That’s all unchanged from the original version on Xbox 360, PlayStation 3, and PC, but Redux improves on both the graphics and gameplay in significant ways - mostly for the better. It begins with the choice of whether to scuttle through the tunnels in Survival mode – which promises harsher, Metro 2033-esque threats and scarce resources – or storm them with plentiful ammo and faster pacing in the Last Light-inspired Spartan mode. (If you forget which one you chose, just look at your watch – 2033's analog model shows up in Survival, while Spartan features Last Light's digital timepiece. This makes no difference gameplay-wise, but it's a nice touch.)
Being able to pick your pace and style of gameplay is a cool feature, although it's worth noting that playing through Metro 2033 on Survival mode in Normal difficulty definitely feels more forgiving than the original, so players looking for a serious challenge should immediately kick it up to Hardcore. In Survival, gasmask filters – which put a timer on your lifespan when you're exploring Moscow's toxic surface streets – were often in short supply, but I never had to use military-grade bullets (which double as currency and powerful last-resort ammunition) until the very end, I never ran out of medpacks, and devastating weapons – like silenced shotguns and Kalashnikovs – were usually within easy reach.
Watch our original Metro 2033 review.
Then again, part of the reason this new Metro 2033 is easier is that it's no longer tripping over its own feet. Not only do its new character models and brighter lighting make it easier to spot enemies and see detail (at the expense of some of the original's moodiness), but its clunky menus and controls have been ditched in favor of Last Light's more intuitive equipment wheels and Call of Duty-esque handling. That's a big improvement, but the biggest one is that the enemy AI feels more consistent, making it possible to sneak around or stealth-hunt packs of hostile guards without the risk of arbitrarily bringing all their friends crashing toward your exact location once they spot a body. Also, Metro 2033 has been retrofitted with the same little touches that make guard-hunting especially fun (if not particularly challenging) in Last Light – like musical cues that tell you when guards are near, what their alert status is, and when you've scored a kill or are in danger of being spotted.Not all of the battles are as interesting as the stealth opportunities, though. 2033 still loves hurling fistfuls of monsters at you in open areas, particularly in the final levels, where you'll get so badly mobbed that it starts to feel like some level designer went berserk with a rubber-stamp tool when placing them. Those moments fall just short of lasting too long, though, and while it lacks some of the original's tough, dismal charm, Redux is overall a much smoother, more enjoyable, and better-looking way to experience Metro 2033.
Watch our original Metro: Last Light review.
The same can't be said of Redux's version of Metro: Last Light – but only because Redux doesn't tinker with it nearly as much. As before, Last Light Redux’s gameplay is more exploration-focused and diverse than Metro 2033 (and includes bosses and more overt moral decisions), and it tells a more compelling story that focuses on the Metro's human characters, political intrigues, and supernatural weirdness. It also spends a lot more time above ground, amid Moscow's more dazzling ruined landmarks, and it’s just as much fun to play through now as it was in 2013, with plenty of monsters to shoot at, lots of opportunities to hunt guards in big environments filled with hiding places, and more side activities to get distracted by.Already a great-looking game, this Last Light is visually a step up from the previous PS3/360 iteration, although Redux's PlayStation 4 and Xbox One editions still aren’t on par with the 2013 PC version running at high settings – which is disappointing, if not surprising. Actually, both Last Light and Metro 2033 look notably sharper on PC, while PS4 feels like a small visual step down; things like floating particles might not have the same crisp definition, but otherwise I wouldn’t notice the difference unless you’re looking at them side by side. The Xbox One version, meanwhile, runs in 912p rather than 1080p, making it technically the weakest of the bunch - although each version plays identically, and again, it’s hard to notice a difference unless you’re playing each version one after the other.
Console differences aside, Last Light Redux is clearly the definitive version, packing in every single piece of DLC (including the excellent, Dark Souls-esque Kshatriya add-on, set in a freely explorable version of the monster-filled Moscow Library) and even bringing back the ability to get a close-up view of Artyom's watch – an essential tool for knowing how much gasmask time you have left, if you're playing in the HUD-disabling Ranger difficulty mode.Verdict
Despite their seemingly miserable setting, both Metro games are in fact fun, diverse shooter-adventures, and the remastered 2033 does a good job of smoothing down the original's rougher edges at the expense of some of its brutal personality. Getting both in a single, enhanced package is a great way to discover (or rediscover) the Moscow Metro's unconventional charms.
