Review: Metro: Last Light Redux (Nintendo Switch)

Following up on the success of Metro 2033, 4A Games released a sequel entitled Metro: Last Light. Set just after Metro 2033, the game picks up right where the last one left off. Players will need to deal with the fallout (pardon the pun) from the first game’s conclusion. Let’s dive back into the underground!

The gameplay is largely the same in Metro: Last Light as it was in Metro 2033, especially if you were playing in the ‘Spartan’ mode. See our review of Metro 2033 here: INSERT LINK. Most everything about this game feels tighter and the guns in the game feel like they have more weight this time around. If you enjoyed the first game, I believe you’ll notice the improvements right off the bat with Last Light. Just like in the first game, players will need to use their weapons and gas mask to survive.

The immersion provided by the gas mask this time around reminded me of the Metroid Prime games. You’ll see flies landing and walking around on your mask. The mask will crack and even show condensation. Some of these details were present in Metro 2033 but they’ve definitely added more in Last Light. These little things go a long way in heightening the tension felt as you progress. The enemy variety and even the enemy AI have improved as well. I miss games where the enemies actually feel intelligent, especially the human ones. In this game, you may think you’ve finished dispatching an enemy, but they may surprise you. The non-human enemies in this game also have a variety of strategies so you’re definitely in for a tough fight no matter the difficulty setting.

The improvements to the gameplay also carry over to the visuals. The game looks much better than Metro 2033 and has much more diverse colors/tones throughout. Performance is still very impressive and even more so with the added visual enhancements over Metro 2033. While this game is a sequel to Metro 2033, it also just feels like a more ‘complete’ version of the Metro experience if that makes sense. Similar to how a game like Pikmin 3, while being a sequel, also feels like the definitive Pikmin experience that’s been released so far. Suffice it say, Metro: Last Light looks and plays much better than its predecessor.

Metro: Last Light is included in the ‘Metro Redux’ package for the Switch. While you can certainly buy the games separately from the eShop, I think it’s still good to experience the series from its roots. You’ll notice the improvements that have been made and I believe your time with the game will be that much more satisfying. Just like with Metro 2033, this game features all of the DLC including a ‘Ranger Mode’ that offers a HUD-less, UI-less experience with more powerful enemies and even fewer resources. If you can’t get enough of the Metro experience, you’ll want to give the Ranger Mode a try.