Metro 2033, originally released in 2010 for the Xbox 360 and Windows, is an all-time classic title. Metro Last Light was a graphical and mechanical leap over 2033, continuing the story in a way that lived up to the original's status. The Metro Redux bundle was released in 2014, offering remastered versions of both games with all the DLC attached. After six years of time to build up nostalgia and one year after the release of Metro Exodus, Metro Redux is now available on the Nintendo Switch in what many see as an extremely ambitious port.
There are a few concerns to consider with any such port: Is the Switch capable of running these FPS games smoothly enough? After so many years, do these titles hold up next to modern games? Is there any reason for people who played Metro Redux before to pick it up again on the Switch? Is there any reason to get it on the Switch over any other console?
The one aspect that Metro 2033 nailed was atmosphere, and Metro Last Light was just as good. Metro 2033 delivers an intense, dark, mysterious, and terrifying trip into a truly engrossing post-apocalyptic supernatural setting. The anomaly-riddled, bandit infested, war-torn tunnels of Moscow's crumbling underground come alive as the player scrapes their way through the darkness. The voice acting and world-building of these games still put modern titles to shame, and the linear, well-paced story drives the player ever onward through every tragic, creepy, tense, and frightening turn. Survival mechanics are ever-present and challenging, gunplay is gritty and intense, and the game holds up remarkably well overall. Classic Survival mode and gunplay-centric Spartan mode combined with a wide spread of difficulty settings allow players to get through each challenge at their own pace.
Metro Last Light starts the player off with a bit more resources than 2033, making the game a bit less survival-focused in return for a more sweeping view of the series' fascinating setting. It maintains the same gameplay modes and difficulty settings as 2033. Normal and Hardcore are the standard experience, but Ranger and Ranger Hardcore increase player and enemy damage while removing various HUD elements for maximum realism and immersion. Last Light has great characters and very compelling set-pieces, managing to feel a bit more modern and polished than 2033. Unlike 2033, Metro Last Light is not directly based on a book, but it still continues the story and expands on the setting beautifully.
New players should be warned that the games do feel their age. They are challenging, and occasionally have large difficulty spikes in unusual places. AI, graphics, and standards for polish and intuitive design have very noticeably improved since Metro Redux's original 2014 release. Even so, gamers who enjoy survival horror, FPS gameplay, and great storytelling will find themselves with two games that are nearly unparalleled in those areas. Anyone who isn't a fan but can still forgive some minor quality of life annoyances will be treated to a couple of classics that are well worth the time it takes to check them out.
As far as the ports go, the Switch handles Metro 2033 and Metro Last Light very well. Even in high-action segments of each game, there was no noticeable stuttering or performance issues. Of course, the games are not anywhere close to how they can look on PC, but they are still a fair shake better than they were on the Xbox 360 and PS3. Load times are noticeably slow, but acceptable. For a portable console, the Switch can still handle relatively high-end games of yesteryear shockingly well.
Unfortunately, there is no great reason to get Metro Redux on Switch over any other console. Portability is convenient, but the games' main strengths - atmosphere and tone - do not directly benefit from being on a portable platform. For those who have already played Metro Redux, or those who have the option to get it on PC or Xbox, there is no reason to choose the Switch version over any other.
At the same time, however, there is no big reason not to get Metro on Switch. It holds up fine, looks good enough even when being displayed on a TV, and is perfectly playable on a controller. If the Switch is someone's main console, Metro Redux is a phenomenal bundle that suffers negligible drawbacks from its port. Anyone who is a fan of survival horror or linear FPS games with good stories should consider Metro Redux to be a must-play, and the Switch is as good a place as any other to pick it up.
Metro Redux is available now on PlayStation 4, Nintendo Switch, Xbox One, and PC.
Metro Redux