Metro: Last Light

- Reviewed on PS4 -

Metro: Last Light released on May 14th, 2013.

Developed by 4A Games, Metro: Last Light continues the story after its predecessor, Metro 2033, which I absolutely loved when I first started this Metro Video Game series. 

Though the campaign isn’t long, which is a disappointment to me, as I’m a massive Metro fan, Metro: Last Light still offers many memorable moments just like Metro 2033, and with great characters, outstanding graphics, near perfect controls, and a fascinating story, Metro: Last Light is indeed another home run (in my opinion) in this video game adaption of the novels.

This review WILL have Major Spoilers so keep that in mind before continuing...

As stated, Metro: Last Light is a sequel to Metro 2033. 

The player(s) takes control of main protagonist, Artyom, as he soon realizes that his actions, of destroying the Dark Ones at the end of Metro 2033, may not have been the best choice, and now he is tasked with finding these Dark Ones personally.

As soon as the game boots up, you get this wonderfully done backstory (cutscene) of Artyom and his mother, and how the nuclear war changed everything about him, and his memories from his long-lost past. 

The novels also do a fantastic, in-depth job of this, so I highly recommend reading them too, if you’re into this genre. 

This cutscene also reintroduces the Dark Ones, who are mysterious creatures, that are presumably humans who have survived the drastic nuclear war(s) that began this entire Metro series. 

The Dark Ones and Artyom are somewhat linked in Metro: Last Light, and this is further explained as the (averaged) 10-and-a-half-hour-long campaign ensues. 

Metro: Last Light improved on many aspects of Metro 2033. 

One of these being the campaigns’ locations. 

This sequel, to my knowledge, had a lot more focus on the radiated surface, than inside the Metro. 

I found that the player(s) will find themselves up on the deadly surface more than the first game. 

I also found that the locations are a lot more open, compared to the more linear level design of Metro 2033. 

This more robust take on the levels, made for more (longer) exploration, and bigger battles with the plethora of mutated enemies.

Metro: Last Light is a first-person shooter, with heavy emphasis on stealth and survival themes. 

4A Games, however, made Metro: Last Light in a way that can be played in a more “direct” playstyle, for those who don’t want to do the game in a quiet, slow pace, sort of way.

But for those who do like the stealth gameplay, Metro: Last Light has an abundance of gameplay features to enhance your experience. 

For example, you can twist and turn lightbulbs to darken areas of the already dark and terrifying metro. 

You can sneak up and silently neutralize enemies (human ones).

And you can even use throwables, like knives, to silently progress if / when needed.

The walking felt heavy, and the gun controls were very familiar to the first game.

Nothing, in terms of gameplay, was a hindrance to me while playing.

The entire quota of Metro: Last Light, is indeed “light”.

You can use flares, night vision goggles (which I really enjoyed and was shocked when first retrieving it), or even your headlamp.

These electronic pieces of gear, however, use up power constantly. 

Luckily, you don’t have to collect batteries or any of the kind. 

But, instead, you must bring out your charger, and recharge (manually) your electronic gear.

Be sure to keep your light(s) always recharged, as it can go out even in the midst of a tense battle in the dark.

Another thing to micromanage, along with ammunition, light, and even currency (military grade ammo), is filters.

Filters, and air masks, are absolutely crucial in Metro: Last Light. 

If you want to stand a chance up on the surface, you must have a healthy number of filters on hand. 

You can see the amount of time in your filter, you have left, in one of the HUDs.

Metro: Last Light doesn’t stop there. As this game is true survival, as you may get damaged air masks, and have to find a new one, nearly the entire campaign. 

This metro sequel’s micromanaging truly shines a bright light (no pun intended) on the survival genre and its many gameplay features it can / could potentially hold.

Looting is another must, as ammo is severely scarce, on all difficulties, and some aspects of your loot will be lost if / when you die.

Now, the weapons are Metro: Last Light’s weak point (in my opinion).

Just like Metro 2033, Metro: Last Light’s weapons are not that special. 

Lots of them are inspired by real guns, and others are just overpowered maniacs that can be used the entire game. 

For example, the shotgun and its upgraded form(s) is really all you need. 

It comes down to preference at the end of the day, but Metro: Last Light (4A Games) doesn’t force any kind of weapon onto the player. 

You can, however, customize and upgrade weapons, which is a plus! 

Though, during my time with Metro: Last Light, I mainly used the shotguns (at least for the campaign, not all the DLCs).

The DLCs for Metro: Last Light are separated into individual missions and showcase alternate perspectives during the main campaign. 

I adore these kinds of DLC missions, and Metro: Last Light’s abundance of DLCs were spectacular and well worth the time!

Artyom’s story continues in Metro: Last Light. Full of betrayal, horrors, action, shock, and in terms of the video game series specifically, lots of fun and enjoyment! A near perfect game (to me).

Metro: Last Light shares a lot of features from Metro 2033; however, I would still recommend this game to fans of the survival / stealth / horror genre. 

Though, I can see this game also being for just those who are die hard Metro fans specifically too.

I found Metro: Last Light to be a great step forward, in the right direction, compared to Metro 2033!

Pros: 

    - Great Story

    - Amazing DLC Missions

    - Incredible Graphics

    - Collectibles

    - Deep Game Lore

    - Variety of Enemies

    - Many Ways to Execute Gameplay

    - Sticks True to the Novel(s)

Cons:

    - Uninteresting Weapons

    - Campaign Felt a Little Short, Compared to Predecessor

    - Unmemorable Music

My Rating for Metro: Last Light (on PS4):

4 / 5

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Disclaimer

All Reviews, Ratings, Pros, Cons, and Opinions Shared on this Blog (Press A Reviews) are my (Connor Butler) own Thoughts and Feelings.