Bought the game when it was on sale for only $4.99, so it was quite a bargain! I've seen reviews and playthroughs for this game, but never had the chance to actually play it myself until now. The 4A engine on this looks great compared to the original game, not to say that the original wasn't great looking either. The controls were a little funky to use at first, but I started to get the hang of it after a while. The gameplay, while linear, does have some (and I do mean *some*) open-world elements, especially when you are on levels where you have to go outside. I love the aspects of having to manually charge your flashlight or keeping up with how much air you have for your gas mask- all these little things make for incredible immersion. And for a FPS, its got a great storyline, memorable characters, and your choices can actually affect how the game ends. It's one of the more better video games I've played in my lifetime, but I don't think I can find myself replaying it- there seems to be little re-playable value since its more of a story about Artyom and his struggle than a video game about Artyom exploring his world and surviving in it. Overall, it is a very enjoyable game and I don't regret buying it! Pros: Great visual, great story, very immersive. Cons: Controls get a little while to get used to, very linear, little re-playable value (unless you first played the game on a lower difficulty and want to play it in 'Ranger Hardcore Mode'), Russian VA was not as impressive as I thought it would be. Final Verdict: play it at least once whilst wearing a ushanka and drinking Vodka.
