Metro Last Light Redux (PC) Review

Metro Last Light returns as half of the ‘Redux’ package, bringing one of the best FPS series of last-gen to the new round of consoles and the PC with a fresh coat of paint.

These days, it’s common to see a plethora of remakes, reimaginings and rebirths, and in the midst of all that comes Metro Last Light Redux. Besides being somewhat of a mouthful, Last Light Redux brings the game that was released a mere 16 months ago to us today in an upgraded form. We already reviewed the original version of this title last year in case you want a very in-depth look into the basics of the game, and you can find that here. We also reviewed Metro 2033 Redux, the remake of the original game in the series, earlier today. Metro 2033 Redux comes bundled together in the retail package, for the best Metro experience.

There isn’t really much of difference in this Redux. Rather, publisher Deep Silver decided to refine the experience that was already there and boost the visuals for the new generation of consoles. Last Light was considered by many to be the best FPS of 2013 and this version only adds to that. This package comes with all the DLC released with the title including the infamous Ranger mode which was only available to those who preordered last time.

DLC is plentiful here too, with the Steam page saying it adds nine extra hours. And that’s good, because I dare say that the base game isn’t that long, clocking in at about 6-7 hours depending on your play style. It has no multiplayer component either, so unless you wish to replay the game in a different difficulty, there’s nothing to do once you’re finished.

The story remains the same, and is something most Metro fans will already know in-depth. It tells the story of a man named Artyom living in the Moscow subway system after a nuclear war. People are forced to remain underground due to the toxic atmosphere and mutated animals outside.

Playing as Artyom, one must survive the tunnels and the various factions of people in them in order to save his people. It’s a typical apocalyptical tale, complete with neo-Nazis and Communists to keep you involved. The highlight of the story though, is greatly found in the people who live in the systems. You can listen to them talk to each other when you wander through the tunnels, each fleshed out pretty well as far as NPC’s go. It truly makes it feel as a real community rather then just a bunch of people caught underground.

The gameplay is some of the best in years too, focusing on survival rather than shooting everything. Ammo is scarce, especially on Ranger mode (though you can change that if you like with the new ‘Spartan’ and ‘Survival’ modes), making each shot a chance to live or die. You can also avoid shooting entirely focusing on using stealth and your knife to kill anything in your way. It becomes a necessity later on when you run out of ammo. You must also find gas mask cartridges when venturing outside, as a single breath of the poisoned air will render you dead. Being shot at will deal damage to your mask as well, adding another layer of difficulty.

The graphical upgrades are not as massive this time around as compared to the original and it’s bumped up look next to the first run of Metro 2033. It was a beautiful game to begin with, so besides some better textures and general performance, the game looks only marginally better than before. The audio however, holds up completely and needs a mention. The music in Last Light Redux remains based on somber acoustic guitar tunes punctuated by the loud action scenes, adding to the already dreary environment- and that’s a good thing.

Final Thoughts

To those who played the original title, I can’t really recommend this game completely, unless you plan on playing on a console. It brings a few new things to the table, but not enough to pay the 25 dollars for it, or 50 both Redux’ in the combo pack. But if you have yet to experience either of the games, I say its as good an investment as anything.

This is no Call of Duty, focusing on survival rather than killing, so it’s good to go in with an open mind and enter the tunnels below.