Metro 2033

For me, this game has possibly the best atmosphere and presentation of any game. It feels more like an immersive film than a game. I've never been so impressed at how a game presents itself. Every section is so well crafted, the sound, the visuals, the atmosphere, it all really starts to get in your head after a while of playing.

As you probably know, its another post apocolyptic thing, so expect the same kind of feeling - mutants etc. However, this ones different to the rest, mainly down to the atmosphere, its incredibly original - and a commendable effort from these developers.

Being Russian helps a lot - no cheesy "USA all the way" voice acting - helps the whole thing feel a lot more gritty and real.

The graphics are mindblowing, some of the lighting effects are really cool, and seeing most of the game is set in small spaces, you get the impression tonnes of effort has gone into each space.

Metro 2033 is really what it is because of the feeling it creates.… more »

For me, this game has possibly the best atmosphere and presentation of any game. It feels more like an immersive film than a game. I've never been so impressed at how a game presents itself. Every section is so well crafted, the sound, the visuals, the atmosphere, it all really starts to get in your head after a while of playing.

As you probably know, its another post apocolyptic thing, so expect the same kind of feeling - mutants etc. However, this ones different to the rest, mainly down to the atmosphere, its incredibly original - and a commendable effort from these developers.

Being Russian helps a lot - no cheesy "USA all the way" voice acting - helps the whole thing feel a lot more gritty and real.

The graphics are mindblowing, some of the lighting effects are really cool, and seeing most of the game is set in small spaces, you get the impression tonnes of effort has gone into each space.

Metro 2033 is really what it is because of the feeling it creates. Its about as immersive as your going to get with todays games - even checking your objectives (usually press esc to a seperate menu or something similar), is lighting up a lighter and holding it against the clipboard your carrying!

Admittedly the guns arent all that fun - theres a few really cool weapons, but the sounds for the regular weapons (AK47 etc) could be a little stronger. The AI is also a little weak in places - the enemy shooting at you before your even round the corner (again, dont let this put you off, its a minor problem!) Another sound related issue - voices often drown each other out, if your somewhere busy, you often have to strain to hear plot sensetive stuff, but its a minor problem.

Metro 2033 feels entirely claustraphobic, even going up onto the surface, you need to keep an eye on your gas mask - filters only last a certain time up there, and without a mask, your lungs are fried within a minute or so.

Beware: You may already be expecting this, but theres some damn scary moments from the begginning onwards, so brace yourself for it!

Overall, fantastic game, beautifully put together, stunning presentation with exciting cutscenes, and HUGELY original. Would definitely recommend.

Graphics: 10/10
Storyline: 9/10
Guns: 7/10
Combat: 7/10
Atmosphere: 10/10
Voice Acting: 10/10

Overall: 8/10 MUST BUY!!!!!!!!!!!

A note on video and graphics performance:

Metro is demanding, and you'll need a top, top end PC to max out. Here's how i managed:

Dx10 - 4xAF - 4xAA - High Settings - 1920x1080 - Av: 40fps
Dx10 - 4xAF - 4xAA - Highest Settings - 1920x1080 - Av: 30fps
Dx11 - 4xAF - 4xAA - Highest Settings - 1920x1080 - Av: 25fps

AMD Phenom II x4 @3.2Ghz
DDR3 4GB RAM
460GTX 1GB

Hope that helps.

Thanks for reading!

Metro 2033 is creative original and surprisingly quite impressive.

The game is set in the metro stations of Moscow in 2033 after catastrophic nuclear fallout of 2013. The metro stations of Moscow have therefore seen 20 years of decay and squalor and are the only safe places of residence for the generation that has grown up after the fallout.

Other than that the story is pretty much what you make it as little else is explained. As the protagonist in the story you are tasked with warning the other metro stations of the increasing amount of raids on your station by the mutants as a result of the nuclear fallout.

The games biggest strength therefore is its graphics presentation sound and locations which all contribute to create a very good atmosphere throughout the game. Simply put this game is creepy as hell and very dark.

The equipment throughout the game is also very good and involving. You have usual suspect such as the Knife revolver SMG Assault rifle shotgun… more »

Metro 2033 is creative original and surprisingly quite impressive.

The game is set in the metro stations of Moscow in 2033 after catastrophic nuclear fallout of 2013. The metro stations of Moscow have therefore seen 20 years of decay and squalor and are the only safe places of residence for the generation that has grown up after the fallout.

Other than that the story is pretty much what you make it as little else is explained. As the protagonist in the story you are tasked with warning the other metro stations of the increasing amount of raids on your station by the mutants as a result of the nuclear fallout.

