Trouble Beneath the Surface: Metro 2033 Review

From the infestations of the infected in Dead Rising and the Left 4 Dead series to the post-nuclear terrain of the Fallout franchise, the apocalyptic setting is a reoccurring motif in gaming. The theme’s ability to reflect man’s nature may have something to do with its popularity; few premises permit a glimpse into humankind’s savageness and propensity for self-preservation as well as a doomsday scenario. 

Metro 2033, the first console title from Kiev-based developer 4A Games, doesn’t avoid the brutality and dystopia of the genre, offering gamers one of the most evocative environments this side of BioShock. However, the studio’s decision to transpose the setting to a murky Moscow underground transit hub lends the game a distinctive ambiance, nearly elevating Metro 2033 above its sporadic gaffes. Conceivably, gamers who have grown fatigued from the recent deluge of first-person shooters, may just find enough promise to appreciate the title, missteps and all.

At first glance, Metro recalls the conventions of Half Life 2 or the Call of Duty series, with its carefully disguised pathways for players to traverse through. Alone or with the occasional ally, the game’s protagonist- Artyom, treks through the skillfully realized underbelly of the decommissioned subway system. As he passes through cacophonic makeshift pubs filled with billowing smoke, or crumbling passageways lined with noisy pipelines the gameworld feels astonishingly convincing. The title seldom misses an opportunity to develop a sense of unease, from requiring players to don gas masks as they march through pockets of noxious gas to compelling gamers to be prudent with their ammunition supplies.

Later, traces of the Splinter Cell series emerge as ‘run-and-gun’ approaches to many situations become exasperating futile. Mimicking the modus operandi of Sam Fisher, players might find themselves shooting out a few lights and sticking to the darkness, or even circumnavigating foes completely. Luckily, the game rarely requires a specific approach; allowing bullheaded bullet-sprayers to persevere if their skills are up to snuff. The only exception to this is the rare light that is impervious to breakage, which happens to inexplicably resemble the game’s more fragile illuminators.

Sadly, a number of flaws prohibit Metro 2033 from living up to its potential. One of the more frustrating elements centers on the game’s gas masks, which are required in the pockets of toxicity. Strikes from enemies leave vision-obscuring shatter marks, and will eventual render the breathing apparatus useless. When this happens players must quickly scour the area for another gas mask, while the game’s graphics become increasing blurry. Occasionally, gamers find themselves respawned in a location with no masks nearby, forcing a retreat to an earlier junction in the game; I learned this the hard way after 30+ restarts at one point in the game.

Metro’s other deficiency lays in the game’s ballistics; shooting things isn’t as visceral as it should be. Players are given little visual feedback after pumping a few rounds into a mutant rat. Without a hit animation to signify contact with a foe, blasting an encroaching beast doesn’t feel nearly as gratifying as it should. Humans targets fare no better, while they emit the occasional blood splatter, they rarely reel back from chest hits, making many of the weapons in the game feel woefully underpowered.

Despite these nagging hindrances, I found myself consistently returning to the title’s foreboding environments, as the game revealed its paranormal undercurrent. Undeniably, Metro 2033’s subterranean passageways are filled with the developer’s ambitions and drive. Hopefully, the day-one patch that corrected some irksome differences in the game in an indication that the title will receive the polish it rightfully deserves. For patient gamers seeking an alternative to the cookie-cutter FPS’s that line store shelves, you may want to consider a rental pass along Metro’s shadowy rails.