Featuring one of the most detailed, unique and atmospheric settings since the underwater oasis of Rapture in BioShock, Metro2033 gets its unique feel by being set in a post apocalyptic Metro system set under the now frozen and toxic city streets of Moscow, Russia. The sense, scale and unnerving nature the environment's impact has on you really adds a further dimension to the game's character and gameplay, allowing you to creep and crawl undetected amongst the sewer rats and goolies or the complete opposite, completely tearing it up and cleaning house.
Story
The backstory to the present 2033 situation (put simply) consists of an apocalyptic event that occurred in 2013, annihilating almost all of mankind which coincidentally transformed earth into a poisoned wasteland. Survivors took refuge underground away from the radiation and now (20 years on), any remaining life forms have mutated from their original forms and now rule the surface and the skies above Moscow.
You play as Artyom, born a few days prior to the 'fire' and raised in the sancturary and micro-civilisation that was formed in the Metro links under the city. You are given a message to be delievered to Polis, which starts your adventure leading you away from the sanctuary of the station where you've never left, all the way to highest tower overlooking Moscow.
Gameplay
This is where the game shines amongst the crowd of samey, cliched single player only games. Aside from a few questionable moments where enemy AI runs up to and turns their back to you whilst you furiously pelt them with bullet fire, this game is a fantastic mix of stealth, heart thumping tension and close combat gunfight action.
You can choose to play the game in two completely separate ways: number one is sticking to the shadows, holding and hugging the walls and looking out for traps (broken glass, cans on string or more sinister ones which will kill) and slowly making your way undetected through the Metro world, OR way two, all guns blazing.
My personal preference was to stalk and sneak past anything not human and then take the rebellious enemies (who take the form of Nazi's in this game) out one by one. The benefits of doing so where, well there weren't any really, but it's nice to see a decent mix of ammunition conserving and supply after the original coding and testing received complaints for being too strict on ammo supply.
You are able to carry one weapon in each of the game's 4 weapon classes consisting of: a handgun (normally some non descript, hand crafted/bodged magnum of sorts), an assault rifle (again, hand crafted - like all of the weaponry - to vaguely represent an AK), shotgun, grenades (or throwing knives if Modern Warfare 2 tickled your taste-buds) and a knife. Guns all behave well, it's easy to line up targets, light them up and move along and all the weapons are upgradable if you spend the time searching throughout the game in order to do so.
Due to the new forms of life which have manifested due to the change above ground level (thanks to copius amounts of radiation), the game's 'survival' aspect comes in the form of a gas mask. These require fresh and clean filters in order to stop you choking on the air above ground and once you leave the Metro station's air cleaning facilities so get searching for spares and take cover when in firefights as if you take too much damage to that mask, it will eventually crack and break leaving you, swearing in a smog of choking poison.
All in all, this is a cracking play through, whether it be once or multiple, as the ability to switch style and the inclusion of subconcious decision making determining the final scene's outcome will surely lure you to go through hell once again, to see exactly what Artyom makes of himself.
Graphics
As hinted at earlier on, the environments created within the Metro universe are deep, dark, moody and genuinely chilling. Settings aren't constricted to tunnels (which the name would lead you to believe) but flow between deserted rail exchange stations, deserted and snow covered wastelands (above ground level), demon filled libraries and many more.
All of which present new challenges, tasks and wonderful arrays of detail and scale. The final level sees you replaying the first few minutes of gameplay from when you power the game on, and ultimately reaching a tower. The views upon this and looking out show off the supreme power the 360 is still able to achieve.
There was some slow down when it came to highly detailed and pressurised situations, where lights would flicker, enemies would duck and dive behind cover and gun fire lit up the metro tunnels, but this was infrequent and did not represent the vast majority of the gameplay time. Facial animations are believable, character animations realistic and general behaviour of the human participants in the world where excellent.
Sound
Sound in this game offers the most chills and scares than any graphic or story could possibly throw at you. Whispers, growls, chants, ghostly apparitions and the old favourite of children singing with the sounds of a rusty swing in the background when approaching a radiation pocketed park are all rewardingly creepy as hell.
The use of music is paramount to the experience too, voice overs are of excellent quality and I particularly liked Artyom's readings during loading screens, as if he's reading out entries in a journal or diary which made the already quick loading times seemingly disappear whilst you're distracted listening to him basically talk about him crapping himself, and rightly so.
Words can't really describe a scene to the fullest, where you're quietly creeping with the sound of a demon's breathing echoing in the rooms you're set to discover. The soft breathing through your gas mask coating the environment and a softly playing orchestral score suddenly stops, and your heart momentarily stops along with it. For the remaining few seconds, all that is heard are your foot steps, cracking the broken glass below your feet as your breathing gets deeper and suddenly wham, as the goolie that you were listening to earlier shows his face and starts chasing you like a crazy cat around the bookcases. Absolutely, fantastic.
Summary
What to say, other than this is the greatest introduction to a new environment and situation since BioShock revolutionised the done to death scenario's of old and took the player under the sea with the friendly crustations. Without breaking into song - a'la Little Mermaid - instead of being drowned amongst art deco sunken city scapes, you are left constantly wanting to flee the confines of the metro tubes up until the moment when you actually climb that ladder and see the devestation first hand, where the sanctuary below truly feels like home and secure.
Never has a game had that effect, and even allowing for some questionable moments and slight repetitiveness, this is a fine exclusive that everybody must at least experience during their 360 ownership. Worthy of a fitting sequel and I sure hope they do so, just don't tack on an unnecessary multiplayer like you didn't do this time and it'll work again. Top game, must play.
If we did "4.5", this would get it.
Capturing a bounty alive
Unlocking the Elegant Suit
Getting a ringer in Horseshoes
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