The Metro video game saga originally begun as a novel by Russian author Dimitry Glukhovsky. Metro 2033 was published in 2005 for Russia, and was given a localized English version in early 2010. Set in 2013 within the Moscow Metro, Russian survivors of a worldwide nuclear holocaust have taken refuge within Moscow’s expansive subway system. The surface-world is home to dangerous creatures known as the “Dark Ones”, mutants forged from the effects of nuclear fallout. Within the Metro, factions begun to emerge within the remaining human communities, waging war to control the Metro and any remaining resources.
Ukrainian developer 4A Games brought Glukhovsky’s world to digital life in 2010, with the release of Metro 2033 for Xbox 360 and PC. The first-person survival-horror shooter brought several new gameplay elements into the FPS genre, with details such as having to manually wipe residue off of Artyom’s gas mask, “looting/scavenging” fallen corpses for items (while other first-person-shooters featured this, corpse-looting was mainly designated towards RPG titles), and ammunition being a form of currency. After the THQ closure and property-auction, Metro 2033’s developer was purchased by Dead Island publisher Deep Silver. Under the new publisher, 4A released Metro: Last Light in 2013 for PC, Xbox 360 and PS3. Set one year after the events of Metro 2033, Last Light is based on the follow-up novel Metro 2034.
Both Metro 2033 and Metro: Last Light, along with all of their DLC, will be coming to the next-gen consoles with Metro Redux. The Redux package contains fully-remastered versions of both games, with updated gameplay mechanics and high-definition texture mapping. As of right now, the PS4 version has been confirmed to have a 1080p presentation; 4A and Deep Silver have not specified what resolution will be present in the Xbox One version. Along with updated gameplay changes, Metro 2033 HD will also feature the no-HUD, scarce ammo, super-difficult “Ranger Mode”.
Both HD versions of Metro 2033 and Last Light will be available through PSN and XBLA for $25 each. Metro Redux will be a physical release for the Xbox One and PS4, and will cost $50.
The HD versions of the Metro saga, along with Metro Redux, will also be available for PC.
