In the last couple of years I've heard about Metro Exodus a lot. So I looked into the series and it seemed intriguing. I mean that not for the story itself, which is more or less a common trope, rather the gameplay mechanics. So I've been meaning to play the Metro series ever since but didn't want to jump straight in Metro Exodus which is the latest one. Turned out there are redux versions of older Metro games. These are revamped editions with better optimization and graphical elements. This is how I ended up playing the first metro game, Metro 2033 Redux.
Plotline
People of earth lash out at each other with nuclear weapons. That ultimate fear comes true. Civilization collapses like a worn rag-doll, discarded, barren. The surface of the earth is scorched and dead. Wherever you glare, there is only ruin. A nuclear winter covered the earth. The air is heavy with poisonous gas and radiation. The outer atmosphere is covered with smoke and dust. A small portion of the population who survived nuclear warfare is now residing in the metro tunnels. No one is able to live on the surface anymore. Earth is finally uninhabitable.
That is for the humans and the life forms of the old earth. Radiation changed animals on the surface. There are numerous new life forms roaming the earth now. Nosalis, a dog-like creature with a vicious face and monstrous claws.
There are winged avian creatures people of the metro generally address as 'demons' who dive and grab any human who dares to go in the open. Abnormal bio-growth on the surface of machineries. And there's mutated humans, who are introduced as the dark ones. Some call them the next chain in human evolution - homo Novus, the new human.
The tunnels are infested with these creatures as well. But these are not the only threats people of the metro face. There's fractions among the living—Nazis, red army. Yes, still after the world turned into hell. Moral of the story? We never learn.
There's another major player in the game, an anomaly, appeared after the catastrophe, a giant ball of lightning which acts like a natural force— eradicating everything on its path.
Despite all that, people of the metro still hope for a better future. They've built habitable cities within the tunnels. There are markets, living quarters, handmade machineries and all that.
When his station gets attacked by the Nosalis, a young soldier called Artyom goes on a journey to seek help and find the truth about the dark ones. The game is his journey through the tunnels and on the surface of wretched earth.
Gameplay
This is very much a narrative driven game. There is hardly any open-world stuff in there, although the game throws in some sandbox-like situations where the player can still make some decisions. But in its entirety, the game plays like a movie and a darn good one at that! This was a welcome change for me because I've been playing so many open world games for the last few years, the old way felt refreshing.
However players are still left with a few key choices in gameplay mechanics. For example, you have a flashlight that requires charging. Your night vision goggles also requires charge. You charge these devices using this pump machine.
The air rifles requires air pressure and as you use the guns, not only the ammo gets depleted, so does the pressure. Less air pressure means the guns will do less damage.
However the biggest challenge is managing gas-mask and air filters. When you leave the metro and roam the open space or hazardous areas, you're required to use a gas mask. If you're not economical with the air you use, you'll be handicapped at every turn of the game! I had to restart some levels from the start because I was constantly dying running out of air!
All these things complement the stunning visual elemental details of the world of metro, making the game very, very immersive. You can feel being there with Artyom, running and fighting the enemies and fearing at every turn.
Depression and hopelessness seem to ooze out of the computer monitor and you want to give up. But you can't, and you press on! A near life experience!
Verdict
Metro 2033 is certainly one of the finest games I've ever played. Loved everything about it and looking forward to playing the sequel, Last Light and the newer one Metro Exodus in the future.
All the photos except the first one are screenshots taken by me from the game.
