I really liked Metro 2033. I did however, trade in the game and use the money to buy the book. I liked the atmosphere, design, and brutal combat, but couldn’t stand another minute of constant bugs, glitches, and fatal errors, all of which plague the game to this day.

I’m glad to report I have absolutely no intention of trading in Metro: Last Light, not because it’s tied to my Steam account, but because Last Light is everything you wish the last game was.

This isn’t a title for newcomers. Despite the first few characters in the game making a couple of shoehorned speeches in an attempt to bring newbies up to date with current events, it just isn’t the same as playing Metro 2033 or reading the book. While the book and game have their (significant) differences, readers will be able to adapt their knowledge to immediately understand the changes made.

If you plan to buy the game on Steam, inside the files, you can find a copy of the Metro 2033 novel in PDF format, so you could brush up on your knowledge before jumping into Last Light. Be warned, the translation in the book is nearly as bad as the bugs in the game, but ultimately more bearable.

With that in mind, beware spoilers for Metro 2033 ahead.

The game starts almost immediately after the missile strike at the end of the last game. Artyom has become a hero, the dark ones are wiped out and the Order control D6. Having joined the Order, Artyom is soon commanded to head onto the surface after reports suggest a Dark One may have survived. It all pretty much goes downhill from there.

Initially, players may be disappointed that Russian vocals are not an option this time around, cursing the day someone forced them to listen to the atrocious wailing of the actor playing all the children in the game. Seriously, it’s appalling. However, once you see past that and the fact that Steve Blum is nearly every man who survived the apocalypse, the English voice work isn’t half bad. Let’s just say I have heard far worse, and the few times the Russian accent slips from the American actors quite clearly putting it on, you forgive it due to the exciting story line.

(Update: Since the initial review, Russian voice acting has been patched into the game. However, a large number of conversations in the game go without subtitles, so changing the options to have the authentic language will lessen the experience rather than enrich it.)

Last Light has the benefit of not having to set the scene like the first game and so can get right into the story from the off. Considering the topics presented in the game, Metro: Last Light is incredibly well written. Political ideologies are clearly developed, characters are far from two dimensional, and the pace is excellent. The title can go from the straight and narrow to the weird and wonderful on the drop of a hat, and not once did it feel forced. By the end of the game you truly feel like you have been on an adventure, with a wholly satisfying ending.

The game itself is very well designed, constantly changing the flow of the action. The pacing is constantly changed throughout the adventure and every new area is a new experience. Considering this is a game based in an underground tube network with only a nuclear wasteland above, being able to keep the environments and gameplay fresh is a great testament to how much 4A Games have learned and improved since Metro 2033.

It doesn’t have to be big changes that keep the game flowing, but simple actions like making you go above ground and wearing a gas mask forces you to change play-style. Unlike the previous title, Artyom now wears a digital watch, making it easy to read how long your filter will last. This means those who like me, want to be stealthy and explore, are suddenly aware that their play-style may cause them to run out of air.

Now, imagine the same situation, but you’re in a bog, so you have to find a safe path through the water, so you’ll have to slow down, forcing you to explore every time you reach land in the hopes of finding more filters. Now do the same thing, but the water is filled with mutants. Now do the same thing, but it’s raining sideways, at night.

All the little changes keep the game fresh throughout the 10 hours it look me to complete it. By creating these varied experiences, the developers have really made the world of Metro come to life. Metro: Last Light will constantly switch up combat, exploration, and set-pieces, often giving you reprieves from action with a little wander around a populated station. Little touches like having a button to wipe your gasmask is available, smearing condensation across your view, makes the whole experience extraordinarily immersive.

Both the set-pieces and optional side missions only add to the already fantastic ambiance. The side missions are never out on a list or pointed out to you clearly, but simple are events that happen in the world that you can choose to ignore. At one point I knew some bandits had women and children hostage, but had decided I couldn’t afford the ammo expenditure, but as I drove past the screams rang out and I stopped my cart with a sigh and jumped to their rescue, with only an achievement as thanks.

On the other hand, the set-pieces are unavoidable and are used primarily to move the story on. Often accompanied by an upbeat musical score, these scripted moments are incredibly well made and perfectly paced, elevating Metro: Last Light’s gameplay to a new level.

That is to say nothing of the phenomenal horror aspects. There are very few direct scares in this game, instead using atmosphere and design to make you horribly aware that the world around you contains something nasty. It reminded me of the best moments of the first F.E.A.R, in the best possible way. One moment in the game has shadows of people standing around a ruined apartment complex, but you can only see them if they are at the edge of the screen. Looking directly at these apparitions causes them to disappear, which I can tell you with authority, puts you on edge.