Metro 2033 is the most underrated game of all time.

[JesusIsFreedom]

I consider myself a harsher-than-most critic of video games. Years ago when this title first surfaced, I cruised over to IGN and almost immediately dismissed this game for the horrible score. A quick scan of the review suggested a haphazard experience, broken by bugs and glitches alike, with little redeeming qualities. In other words: save your money. Years went by, and one by one I was massively disappointed by a stream of AAA titles that were touted by the masses and critics alike. Some of which I had anticipated for over ten years, such as Diablo lll. Games like Skyrim, Diablo lll, Dead Space 3, and New Vegas did some things right, for sure. For me however, they left me wanting more. These games came and went, but I craved the ultimate experience. Very few games can completely draw me into their universe and absolutely demand my attention, in which stepping away from the keyboard becomes almost painful (Fallout 3 and MGS3 are some of the few to accomplish this). A few weeks ago, upon my discovery of a simple steam sale, I purchased the game with the thought "why not"? Long story short, and fifteen hours more tired, I finished the game. To summarize: I was introduced to an atmosphere and a world you could slice with a bitter knife it felt so real, characters who I had grown attached to faster than some family members, and a story which became an instant classic in my mind. Hats off and glasses raised to the little game that could and my most underrated game of all time.

[RED5]

Tovarich !

[ertesda]

I totally agree with you.

[T_N]

Not many games can do what Metro 2033 did, I only wish they stick with the same formula with last light which hopefully i think they are and optimize it a bit more. I would also recommend reading the novel you can find it on amazon, one of the best novels I read even if you finished the game since there is so much things they couldn't cover in the game.

[Rockhead Gaz]

Unequivocal agreement.

[randomlocks]

One of the best atmospheric game i am playing . IGN are sh*t and their review was biased .

[jerry1970com]

Originally posted by upperquay:

I consider myself a harsher-than-most critic of video games. Years ago when this title first surfaced, I cruised over to IGN and almost immediately dismissed this game for the horrible score. A quick scan of the review suggested a haphazard experience, broken by bugs and glitches alike, with little redeeming qualities. In other words: save your money. Years went by, and one by one I was massively disappointed by a stream of AAA titles that were touted by the masses and critics alike. Some of which I had anticipated for over ten years, such as Diablo lll. Games like Skyrim, Diablo lll, Dead Space 3, and New Vegas did some things right, for sure. For me however, they left me wanting more. These games came and went, but I craved the ultimate experience. Very few games can completely draw me into their universe and absolutely demand my attention, in which stepping away from the keyboard becomes almost painful (Fallout 3 and MGS3 are some of the few to accomplish this). A few weeks ago, upon my discovery of a simple steam sale, I purchased the game with the thought "why not"? Long story short, and fifteen hours more tired, I finished the game. To summarize: I was introduced to an atmosphere and a world you could slice with a bitter knife it felt so real, characters who I had grown attached to faster than some family members, and a story which became an instant classic in my mind. Hats off and glasses raised to the little game that could and my most underrated game of all time.

[jerry1970com]

i agree......

[Schnurri]

Actually, i was a little bit disappointed by the game. I never really came into the game. And i can't say that the caracters in the game have been "real" or unique... you don't really get to know them. From most NPC, you just know right from the beginning that they are not important for the story and that they'll die soon... I'd like to see more RPG aspects in future games, it would be cool if you could always return to your "home metro station" and develop your relationships with the members there... also, there should be either more weapon crafting/buying or no shops at all. Traders have been rather useless (as for most games, by the way). It would also be cool if the story wasn't that linear or if it at least had some situations where you can make decisions / rescue people by fast/good reactions and so on... Still a decent game, though!

[ThunderRust]

You said Diablo III twice. lol

[papalazarou]

yes absolutely. I have just started going back through with my 590 wc oc and i can play at max at decent fps. This game is just amazingly good way ahead of its time. I thinkit seems to have been enhanced in some way also by the latest nvidia drivers and new updates. It runs smooth but the effects and shadowing/reflections just look way better than i remember. I think last light must be using the same engine and they have enhanced the drivers to increase the polish of the new game, but also this makes 2033 look even better

[Borp]

It had its issues...the jump scares were not that great. Actually fighting the mutants was not very fun, they just ran at you en masse and you shoot them...no depth at all to that and you usually had AI companions along as the mutants ran at you...very boring. Also the missions on the surface were not as fleshed out as the Metro missions. The texture quality of the surface was not as good and lacked the polish of the underground missions.

Lack of PC UI and customization as well was not great...I did like the little generator you pumped and the gas mask, it was good for immersion but besides that it was nothing new besides a on the rail (literally) survival horror shooter.

If anything I would say this is the most overrated "underrated" game out there. If that makes sense. Lol.

