When 4A Games developed a game based on the novel Metro 2033 by Dmitry Glukhovsky, the Ukrainian studio probably didn’t think it would be met by as much enthusiasm and overwhelmingly positive ‘word of mouth’ buzz. It didn’t take long after the post-apocalyptic shooter was going to receive a sequel announcement and said follow up was code-named Metro 2034.
After several months of jeopardy during the THQ bankruptcy the since renamed Metro: Last Light is finally seeing the light of day under publisher Deep Silver, but will it wow its players with its unique Eastern European charm and unconventional gameplay like Metro 2033 did?
Metro: Last Light is a direct sequel to Metro 2033 and players will once again take control of Artyom – the main protagonist of the original game. Artyom wakes up in a small uncomfortable space that reminds of a submarine cabin which he calls home. Last Light picks up right after Metro 2033. The dark ones seem to have been defeated and Artyom has become a Ranger, he no longer is just a normal soldier but a hero in his own right.
Artyom makes his way through the underground bunkers and vaults that protect the surviving human race in the metro tunnels of Moscow. While moral took a turn for the better after Artyom’s actions from the first game, there is a new threat of civil war along with the looming mutants that still linger on the dangerously radiated surface. After players take an impactful tour of the tunnels where one can listen to long conversations between soldiers, watch starving families or busy merchants, Artyom is given orders to finish the job he started.
Right from the get go Metro: Last Light pulls the player into its deep and gripping narrative. As its predecessor before it, Metro: Last Light is a story heavy game that truly manages to make the player care about Artyom, his world and the looming civil war. After the imminent threat was destroyed and humanity under the streets of Moscow should achieve peace, the opposite is true. The factions of the metro are about to go to war over the powerful doomsday device from the military vaults of D6.
Last Light’s characters, environments and plot got me invested into the universe within the first hour of the game. 4A Games has painstakingly created a world that really pays homage to the novels written by author Dmitry Glukhovsky. Metro: Last Light’s tunnels, vaults and destroyed surface areas feel as dead, hopeless but also alive as the author envisioned them to be, even more so than Metro 2033. I enjoyed simply watching people interact, exploring every nook and cranny and taking in all of the post-apocalyptic charm of Last Light which is also a big visual upgrade compared to the first game and one of the best looking shooters this console cycle has seen.
Metro: Last Light again brings its signature theme of prewar ammo being the world’s currency, which means players must choose wisely. Taking down a mutant or human threat may be easier using shiny currency bullets but will seriously cut into the upgrading budget, while the new and less effective ammo from the metro world is less powerful and will put you into some serious jams when attacked. Last Light also sees the return of wearing gas masks on the exposed surface where radiation can burn a man instantly, requiring Artyom to change his filers frequently which ads tensions to encounters and adds to the already oozing atmosphere.
Players will also physically hit a button to wipe moisture of the mask, pull up the map and compass or recharge the flash light. These were all gameplay components that made Metro 2033 so memorable and most of them are back with Last Light. Some of the newer features of Last Light can be seen in it’s combat where Artyom now faces a lot more human threats which are smarter, use cover and can be heavily armored making stealth kills and targeted shots a much more effective way to approach scenarios. Players can sneak past enemies, unscrew light bulbs and take a stealthy approach or come out blasting foes away.
Artyom can carry three modifiable weapons from pistols, to shotguns or assault rifles as well as explosives each of which can be customized with sights, barrel attachments and more allowing for flexibility to match your combat style. The weapons range from awesome looking make shift guns to prewar manufactured models. Killing human enemies will allow players to pick up ammo, filters and more from their corpses – Artyom will need them – the world is scarce on resources. Some of the mutant and human enemies can act poorly at times and not as smart as I would like but the AI does seek to find the player and make combat fun and challenging most of the time. Last Light also includes collectibles in the form of notes which I found helpful and interesting as they explored more of Metro’s dark and immersive backstory.
Metro: Last Light is an absolute gem and somehow managed to recreate the feeling I had when playing Metro 2033 three years ago. 4A Games can only be commended for creating such a story driven campaign filled with believable characters, living in a bleak and hopeless world where tension and uncertainty are normalcy and danger lurks around every corner. Last Light brings all of the ‘Eastern Block’ game development charm with nearly none of its set backs. Last Light may have a few AI problems at times but the amount of enjoyment and fun I had exploring the tunnels of Moscow’s metro is still unmatched – apart from Metro 2033 of course.
Score: 9 / 10
Metro: Last Light was developed by 4A Games and published by Deep Silver for Xbox 360, PS3 and PC on May 14th. A copy of the game was provided to us by Deep Silver for reviewing purposes.
