Metro 2033

Both the stealth and shooting elements of this game are largely broken, leaving only the story elements and features I mentioned above to hold it all together. Perplexed, I’ll have to say that if I’m only left with the excellent story and ambiance, I think I’ll just buy the book instead.

If you're a first-person shooter fanatic that's not into micromanagement and just wants to kill things, this is definitely not your game. However, if you're looking for something in the genre that digs a little deeper, this one demands exploration.

Metro 2033 is a title that fans of the genre should definitely give a try. It does have some issues but I enjoyed my experience overall.

Metro 2033 has a lot going for it. The game may not tread any new ground in its narrative, but there are a lot of interesting concepts to play around with. Unfortunately, the mechanics behind those concepts often lead to more frustration than they do elation. A strong story and world will only go so far.

In spite of the variable AI quality and weapons feeling weak, this is a good first person shooter. The atmosphere is great and the game delivers an evocative and varied experience.

Despite many glaring flaws, this title provides a sense of impending doom that is thoroughly engrossing from start to finish.

It’s certainly an impressive debut title and one of the best games to come out of the Eastern Bloc, but its basic mechanics could have done with some extra polish.

Frustrating, taxing – Metro 2033 is also a curiously compelling refuge from the mundane.

Metro 2033 may not be the most innovative survival shooter to ever have graced the genre, but that doesn’t mean it should be dismissed in the blink of an eye. The game serves up an unforgiving world with gameplay that at times matches it perfectly.

Metro 2033 looks like a missed chance: it had all the premises to be a great game, but several flaws heavily undermine it, making it a sometimes frustrating experience.

A hugely impressive game overall. [Issue#95, p.108]

In terms of gameplay, this is verging on the depressingly average. [Issue#58, p.88]

The custom built 4A-engine does a terrific job of bringing this desolate and sad world to life, and the developers made an admirable attempt to build the gameplay around the narrative. But Metro 2033's strength lies in the ideas which underpin its action -- without them, it's just another gritty first-person shooter with some interesting tweaks built in -- and it's unfortunate that the rich source material didn't mesh with the actual gameplay to form a cohesive whole.

Despite many rough edges and a fumbled narrative few shooters feel as tense and unpredictable as this.

When Metro's credits rolled, and as I looked across a vast landscape to see the results of my actions, I couldn't help but feel a tinge of disappointment, partly because it was over, but mainly because there is such obvious room for improvement. Metro 2033 comes recommended, but falls a little short of claiming a place among the genre's elite.

In the final analysis, the cons outweigh the pros. For every moment there is a successful piece of atmosphere development, a nice touch to make you feel involved, there are three things which don’t sit right.

The game's atmosphere and unique design choices will make it a worthwhile experience for some, but Metro 2033 suffers from a number of issues (poor implementation of stealth, recurring glitches, etc.)

If Metro 2033's post-apocalyptic world intrigues you, then just read the book while taking breaks from some other shooter that's actually fun to play

Metro 2033 is a smart and gritty game that relies more on its atmosphere and story than it does its gameplay.

Of course, all of these problems are present in other games where I have not minded them so much, but Metro 2033 is such a short, focused experience that the cumulative impact of its flaws is significant.

Metro 2033 is best for experienced gamers already familiar with the trappings of the modern shooter who are OK with playing a roughly made game that still manages to deliver a unique experience.

Metro is at its best deep underground, away from the demands of a modern action game and engrossed in the cultures that cling to its tunnels, the atmosphere boosted by subtitled Russian and the writing and voice-acting creating fascinating windows into a struggling world. [May 2010, p.99]