Metro 2033 for Xbox 360 Reviews by Gamers

In a world where cookie-cutter games like Call of Duty are given all the money and publicity, it kind of bothers me that a game like this gets overlooked.

This game is as immersive as they come for a non-rpg title. Even more so than Fallout at times. (one of my faves) You have to change your gas mask filters, have to pump your air-rifle, have to recharge night vision goggles manually, etc. This is a highly innovative game.

There are some frustrating parts here and there. While many games today are guilty of babying the player and hand-holding, I do think the game couldve done a better job of explaining and teaching you certain things. You will die a few times just trying to figure out how to do simple tasks. At times I was very confused about who my friends were, they all seemed to look and sound exactly the same. And why are there nazis in future, apocalyptic russia? And why are they all russian? Those minor grudges aside, I was very surprised at how well this game was made. You truly feel like you are in a desolate and scary future world, scrapping together ammo and filters, trying to get through the tunnels alive.

I really didnt expect to like this as much as I did. It was one of those... "Eh, Ill throw this on the Q so gamefly can send me another old game I dont really want to play that much." But wow, I ate my words. It really was great.

Liked:
Graphics - Decent, not great. Art direction was top-notch though.
Story - Great pacing, simple, not convoluted.
Immersion - Cant stress this enough. Bravo.

Didnt:
Story - Perhaps too linear.
Buying/selling - I found there were too few shops to really take advantage of them. And currency was too scarce.
Guns - While I liked that they kept the arms realistic, a little more variety wouldve been fun.
Advertising - Plastering the cover of your book is kinda shameless and takes away from immersion

In conclusion, if you think youd like fallout in a more linear, streamline form, give this one a shot. Thumbs up!

For such an ambitious project as Metro 2033 was, it remained focused. The aspects of the game, like using a stopwatch to time the intervals between gas filters, and the mini cut-scenes with anomalies gave the game an intrigueing and somewhat ethereal dimension. The controls were simple, and if you've ever played any FPS you'd be right at home. Graphics were detailed, though at times you can find about 5 women who looked exactly the same in the same huddled crowds by the gates.

For all these aspects which were really well done, and adapted from the story well, there were a few gameplay issues that I saw. Premierely, the pacing. I think with any great game the pacing needs to be right, and there was little-to-no pacing in this game. Some may call it linear, but I think that doesn't QUITE describe it. I would like more time in cities and in the tunnels, with more creativity given to the navigation and survival of the tunnels--and more dialouge, interactions and maybe sidequests available in the cities. Too many times you wander in to one place, with the only goal of rushing out (while I understand for most of the game you're trying your damndest to make it one place quickly--I still like to explore).

I also didn't like that there were many random deaths--and the tutorials were sometimes...er most times...lacking in detail (i.e. you died because of a ghost, turn on a light FAIL). Now I won't claim that most everyone will die the bizzare amount of times as I did in some of the anomalie cut-scenes or looking for gas masks after being pummelled by a slew of rabid mere-cat looking monstrosities, BUT perhaps a little more tutorial wouldn't have gone unnoticed.

Overall the game plays smooth, and it will be a sleeper hit, not to the caliber of Borderlands, but boasting a better story, and if nothing else, a very good era game with entertaining (sometimes cliched) voice-acting and character designs. For your brief stay in Post-Apoc Russia, you'll enjoy your visit