Metro 2033

Fear the Metro...



Developer: 4A Games
Publisher: THQ
Platforms: Microsoft Windows, Xbox 360
Release Date: 18 March,2010
Genre: Survival horror FPS
Mode: Single-player
System Requirements: Windows XP, Vista, 7, CPU: any quad core or 3.0+ GHz Dual Core, RAM: 2GB, HDD: 12 GB, Graphics: DirectX 10 copliant graphic card (GeForce GTX 260 and above), Sound Card: DirectX 9 Compatible, DirectX version 10

 

Plot

The story is about a young survivor, named Artyom, of the meta-apocalyptic events that took part in the world. Radiation has made living on the surface impossible; only underground someone can survive. The new home for the survivors is now the metro stations of Moscow. However, there aren’t only humans that dwell in the subway tunnels and on the surface. Mutants are all over the place. They are the main enemy of the human race. Artyom’s home station however, is under the threat of a mutant race called “The Dark Ones”. A ranger, called Hunter, the one that made clear of the threat, gives Artyom a mission: To go to Polis station and ask for assistance to save his home. Our hero will cross many stations till he gets to Polis. He will also find out that mutants aren’t his only enemy. Even in such harsh times, humanity still fights herself. The plot is very interesting, although there are some minor gaps, but they may pass. There are some twists on the story, which at the end will provide you with two alternative endings. You are to find out!!

Gameplay

Metro 2033 is a typical FPS, nothing differs it from the other games of the same genre.  Artyom can carry lots of stuff: 1 pistol, 1 rifle, 1 shotgun or 1 pneumatic weapon, 7 granades, 5 med-kits, night-vision goggles, a charger and some knifes. However, having that much guns means only one thing: ammo are scarce and some enemies require many bullets to bring down. So, lets start with each weapon type: The pistol is a magnum with 6 bullets. As long as you proceed in the game you will come up with different variations of this type, f.e: a magnum with a suppressor and a scope. There are no other types of pistols unfortunately. The rifles here have quite some variety. High rate of fire and decent damage those guns will be your primary. Those too, come up with modifications. There are two shotguns: a double barreled and an automatic. Mostly for close range. Pneumatic weapons are weapons which use air pressure to haul arrows or bullets on the enemies. Don’t forget that you should pump those guns or else they don’t have any effect. Silent and quite powerful, yet their ammo are rare and expensive to buy. Med-kits can heal you instantly, grenades pucks a punch on any enemy and the universal charger charges everything that need power like your flashlight and night-vision goggles. Finally, Artyom can buy a body armor, something vital for his survival. Knifes are the weapons of last resort, throwing knifes can be of use to stealth kills if you don’t have a weapon with a suppressor.

The game is pretty dark, well being underground means that most of it will be dark, so your flashlight will be your best friend. However, darkness also means stealth. Coming against a bandit camp you can either pass by unseen, something very hard, or you can kill some of them stealthily. Any noise you may make will probably reveal your position so take care into looking where you press on to. Furthermore, there are traps that you have to avoid. Trip wires or bell traps will accordingly kill you and reveal your position, and you don’t want that.

As we have stated, the surface is filled with radiation. In order to walk there you need a gas mask and some oxygen filters. Those don’t last for long and your gas mask doesn’t take too much pounding so take a good care of her. If the gas mask cracks you will suffocate.

When Artyom visits a new station, supposedly this is a friendly one, some people sell weapons, ammo and equipment. In order to buy them you need “premium” ammo. Ammo is the new currency. Premium ammo can be used in battle which are more effective than common ammunition. Finding them is a little tough, so salvage every dead body that you find. You will need the ammunition.

Graphics

Graphics are superb. Everything has great detail, from the background and the characters to the weapon designs. The metro tunnels will awe you with their realistically wicked atmosphere. What may seem a little buggy is the animation during the battles. The mutants sometimes will be inside your body, not allowing you to shoot them and some characters have a very peculiar way of entering through doors which really looks fake. Everything else makes this game a graphically great horror jewel of the 2010.

Sound

Graphics are not enough in a horror game. There has to be a decent sound. The background sounds will really spook you. Walking in the subway tunnels and hearing mutant howls isn’t something pleasant. Low ammunition and visibility, dark corridors and mutants poundings are the musts for a horror game. Yet, nothing is perfect. Nearly all characters have the same voice and repeat the same words all over and over. The stationary/turret machineguns have a horrible sound that it doesn’t resemble to that of a machinegun. And Artyom now and then does some sounds which are quite weird, f.e when he uses the bayonet.

Summarizing this is the best horror game of 2010-11. It greatly combines the elements of FPS and horror.  Great plot and graphical display, this game is  truly a magnificent.  

Pros: Heavy atmosphere, sceneries, graphics

Cons: All have the same voice with a minor exception, machinegun sounds, absence of multiplayer

Plot                 8

Gameplay     8

Graphics       9

Sound           8

Constitution    8

General            8,5  

My suggestion is a big YES. You will not regret it.