Metro: Redux

Welcome back! Most of you know that I'm a recreational gamer who will occasionally blog about my experiences. I've been playing a compilation titled Metro: Redux. It's a crossover between the post-apocalyptic and survival horror genre with two games on a single disc. The game includes both Metro 2033 and Metro: Last Light. Basically, it's a remaster of games that were available on earlier systems. I had a lot of fun playing both games, but they're quite challenging. So, I thought it would be a good idea to give a little review. I'll explain my favorite elements of Metro: Redux and the parts that annoyed me. Let's jump right in!

Metro 2033 takes place decades after nuclear war devastated the world. The playable character is a Russian soldier named Artyom who lives in the underground metro system. Artyom faces an onslaught of enemies both underground and on top of the toxic surface. Rival humans and mutated animals prove to be difficult enemies while Artyom completes his missions. The situation becomes even more complex when a humanoid race of beings with psychic powers appear. Are these mysterious beings friends or foes? The truth becomes more clear as the game progresses.

​ I found plenty of positive elements. Firstly, Metro 2033 is a solid survival horror game. It's a fun first person shooter game with a variety of weapons and a slurry of enemies. This was a pretty early game on the Xbox One, but the gameplay mechanics are surprisingly good. I don't recall glitches or a frustrating gameplay system. The monsters are genuinely scary and the game tosses quite a few jump scares at the player. Overall, if you can't handle scares, avoid the Metro games. 

Creating your own weapons if a big part of the fun. I found money and valuable items that could be applied toward weapon upgrades. For example, I created a quadruple barreled shotgun with a sniper scope. The concept is nonsense, but this is a video game, so it's okay. You'll have the opportunity to create really powerful weapons, including explosives. Weapon modification definitely makes the game easier to play. 

This is also a decent game for both novices and expert gamers. I'm somewhere in the middle and it worked well for me. You can modify the difficulty level to an appropriate setting. Metro 2033 is also a nice introduction to the post-apocalyptic genre and first person shooters in general. It has the right type of setting, visuals, and tone for a good dystopian game. 

The gameplay also has some variety. You can try stealth approaches or run into a fray with guns blazing. There are plenty of options and sometimes it works better if you mix various styles of gameplay. If you're lucky, Artyom can outrun or avoid certain enemies completely. 

I also noticed some flaws in the game. It's probably too linear on today's standards. The game isn't particularly long and it lacks an open world environment. Your character basically moves from one scene to the next. I'm not surprised because it's a remaster of an older game. Metro 2033 would have been very impressive if it had an open world environment. 

Naturally, I took several wrong turns and got momentarily lost. Maps aren't super helpful and it becomes an issue when the player is being swarmed by enemies. It's even worse because enemies respawn after a while. You can't stay in one location for very long and getting lost can be fatal. 

It doesn't have the most engaging storyline either. Artyom is just a soldier who follows orders and kills monsters. That's about it. In fact, there's barely a plot at all. It's just a standard nuclear wasteland. 

Some of the gameplay becomes repetitive because there isn't a big variety of enemies. Artyom fights a lot of humans and a mutated creature that resembles a hideous mole. Occasionally, you'll encounter other monsters, but they're very sparse. I got a little tired of fighting the same enemies for extended periods of time. Some players might become really bored with this game because it's so repetitive. 

The disc also includes Metro: Last Light. It's a direct sequel to the first Metro game, which also includes the same characters and setting. Metro 2033 introduced a mysterious humanoid race of mutants called Dark Ones. The Russians eradicated the Dark Ones with missiles at the end of the game because they appeared to be a threat. This becomes an issue in Last Light because the Dark Ones were actually friendly and helpful instead of hostile. But it's too late because their entire species is dead except for one youth. In Last Light, Artyom helps the young Dark One find other survivors, fight off enemy factions, and tries to stop the spread of a deadly virus. It's a pretty daunting task for one soldier. 

Truthfully, I didn't click with this game very well, but it has some really good elements. The story is much more interesting than the first Metro game. It has more peril, mystery, and psychological elements. The plot isn't particularly complex or original, but it suits the game pretty well. 

The gameplay and scenery is quite similar to Metro 2033. You'll continue to find a great arsenal of weapons to fight enemies in a post-apocalyptic environment. I really enjoyed that part in the first game and it carries over to Last Light. This game has an extra perk because it has a lot more ammunition, health packs, and other vital items. Resources were very scarce in Metro 2033 and that part was alleviated in the following game. 

I also encountered more creatures in Last Light. That part made me feel really happy because I got tired of killing mutant moles in the first game. Last Light has all kinds of monsters that come in different sizes and battle difficulties. I would still like to see a little more variety, but this was a good step in the right direction. 

Unfortunately, I didn't enjoy Last Light a whole lot. This game was incredibly difficult for me because it's more like a military campaign. It reminds me of Gears of War, Call of Duty, and other military style games. I don't play those games very often, so this was a challenging task for me. This game has way more enemies who respawn frequently and have massive amounts of accurate fire power. I can only progress to a certain point. Ironically, I heard the opposite scenario from other people. Many players find Metro 2033 much more difficult than Last Light. Granted, I have a feeling many players are more comfortable with military games than survival horror. I have the opposite situation. So, if you love military shooters, this would be a great pick. 

It seems like the gameplay has less variety. For example, stealth tactics are nearly useless in this game. Running into a room with guns blazing is a more effective option. But the gameplay becomes somewhat stale because it's more repetitive. Again, I don't think it bother people who enjoy military games. 

Like its predecessor, Last Light doesn't have an open world environment. Therefore, it still involves linear gameplay in the metro station and nuclear wasteland. It doesn't bring anything new to the Metro series or the post-apocalyptic genre. That part is a little bit disappointing. 

Despite some noticeable flaws, I definitely recommend Metro: Redux for gamers who enjoy the post-apocalyptic genre and first person shooters. It has a quick pace with a lot of excitement and some creepy moments. Metro: Redux is a double threat with two games on a single disc and that means you're getting a bigger bang for the money. It's not expensive either. This double feature is still available on Amazon for $20 and under. 

Do you enjoy Metro and similar games? Tell me about it in the comment section. I promise to have more gaming discussions in the future along with other posts. Tomorrow is going to be a fun day for me because I'm heading to the Los Angeles Comic Con. I'll post my Comic Con photos some time next month. Thanks for visiting my blog and have a good week.