The games biggest strength therefore is its graphics presentation sound and locations which all contribute to create a very good atmosphere throughout the game. Simply put this game is creepy as hell and very dark.

The equipment throughout the game is also very good and involving. You have usual suspect such as the Knife revolver SMG Assault rifle shotgun and sniper rifle but you also have some cool throwing knives and some pretty neat air powered rifles that need to be manually pumped up.

This also applies to your flash light that also needs to be pumped up in order to function. There is therefore an element of interactivity and stealth to the game. On your wristwatch are 3 lights red yellow and green. These therefore represent how hidden you are. Turning on your flashlight might make it easier to see but will also make you easier to spot by the enemies.

Lastly there is your trusty Gas mask. Simply put you will not last long without it. In order to survive on the surface and some toxic zones underground you will need to wear your gas mask. This also adds another element to the game play as your gas masks filters will run out and you will need to replace them adding a tension to the game play when in toxic zones. You also need to be careful as enemies can damage and even smash your mask requiring you to find a new one. I think this shows a lot of thought on the developers part. Simply put Metro 2033 is not an easy game. There is a lot of detail and a lot of things to keep an eye on if you want to survive and the results when they pay off are consequently very satisfying.

Metro 2033 is something different. It explores the genre in a new way and offers new locations to explore and it is therefore very original. If you are bored and disappointed with the cookie cutter clones of late that keep being churned out to please the masses then give Metro 2033 a shot you will not be disappointed.

Like a more linear, story-driven stalker, with better, more detailed graphics, incredible and clever weapons (like having to manually pump pneumatic home made weapons that fire static electric bolts), very tough gameplay, and great atmosphere.
It really is the atmosphere and clever weapons and gameplay that set this game apart. Stealth (I find) is a little broken, as if you are even close to spotted by one enemy, even if they dont fire a shot or get off any kind of verbal warning before you drop them (SILENTLY), all other enemy in the area know not only what happened, but where it happened, how it happened, and exactly where you are at any given second.
Dont get me wrong, when the stealth DOES work, which just takes incredible patience, and no even tiny mistakes, then it is incredibly satisfying to sneak through an enemy camp, either taking them out with throwing knives, or even leaving them alive none the wiser for your visit. One section in particular is very tough, but… more »

Like a more linear, story-driven stalker, with better, more detailed graphics, incredible and clever weapons (like having to manually pump pneumatic home made weapons that fire static electric bolts), very tough gameplay, and great atmosphere.
It really is the atmosphere and clever weapons and gameplay that set this game apart. Stealth (I find) is a little broken, as if you are even close to spotted by one enemy, even if they dont fire a shot or get off any kind of verbal warning before you drop them (SILENTLY), all other enemy in the area know not only what happened, but where it happened, how it happened, and exactly where you are at any given second.
Dont get me wrong, when the stealth DOES work, which just takes incredible patience, and no even tiny mistakes, then it is incredibly satisfying to sneak through an enemy camp, either taking them out with throwing knives, or even leaving them alive none the wiser for your visit. One section in particular is very tough, but if you do manage to sneak through it rather than go through guns blazing (always a bad idea in this game, as ammo is scarce, and health goes down FAST), you feel such a sense of accomplishment, I cant even think of a game that comes close to that. Even splinter cell at its best doesnt have that sense of tension and fear of being discovered than this does at every turn when you are trying to stealth a section.
The voice acting is great, thought I recommend putting on the english subtitles and letting the russian language take over for the total immersion experience, the story ok (good for games, which usually suck more than anything), audio fabulous, and basically everything more or less spot on.
Its even a fairly long game by modern standards, taking about 12-15 hours to complete, especially if you really go through the game taking in all the bits of extra story you can get from listening to people talking in the various metro stations you come to.
All I can say really is.. WOW!
What a game. Came from nowhere, with little fanfare, from an unknown dev studio (with some of the stalker team there, which really stands out at times), and almost no advertising. How this game wasnt huge I will never know. The only thing I can think is that its because it wasnt huge on the consoles, because it would be too difficult on consoles because of the controls and lack of immersion, it didnt get the hype of some of the other games out there that arent even a tenth as good, and so wasnt noticed by many people. But I love it, no matter what.
At the price, this is my most recommended game for sale on play at the moment. Nothing else I have seen comes even close to this for value for money. Incredible, just incredible.
If you love games, and have six quid spare, you would be crazy to not buy this amazing game RIGHT NOW!!
P.S., the reason it has four stars instead of five, after the great things I said, is because of the broken stealth I mentioned, and occasional difficulty spikes (very occasional, but once or twice noticable and annoying). Other than that this would be four and half or five stars all day long.