Video games love the end times. There are so many great games set in the post-apocalypse, that it’s hard to keep track of them all; whether they’re full of sickly dark humor and gross-out creatures or riffs on classic independent films, there are plenty of virtual ways to prepare for the inevitable fall of humanity and the remnants that persevere.
But few of them are as compelling or as influential as 4A Games’ first-person shooter series Metro. And this week, everyone with an Xbox can claim a free copy of the first game in the series, complete with all the added graphical and gameplay enhancements, to celebrate the game’s 15th anniversary.
Metro 2033 was originally released in 2010 and was quite a departure from popular games in its genre of the time. While casual first-person shooters which emphasized the power fantasy of being a soldier ruled the gaming landscape, Metro 2033 offered a deeply methodical alternative that prioritized tension and immersion. Set in the year of its namesake, Metro 2033 follows a man named Artyom 20 years after a global nuclear wipeout. Raised in dank, dark tunnels of the Eastern European metro, where the last survivors eke out a miserable living, Artyom and his comrades set out on a journey to find the truth about a mysterious group of creatures that threaten to snuff out the last vestiges of humanity. The game is based closely on the novel by Dmitry Glukhovsky of the same name.
This gripping story makes good on its premise in the gameplay department. The game is all about resource management. From Artyom’s ammo to the condition of his gas mask and weapons, players must do everything in their power to survive the harsh conditions of this devastating land. Bullets for example, double as the world’s currency, which means literally every bullet counts. All the while, the horrors of this bleak and atmospheric fiction are as threatening as they look. With each encounter, it’s up to players to decide if it’s worth going on the offensive loudly, or if they’d rather use stealth to their advantage to live another day.
Metro 2033 takes heavy cues from the original Stalker Trilogy and for good reason: the founders of 4A Games are veterans of developer GSC Game World. But while Metro 2033 retains the friction of those older games or even its current-gen sequel, it does its own spin on the format. Instead of having a huge open world to explore, Metro 2033 is considerably more linear in scope. There are multiple endings based on players branching decisions throughout, but it’s not about aimlessly finding your way in an endless wasteland.
This particular version of the game, which was released in 2014, rebuilds the classic Xbox 360 game in a newer, more spectacular-looking engine, improves the game’s mechanics, and updates its presentation. On Series X, the game runs at up to 120 frames per second, making it one of the best places to boot this one up if you haven’t yet. Even over a decade after its initial facelift, the game still looks and feels fantastic to play.
Metro 2033 is a steal at the low price of free. Players will have until May 31 to claim their free digital copy, and we encourage them to do so right away. Metro 2033 is an exceptional video game that perfectly introduces players to its unique world of radioactive threats and surviving against all odds. Those who fall in love with classics have two more well-received sequels worth checking out, including 2019’s Metro Exodus, which is on sale for just $10.
