Metro 2033 Redux

Metro 2033 Redux, from 2014, is a completely reworked version of the original 2010 Metro 2033, built on the improved 4A Engine that had since been developed for Metro: Last Light. The story, characters, and missions remained the same - Artyom travels through a Moscow metro overrun by mutants and faces the conflict between the Red Line and Nazi factions, as well as mysterious beings called the Dark Ones - but the gameplay, shooting, and AI were completely reworked to the standards of the newer game, so it feels far smoother, more precise, and less clunky than the original, which has aged considerably by now. The lighting, character animations, and some level sections that suffered from confusing layout and unclear player guidance back in 2010 were also reworked.

The PC version offered the highest graphical quality of all the platforms Redux launched on - higher texture resolution, more advanced lighting, and the option to fine-tune dozens of graphics settings to match a specific system, from integrated graphics up to the top-tier cards of the time. Players could also choose between two play styles inherited from the original releases: the survival-oriented Spartan mode, closer to a regular action shooter, and the much harder Ranger mode with limited ammo and no on-screen indicators, which better matched the spirit of Dmitry Glukhovsky's source novel. The game was sold both standalone and as part of the Metro Redux compilation alongside the remastered Last Light, which made it easy to catch up on the series before Metro Exodus arrived and to experience both games on a unified engine.

Content-wise, the PC version is identical to the PlayStation 4 and Xbox One releases - the same missions, the same endings, and the same bonus chapters not found in the 2010 original. The only difference is that the PC edition runs at a higher resolution and with finer detail, hardware permitting, and offers more freedom in configuring controls and keyboard shortcuts for mouse-and-keyboard players.

Why play: For the same content as on PlayStation 4 and Xbox One - including bonus chapters not found in the 2010 original - but with a higher resolution and more flexible control settings for mouse-and-keyboard players.