Metro: Last Light Preview - E3 2011
E3 11: We traverse in the dark tunnels of underground Moscow in this atmospheric sequel
Metro 2033 was a surprise hit for many players, and even THQ themselves. And hey, we liked it too. Featuring a great atmosphere, frantic gameplay and great visuals, the game became somewhat of a cult hit, prompting a sequel. Metro Last Light is a direct sequel to the original, with the main protagonist Artyom and many supporting characters making a return. During the E3 this year, we had a chance to drop by a very cool subway train-themed booth to check out the new gameplay demo for the game. Fans of the original, you likely have nothing to worry about.
The demo began with an overview of the destroyed city, which is evolving. Since the Dark Ones are gone, snow has begun melting, and new monsters are created, the world has become a different place. After presumably exploring the surface, demo begins with Artyom and his partner climbing back to the dark tunnels of Moscow metro. Stealth promises to be improved this time around, and the first part of the gameplay was focused heavily on avoiding detection. Artyom was able to unscrew a light bulb and shoot out the distant alarm lights in order to create darkness to hide in. A cool way to get rid of a burning fire was to shoot the kettle cooking above it, the water from which extinguished the flames. An approaching patrol (voiced faithfully in original Russian) took notice, but not before we were able to sneak up and take out the guards with a stealth kill, one at a time.
Regrouping with his partner, Artyom proceeded to join an ongoing meeting of the Reds, a faction in the Metro which has a striking similarity to the Nazis. Blending into the crowd, our characters almost made it through, before an alert guard stopped the meeting and caused a panic. During the scramble, Atryom took a bullet, so his partner carried him to the rail cart while keeping enemies at bay. Once on board, they took off, firing blindly at the chasing foot soldiers. However, the enemy would not give up, sending their own carts to chase Artyom on the railway. Having dispatched those enemies with a few well placed shots and grenade tosses, we’ve finally caught up to our objective – a supply train in motion.
When the tracks became close enough, Artyom made the jump to the supply train. Having had a moment to recover from his injuries, the picked up an assault rifle and began to fight his way to the front. The debris flew relentlessly thanks to the constant gunfire and high speed, creating an intriguing atmosphere. Last Light features destructible environments and cover, so it didn’t take long for the wooden boxes to give way to the hail of bullets.
The physics were looking great as well, with many pieces of cloth and box covering dynamically flapping in the wind of the tunnel. Having made it to the front of the train, the demo concluded. A short clip was then also shown of a new enemy type, which looked like an angry gorilla, smashing its way through walls and trying to ram Artyom head on. This is just one of the few new mutants promised in the game.
Metro Last Light looks to be like a very worthy sequel to 2033. It’s a title that aims to keep all the thrills and intensity of battling humans and mutants alike in the atmospheric world of Moscow underground. Improved stealth, new weapons, new enemies, and smarter AI are just a few things that fans can look forward to. Given the immense atmosphere and excellent visuals (demo was running on PC) that were seen in the demo, Last Light looks to be a surefire hit for fans of the franchise when it releases in 2012 for PC, Xbox 360, and for the first time on Playstation 3.
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Jun 9, 2011 22:57:18 (Jun 9, 2011 22:57)
