I was thinking about what my ideal FPS game would be like, and I decided to revisit this game since I remember being really fond of it. I think I'm one step closer to an answer: I love FPS games that takes full advantage of the level of intimacy and individuality that the first person perspective provides, rather than just being a well designed shooter. And 2033 is a great example of that.
There's just hardly a moment in this game where I wasn't so invested in its world. The dank, dark tunnels of the metro have an incredibly tasteful atmosphere. And the icy ruins of the wasteland above are nowhere near as dead as they seem. The horrible men and monsters are plain as day, but there's also more than that. Places might not remember people, but we would like them to, and we leave echoes for others to stumble upon. The game has an excellent, grounded take on the supernatural, and it makes exploration so interesting. I'm especially impressed by the sound design in certain sections, it works wonders with the first person perspective to establish this constant feeling of walking on grounds you don't belong, and are barely hanging on to.
Then you have the more unique and gimmicky mechanics. Being able to wipe your gas mask from all the blood and filth covering it, and even replace it when it's cracked beyond saving, to the point of limiting your visibility; stealthily turning light sources off to better hide your tracks; manually pumping your pneumatic weapons; and so on. Doing all of these in first person, it makes you understand the kind of life these Metro folks live daily. Having to scavenge decaying tech and improvising from whatever they have is a classic post-apocalypse trope, and 2033's take on it feels more than distinct enough to leave an impression.
But the game is still a shooter at it's heart, and I think it's more than good enough on that front. The overall gunplay can be quite clunky, but the impact and feel of most of the weapons are quite good, and there's a decent degree of freedom that the game gives you in approaching a good amount of the encounters.
Lastly, I do have to say that the silent protagonist approach, writing and English VO can disappoint what the story is trying to do. There's a slight Broken English feel to it all. But I think the game compensates for that with the collectible diaries. Written from the perspective of the main character, they are better written and provide a much needed dose of personality to the storytelling.
All in all, 2033 is a must-play in its genre: a slower-paced, immersive, narrative driven FPS game. Like the people of Metro, it makes the most of its limited budget and scope, and despite rough edges all over the place, it lives on.
There's just hardly a moment in this game where I wasn't so invested in its world. The dank, dark tunnels of the metro have an incredibly tasteful atmosphere. And the icy ruins of the wasteland above are nowhere near as dead as they seem. The horrible men and monsters are plain as day, but there's also more than that. Places might not remember people, but we would like them to, and we leave echoes for others to stumble upon. The game has an excellent, grounded take on the supernatural, and it makes exploration so interesting. I'm especially impressed by the sound design in certain sections, it works wonders with the first person perspective to establish this constant feeling of walking on grounds you don't belong, and are barely hanging on to.
Then you have the more unique and gimmicky mechanics. Being able to wipe your gas mask from all the blood and filth covering it, and even replace it when it's cracked beyond saving, to the point of limiting your visibility; stealthily turning light sources off to better hide your tracks; manually pumping your pneumatic weapons; and so on. Doing all of these in first person, it makes you understand the kind of life these Metro folks live daily. Having to scavenge decaying tech and improvising from whatever they have is a classic post-apocalypse trope, and 2033's take on it feels more than distinct enough to leave an impression.
But the game is still a shooter at it's heart, and I think it's more than good enough on that front. The overall gunplay can be quite clunky, but the impact and feel of most of the weapons are quite good, and there's a decent degree of freedom that the game gives you in approaching a good amount of the encounters.
Lastly, I do have to say that the silent protagonist approach, writing and English VO can disappoint what the story is trying to do. There's a slight Broken English feel to it all. But I think the game compensates for that with the collectible diaries. Written from the perspective of the main character, they are better written and provide a much needed dose of personality to the storytelling.
All in all, 2033 is a must-play in its genre: a slower-paced, immersive, narrative driven FPS game. Like the people of Metro, it makes the most of its limited budget and scope, and despite rough edges all over the place, it lives on.