Metro: Last Light

Metro: Last Light from 2013 follows on from Metro 2033 and returns players to the post-apocalyptic Moscow underground as Artyom, who, after the destruction of the Dark Ones faction, sets out to find out whether the last member of this mysterious species survived. Studio 4A Games kept the series' signature mix of stealth action, horror atmosphere, and survival with limited ammo and gas mask filters, but streamlined the gameplay compared to the first game – enemy AI is better, transitions between tunnels and the surface are smoother, and the balance between quiet approaches and direct firefights is improved. The story also offers moral choices that influence one of two possible endings, and it keeps the distinctive system where rare military-grade rounds serve both as the strongest ammunition and as in-game currency with traders.

The Xbox 360 version was released alongside the PC and PlayStation 3 editions and offered identical content – the same missions, dialogue, and story endings – just with graphics adapted to the performance of the console at the time. Textures and resolution were at a lower level than on PC, and some advanced effects, such as volumetric fog or physically simulated smoke, were simplified or missing entirely. The result, however, was stable, well-tuned performance on fixed hardware, which 4A Games could optimize for reliably, unlike the variable configurations of PC, so the game ran smoothly on Xbox 360 throughout.

Similar to PS3, Xbox 360 players could obtain a bonus set of weapons and upgrades available right from the start of the game through pre-order, which made the first hours in the tougher Ranger mode easier, and the game fully supported achievements and other standard console features. Again, though, this was just a gameplay bonus, not different content – Last Light remained the same game in content across Xbox 360, PlayStation 3, and PC, differing only in graphics, controls, and smoothness of performance.

Why play it: For a content-identical experience to PS3 and PC, differing only in graphics, controls, and smoothness, plus a pre-order bonus weapon set that eases the tougher Ranger mode, the Xbox 360 version is an equally valid choice.