[JesusIsFreedom]

The game had no jump scares that I recall (probably because they weren't ment to be memorable?). They didnt treat you like a five year old and try to jump start your heart with periodic cheap monster-closet scares, like some once-great series have resorted to doing. Rather, I became fully immersed in the masterful atmosphere, audio and art design. The world seemed to breath around me as I walked through that tunnel with Kahn, listening to the smart dialogue and non-generic personality he displayed to me. My ears were perked as I crept around one of the massacred stations, listening to the echoing wails of a crying boy. The mutants had basic AI most of the time, except for the librarians, which were unique and required special behavior to bypass. You didn't mention them, and they're hard to forget, so I can already tell you did'nt finish the game. The time you spent on the surface was few, and far between, but that was the realistic point of the bleak world. To knock this game at all just because of a few iffy textures on small bits of the outside environments is ridiculous and blatant nitpicking. The graphics, especially texture quality, throughout the game were top-notch, and still hold up today despite the game being created in 2010. There was no customization per say, no, but I still felt a tactile sense of progression as I scrapped together bits of ammunition here and there and periodically upgraded my weapons. Again, the immersion of the unique tools drew me in rather than the game relying on a light rpg system that could be mimicked across many games. As for this game being "overrated underrated"....give me a break. I breath the gaming world and I've hardly heard whispers about this title since its release. It has a very light presence on the internet and a dedicated cult following. There were no massive marketing schemes that are typically used to push games so hard into your face, you eventually buy into the hype. No top 10 underrated list, no reccommendations, no squealing fanboys convinced me that this was worth playing. I bought this because it was cheap, and it actually delivered something special unlike so, so much hyped crap today.

[Tusken GA]

I always found the NPC design to be severely lacking and I can trace it to a single flaw: their eyes don't move right. They hardly move at all. When they want to look at something, they move their whole head instead of using their eyes.

It's incredibly jarring because the game does such an excellent job graphically everywhere else.

I definitely agree though that this game is by far one of the most underrated games I've ever played. I mean, have you seen this review?

http://www.avclub.com/articles/metro-2033,39378/

It makes IGN's look postively exemplary by comparison.

This game has consistently been penalized for being a niche title. The features that greatly appeal to a select audience are touted as flaws because the reviewer isn't among that audience.

They aren't flaws; they are intentional design decisions that don't have mass appeal.

It's frankly embarassing how many "professional" reviewers regurgitate these trite complaints as if they have significance, all the while completely oblivious to their own bias.

Yeah, the enemies take more than two bullets to take down. Have you seen the armor modern soldiers wear? That stuff is more than Kevlar; there are metal plates in it too. It'll protect against small calibur rifle rounds as well as most pistol rounds. 7.62 goes through it, but the denizens of the metro use that stuff as currency, not ammunition.

Every time I see a reviewer complain about the amount of damage an enemy can take in Metro 2033 I immediately write them off. Because A) that damage is explained by the lore of the game and B) it's a FEATURE specifically designed to increase tactical considerations in combat, slowing down that combat, and emphasize the simply enthralling hybrid stealth system.

Very few games can claim to support their narrative with game mechanics as subtly as this game does.

Consider this (and at this point I'm just ranting): Artyom lives in a Metro deep underground. To him, exposed air is a hazard and any environment that doesn't have a roof over his head is a threat. He considers the "darkness of the Metro" to be a haven, not a source of threats.

And this plays out in the game mechanics. In several sections, most notably the sub-mission "Frontlines", Artyom makes use of darkness to slip past or eliminate enemies. The way I always play that section, I knock out the lights in the area and snipe enemies one by one from the darkness. I don't progress until the lights have been destroyed, and I stick to the shadows.

I can take out over three fourths of the enemies in this mission without being detected (and by detected I mean located; they know I'm there, but they don't know where). I never have to worry about incoming fire except for like five guys I can't take out on the Communist side and, depending on how sloppily I handle it, about 10 or 15 on the N*zi side.

The darkness is where Artyom is safe. It's his friend, his ally, his haven. This is in stark contrast to most survival horror games that make use of the darkness to hide enemies that sneak up on the player.

I have always been extremely impressed by this subtlety, and it's one of the reasons I love this game.

They don't telegraph this connection to the player and I love that.

[r3mxd]

waaah wahhh wahhhh wahhh.

Best game ever, your PC can't handle it, get a job.

Also, this isnt supposed to "scare" people...

Good storyline. Great gameplay.

Such an underrated game.

[Martial.Lore]

This is the only game I have ever written a recommendation for, it's that good. If you switch mid-fight between regular rounds and the good quality ammo, you can see exactly how good the damage algorithms are. On tougher enemies, five or six hits are needed with the crappy post apocalyptic ammo, when a single good round will suffice (if you're willing to "waste" it instead of spending it). Some minor bugs and glitches were a small price to pay for a whole brave new world. My only real gripe, which I hope is addressed in Last Light: I want to spend some quality time investigating Polis Station. That massive underground space, all those people.... Wow!