Metro 2033 – The MMOMFG Review

Posted by Jeremy On March - 19 - 2010

Metro 2033

“By fire and sword we’ll take back our world.” Miller believed this, and was ready to die for it. But I was filled with doubt. We had already scorched the Earth once. Now, the fire was in my hands, and I had to carry it through.

So begins the dark and isolated journey of Artyom and Metro 2033. In a genre overcrowded with testosterone, too-tight fitting space suits and futuristic weaponry, Metro 2033 creeps out of the shadows with grit and realism to spare. As an avid fan of Russian literature (particularly Turgenev and Dostoesvsky and yes I just name dropped), Metro 2033 was one of my most anticipated releases this year. And while I was unable to get my hands on a hardcopy of an English translation of the original incarnation by Dmitry Glukhovsky prior to my play through, I was still eager to sink my teeth into the video game adaptation of the original work. While the game play left much to be desired, the story, tone and overall atmosphere was every bit engrossing as I hoped it would be.

What’s Good

One truly is the loneliest number - From the outset, the stage is prepped for a severely isolated and sinister tone that never really lets up. What’s left of the human species in Moscow has been forced to live underground like rats, cut off from any glimmer of the outside world. And with the always-impending threat of mutants and the new danger of being overrun by an invisible enemy known only as the Dark One’s, any sign of hope for the survival of humanity is on the verge of being extinguished.

Enter Artyom, your protagonist and unsung hero of Metro 2033. As if holing up in a metro isn’t isolating enough, you and Artyom will soon venture out into the foreboding tunnels of the Russian underground festering with mutants anxiously waiting for a snack. While you do have comrades occasionally accompany you on your journey, their lives are often short-lived. Your only reliable and consistent companion quickly becomes your gas mask and trusty double barrel. The idea of trucking it out alone in this bleak, tattered and torn environment may seem overwhelming at first, and extremely forlorn at times, but the feeling of isolation is crucial in grounding you in the world that these characters are living in and in so doing creates a very realistic atmosphere; an ambiance in which you could easily imagine yourself in and a struggle where the slightest mistake feels like it could be your last.

Something old, something new, something borrowed… - Finding the right weapon will prove to be crucial to your survival in the underground and the occasional jaunt across the frozen tundra above. The weapons available to you may not be the flashiest in the biz, nor are they in the greatest variety, but the arms at your disposal are extremely unique to the universe of Metro 2033. You will be able to choose between a highly distinctive blend of pre and post-apocalyptic weaponry and as the game progresses, you will be able to incorporate add-ons that will prove beneficial to your success. If you can’t afford to upgrade your weapon (via military grade ammo, the post-apocalyptic currency) don’t fret, if you are brave enough to explore the foreboding tunnels and all consuming darkness you will be often times be rewarded with an upgraded weapon left by a fallen comrade or enemy. I like to keep it old school and am also a sucker for anything redneck related: mullets, jorts, and double-barrels. Needless to say the double-barrel shotgun quickly became my weapon of choice.

Not your average post-apocalyptic freaks - Labeling them freaks or zombies or any other familiar label isn’t even accurate at all. A nice and refreshing twist in a post-apocalyptic tale and one that the game itself recognizes in referring to the enemies simply as mutants; though they have earned various nicknames such as the “librarians,” a particularly troubling ape-like foe. Don’t get caught trying to figure out what species these mutants originated from, because they come at you and come at you hard. Just recognize their fugliness and start pumping lead into that steroidal rat/mole/whatever the hell they are; your life will depend on it. Poor animations can make for a frustrating encounter with these creatures, one in which you feel completely overwhelmed. But again this aids in placing the player in the world of these characters, one in which survival is not always guaranteed and heroics are out the window.

What’s Bad

This looks strangely familiar - I suppose all metro’s have a similar aesthetic to them, but I would argue that each has something that makes it stand out against all others. This is one aspect in which Metro 2033 completely dropped the ball on. Every station you come in contact with feels like a carbon copy of the previous one. Even when you cross into Nazi occupied stations from the Russian home front, there is no real signifier that you have entered new territory. This would have been a great opportunity to explore humanity’s creativity even during desperate times by allowing citizens of any particular station to make it their own. Instead, one station blends into another, which blends into another, and there is no real distinction between any of the places you visit throughout your journey.

I’ve definitely seen you before - If having almost identical settings wasn’t confusing enough, many of the character features are extremely similar as well. Either all you Russians look the same, or Metro got bored during arts and crafts time and just slapped the same face on different bodies, gave them a new name and called it a day. The cardboard cutouts both in terms of characters and setting were extremely disappointing, and missed out on an opportunity to give the game another level of depth, that I am sure Metro 2033 would have benefited from.

When I shoot you in the face, you go down - I could go on all day about how poor the animations and mechanics were in this game. Literally. All day. I’m sure you can sympathize with my frustration when you line up a perfect headshot from the shadows only to have your target not react, or magically stumble before getting back up and returning fire and alerting his comrades to your whereabouts. But the shortcomings don’t stop there; the stealth mechanics are also extremely poor in the game. The darkness is an ever prevalent presence in the game, part of living a life underground I suppose, and is supposed to aid in your encounters with human targets, but unfortunately hinders smooth game play rather than enhancing it. Enemies will mysteriously be drawn to your presence in the darkness despite avoiding traps, and making sure your watch shows you are in complete obscurity.

Yeah, that just happened - The plot also leaves something to be desired. Though it eventually won me over in the end, the way things played out raised more questions than provided answers. This was largely why I wanted to read the original novel before game play, to compare the two visions and then the final adaptation story wise. The oppressing sense of darkness, the lonely road you travel and the overwhelming sense gained from numerous encounters with vicious mutants does an extremely effective job in creating a tone of desperation and survival by any means necessary, but these literary tactics are ultimately hindered by the game play’s inability to tie the plot together. The ending particularly will leave most of you scratching your noggin, and is dreadfully ironic when considering the quote that opened this review.

Worth remembering:

The game’s ability to create a unique and believable world atmosphere. One you could easily imagine yourself in and one you almost have no choice but to feel a part of due to the literary tactics incorporated. It is one of the most realistic gaming experiences I have come across despite its many shortcomings. The dank and lonely landscapes will surely chill you at the core, should you allow yourself to become a part of this world.

Worth Forgetting:

The price tag. Metro 2033 is extremely overpriced. With no multiplayer option and in turn no real replay value and no announced plans for DLC, the $60 price is absolute balderdash. Did I mention a polished gamer can save the Metro in roughly 10 hours? 60 bones plus 10 short-lived hours of gameplay, minus multiplayer and any real re-playability factor equals complete rubbish.

It is clearly evident that the focus of developers was not to create the next great shooter, but to create the next great story in a long line of shooters. It is no match for some of the big names in the genre in terms of game play, but ultimately, I think stacks up fairly well in terms of narrative. It definitely won me over in the end despite my many qualms with the game. It is one of the more unique, realistic and original twists on a popular design when considering post apocalyptic tales. To utter the sentiments of the illusive Kahn (comrade of Artyom), try to get a better understanding of things before you make your judgment. Game play mechanics can be tremendously off putting, but if you stick with it, the game may grow on you. With the outrageous price tag and poor game mechanics, I can’t in good faith recommend you go out and buy this game. But it is definitely one you should try and borrow from a friend or your local video store and experience for yourself.

*Metro 2033 was purchased for review on the Xbox 360 console