Recent reviews by eightyseven

I have been playing racing games since Need For Speed for the 3DO.
This game, although limited to rally racing, is the best racing game I have ever played. Nothing compares to the thrilling feeling of coming close to the edge of the road and risking rolling down a steep embankment or slamming into a mudbank or giant rock while going 60+ mph down a dirt road through the countryside. My body literally braces for impact and I can feel my stomach squirm. The three different styles of rally racing represented here - traditional, hill climb and rallycross - each have their own feel and driving style. When switching modes, you really have to adjust the way you are driving in order to achieve any resemblance of victory. Each car's driving style is dynamic and you can really feel the shift (especially in weight) when going from a super-light rallycross tuner to something like an 80's escort. Vehicle damage is really awesome and really frustrating at the same time, but really lends a level of consequence not present in any other rally video game experience.
That being said, this is not a racing game for everyone. If you just like to hold down the gas and lightly flaot around corners or be able to focus on anything other than driving (I've had to start rallies over due to someone saying a single sentence to me), this probably isn't for you. The difficulty level is high, and consequences brutal if you do happen to wreck your car or run too far off track.

Long story short, a must-buy for both rally and racing simulation enthusiasts.

One of the most atmospheric and genuinely terrifying games I have ever played. If you are looking for a short yet gripping FPS to lose yourself in, this is it.
I played on Ranger mode, which is one step down from the hardest in the game. No artificial difficulty here, I would say it is similar to Dark Soul's difficulty (though nowhere near as hard), in that you have to plan out your strategy and often find yourself redoing one section of the game multiple times. There are also multiple layers to the difficulty - not only are the enemies varied with different strategies but you also have to worry about things like air filters when you go above ground and conserving ammo (I had literally no ammo except for grenades for the last 5 or so minutes of the game).
I don't tend to enjoy linear titles as much as open ended, but Metro's linear storyline was so rich with character and emotion and really sweeps you from one section to the next, feeling organic and natural from one possibly fatal encounter to the next.
Highly recommended.