Wolfenstein New Order or Doom III. Metro has a story and the narrative drives the gameplay. So although, as you read on these reviews, the game is very linear - it is paced extremely well and as such the game feels less linear than it actually is. The graphics are amazing. They were superb when the game was released some years ago, but few people had the gaming rig to drive the game in full settings back then. Todays average hardware doesn't struggle to give the players the full experience, even in these "redux" version, which don't look much better than the PC orignals. The "redux" games were created with the consoles in mind, as the new Playstation and Xbos finally had enough grunt to play the PC version of the game. But forget about the graphics ... it's not imporant. What is important is the gameplay, and Metro gameplay is awesome. The atmosphere is oozing and ominous, the characters are well written and look very convincing. You really get the feeling that survival in the Metro is as difficult as the game is (on the harder settings) and every bullet counts. I really mean that ... every single bullet counts. Because down here, ammo is currency. It was refreshing to see an FPS game, and one this well written and beautiful, make it out into a market saturated with "modern military shooters" like the endless repetition of COD and Battlefield and their spin off clones. Metro takes you back to when games were very different from one another, and stays an amazing game. The combat was glitchy in the original Metro 2033 release (it's only major fault) but the Redux version brings the much improved combat of Last Light to the original game. So this is no longer a problem. The only problem is staying alive, not running out of bullets and having the nerve to finish the game, because it takes guts and stamina as well as much as skill. Metro is an awesome experience.

I really wish I could love this game, but there's too much in the way for that to happen... On the one hand it's got a great atmosphere and immersion. The environments and the level design is on point and the enemies look scary. It really makes you feel like you're there among them. The stations have a cool vibe and they managed to keep the UI to a minimum. But then there are things like the gas masks that can run out - on paper this sounded like a cool and logic addition, but now that I played it a while, they really limit the time you have for exploration and force you to rush through some sections of the game - even playing the ranger mode (or whatever it was call - the one with a lot of loot lying around) I once ran out of masks and then you're more or less forced to restart the whole chapter... Also the levels are extremly linear. Even more so than most shooters I played so far. This quickly becomes frustrating during stealth sections where you pretty much have to pull out the compass every few seconds to find where you're supposed to go. The stealth is also extremly unforgiving on even the easiest of difficulties - one tiny moment in the wrong spot and you are almost immediatly dead and have to restart the save-point... this requires serious patiences. The scaling of difficulties also was way off. I played the easiest available and the enemies were bullet sponges. Some took half a mag to kill - and the game sometimes throws 10 to 20 at you and you're out of bullets immediatally! The lack off hints and tutorials etc. doesn't help either. Also, the controls felt a bit weird. I tried to rebind some keys but I couldn't get it to a point where it all felt comfortable. In conclusion: If you like difficult games that require a lot of patiences and are willing to redo some check-points over and over again than this might be perfect for you. If you like exploring and taking your time and prefer a more casual experience then this is most likely not your kind of game.

My review is more for the original version and not this remastered version with better graphics and small changes. This game is a linear FPS, set in a dystopian future, taking place mostly underground in former metro stations and tracks of Moscow. There are parts outside, very dangerous parts, but most fighting is taking place indoors or underground. There is some freedom in some parts where you can choose how to attack groups of enemies and even how to avoid them. You can also choose to search for hidden (out of sight) loot. Most of the freedom you have is down to that. The other options (choices for storyline) are relative to how in general you play the game (violently or not), and a couple of choices you make at the appropriate parts. All of them change a little bit some parts of the game and the ending. It's not Fallout, but at least there is some replayability in terms of getting a slightly different story and ending. The game looked great even before this Redux version, the sound is great, I have music off in all FPS games so I have no idea how good or bad that is. The fighting is very good, although there are times where I wish I had access to more normal/modern weapons. "Pulling the trigger" feels right and definitely puts a smile into your face. There are parts of the game, very few, where you almost have to play in a stealth way. If you are terrible at stealth, you are going to suffer till you make it through them. If you also hate stealth, you might even take a small break. Always remember this though, be patient, they are very small parts. There is a relatively small variety of enemies, humans and non humans. At no point you feel that is an issue. Everything in this game oozes with atmosphere. It's one of the best FPS games of the post 2000 era and a must play if you like FPS and single player FPS at that. One warning, this is not an open world game as Fallout or even STALKER. It is worth 100% the price of admission even at full price.

Looks amazing and is dripping with atmosphere. Guns feel realistic and there is real tension in it. You know you're playing a good game when the tension doesn't only build up but pays off. This is a game crafted with love for the books. And it shows. This isn't a simple linear fps -this is an experience unlike any other. Get it, you won't be dissapointed.