Metro: Last Light was released earlier this year, and was met with a lot of praise from the gaming community, including our review. I really enjoyed Last Light as it had a great setting paired with an engrossing story. After I finished the game, I was itching for more content. With 4A Games releasing the “Faction Pack” DLC, I was able to get my fill of more Metro: Last Light levels, and they are excellent.
The “Faction Pack” contains three missions that put you in control of members of the three different factions in Metro: Last Light: a sniper of the Red Line, a Polis Ranger, and a Reich heavy squad soldier. Each mission is very different from one another, offering unique gameplay.
The first one I played was as the Reich heavy squad soldier. The mission was pretty short, and all it consisted of was you taking out advancing Red Line soldiers for a few minutes using the new minigun that was added through the DLC. While the mission was enjoyable, it felt like very bare bones. You just had to shoot enemies for a few minutes, take down a tank, and that was it. While I do enjoy mowing down dozens and dozens of enemies with an overpowered gun, I was yearning for some more content.
Luckily the two other missions included the DLC fill that void the Reich mission creates. The second mission is with the Polis Ranger. You are holed up in a base underneath an old library, and given the task of entering the library to retrieve some pre-war artifacts. Since the library is on the surface, you only have a few minutes at a time to search for artifacts before you have to head back underground.
This mission is one of my favorites in Metro: Last Light now. Each time you head up to the library it is intense, and you have no idea what to expect. As you find artifacts, you can sell them to a buyer that is also in the base underground. Selling the artifacts will allow you to buy better equipment and guns, allowing for longer expeditions on the surface. While the main story of Last Light was incredible, this mission really nails the feel of having to survive in the subways.
The last mission in the “Faction Pack” puts you in control of a sniper trying to take out a heavily guarded Reich outpost. For those looking for missions that feel more like those you would find in the base game, this is it. There is a radioactive storm overheard, so you can not stay outdoors for very long. This mission sees you sneaking around in the dark, using a new silent sniper rifle to take out enemies. The stealth mechanics in Last Light are fantastic, and when you can use a silenced sniper rifle with the awesome mechanics, it makes you feel even more powerful.
The “Factions Pack” for Metro: Last Light is a must have for any fan of the game. For only $5, you get quite a bit of extra content for a low price. While one of the missions does lack some substance, the other two are wonderfully done, adding some new content to an already amazing game.
Score: 8.5/10
Metro: Last Light Faction Pack was developed by 4A Games and published by Deep Silver for the Xbox 360 PlayStation 3, and PC on July 16. A copy of the game was provided to us by Deep Silver for reviewing purposes.
