We review the Xbox One update of Metro 2033 Redux. Is it better than past versions> Well read on and find out.
The world of Metro 2033 was a bleak, terrifying and tense experience when it was released in 2010 on last gen consoles and PC, but it came with very mixed reviews, getting anywhere from four and five to eight and nine stars by various companies. The main flaw reviewers were quick to point out was the graphics on last gen consoles and the lackluster PC port, but with the next gen consoles 4A games have given Metro 2033 a new, and greatly updated port.
The game follows Artyom, a survivor of the nuclear World War 3 as a child who now lives down in the Russian Metro, the last human refuge in the desolate wasteland of Moscow and beyond. He is given a job by his friend Hunter, to get a message to Polis about race of creatures that threaten his station, the Dark Ones, a supernatural race brought about by the nuclear apocalypse. Little is known about these creatures but they soon make their presence known to the player. The story on the whole is very satisfying, with plenty of twists and turns to keep you engaged until the climactic end.
The first, and easily noticeable upgrade is to the graphics, new textures and animations, updated character models, 1080p and 60fps on both the PS4 and Xbox One leave the game feeling brand new, making it both a pleasure to look at and playthrough. Due to these upgrades the game is as tense as ever, ensuring stages like the library to send shivers up your spine. The only problem I find is that some of the enemies are less scary, sure they might look better but they have traded scare factor for a nice, fresh coat of paint.
The next upgrade is to the gameplay, gone are the nigh on impossible stealth section and in is the Metro Last Light stealth system; enemies, both human and mutant are smarter and are more likely to ambush you, ensuring you think twice about firing off an un-silenced shot or run out in the open. Of course, stealth in not necessary and you are free to run and gun your way through the game, apart from the previously mentioned library section where the mutants that inhabit it are almost unkillable on hardcore and deal out two, sometimes even one hit kills. I also found the use of Watchmen ambushes to be heavy handed a way to artificially extend the time of the game, which only took me around ten hours on ranger hardcore mode, the hardest of all.
Although Metro is an atmospheric survival horror game I never found myself in desperate need of ammo, even on survival mode which presents itself with further limited resources I only ever ran out of gas mask filters once (which was short lived), so long as you use three different ammo type weapons (i.e. assault rifle, shotgun and pistol) and pick up ammo from dead human enemies you will rarely run short. Gas mask Filters on the other hand are actually quite scarce but if you sidetrack often enough and limit time spent on the surface you will never be left without them.
The weapons you use to blast your way through the Nazis, Communists and mutants are varied, powerful and greatly detailed, with every scratch, scuff and round visible. There are customisation options for each weapons but I found the AK-47 with an IR Scope, suppressor and stock to be the only weapon I needed against human enemies and a shotgun with an extended barrel to be perfect for all mutant encounters. It was fun to experiment with the pneumatic weapons but I always found myself coming back to the AK/ Shotgun combo because it was so effective, which makes some weaker or less effective weapons like the ‘bastard’ and revolver to be useless.
Like the original, Metro 2033 Redux has a strange achievement/ trophy layout, with only two guaranteed achievements and the rest either weapon, enemy or criteria based, which is different from many other games that have multiple story based achievements that less experienced gamers can get on their first run through. Although this is a very minor points this can lead some achievement whores (like myself) to grind for achievements tied to weapons and enemies, or replay levels to try and fulfill certain criteria, deducting from the overall experience, but as I said, this is a very small nitpick and the game should stand on its own merits, which are numerous, rather than a slightly flawed achievement/ trophy layout.
Overall, Metro 2033 Redux is a brilliant game, taking all that was good about the original and updating it for the new consoles, being just £15 brand new (or £30 when bundled with Last Light Redux) makes it a steal for both newcomers and veterans alike.
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