--Artyom, Metro: Last Light
A sequel that surpasses the original is worth noting. A sequel that surpasses the original in almost every way stands out all the more. Though Metro: Last Light is still light on overall characterization, it still has a greater emotional foundation than the previous game, some of which is set up by an introductory video focusing on a very personal aspect of Artyom's past. Similarly, it offers a more thorough exploration of various factions introduced in Metro 2033--namely, the Nazis of the Fourth Reich, the communists, the bandits, and the Dark Ones. Artyom gets to see more of what each group's small societies are or were like in a story that shows the reconciliation of two species once thought by in-universe characters to be mortal enemies (there is a virus in the story too, making the release of the Switch port shortly before COVID-19 was declared a pandemic rather ironic).
Production Values
Overall, there are few graphical differences between the two Metro games on the Switch, so anyone who played the first game knows what to expect. At the very least, some of the facial models seem better than those of Metro 2033, which addresses one of the major graphical problems of the first game in the series. This improvement can still be overshadowed by a serious glitch in the Undercity level. The glitch made me have to restart the entire level multiple times, but only playing the level from start to finish without going to the home menu of the Switch or turning the Switch off allowed me to actually avoid the error screen.
Gameplay
The atmosphere, combat, and mild exploration are still at the forefront of the gameplay. Stealth and direct confrontation are both still options for many encounters with human enemies. In fact, entire sections can actually be passed by means of stealthy kills rather than blatant firefights, and you can even turn off electrical and lamp-based lights to better conceal yourself. At some points direct combat is a necessity, but many skirmishes with humans can be softened by silently killing off key targets using silencers or throwing knives.
This time, there is additional content in the form of DLC. You can actually play as a member of the Fourth Reich and drive back communist forces, replay an early level from the main story as Anna, and test a virtual reality combat simulator, among other things. However, the DLC missions can be very fucking challenging even on the lowest difficulty settings due to various limitations like being confined to one location (Heavy Squad) or having little to no serious visibility without turning your light on and thus attracting enemies (Anna).
Story
Some spoilers are below!
Artyom returns from Metro 2033 to be the protagonist again. During a mission to capture a young Dark One that survived the missile strike from the previous game alongside a sniper named Anna, he is captured by Nazis. He escapes the Fourth Reich's grasp with the help of a communist prisoner, who eventually betrays him, which sets in motion events that unveil a lethal human conspiracy threatening the inhabitants of the Metro.
Intellectual Content
As aforementioned, the Nazis make a comeback in the world of Metro as an organized political group with their own territory, and, unsurprisingly, they continue to spout racist fallacies about the "children of the super race." The Fourth Reich executes captives based upon deviations from arbitrarily defined (and false) definitions of humankind. The biological classification of humans is cast aside in favor of a classification that excludes people with even slight deformities. Of course, being human is just as much a metaphysical and spiritual thing as it is a biological one, and the former are more significant than the latter. Unfortunately, Metro: Last Light does not directly address many other particular themes, even if the lore is rich with potential.
However, the "moral points" system is more overt this time, and there are numerous actions or inactions that can determine the ending of the game itself. Some scenarios, for example, let players choose mercy over killing. Equating mercy with an obligatory action (which may or may not have been the intent of the game's creators) is philosophically misguided and wholly contrary to reason, but there are characters with greater complexity than they might first appear to have who end up living or dying because of Artyom's--aka, the player's--decisions. Will you donate a bullet to a poor artist rejected by the post-apocalyptic Russian society? Will you spare key enemies when you have the chance to kill them? The subtle white flash and accompanying sound cues indicate that your choice has been made.
Conclusion
The sophomore game of the Metro series adds greater worldbuilding depth to a series already in possession of a very well-crafted atmosphere. Metro: Last Light does not disregard the best components of the first game, all while expanding on the universe already presented in the previous game. Once again, the setting and atmosphere are the highest points. Anyone who appreciated the lore and setup of Metro 2033 and the ability to play it on a handheld console will find a deeper Metro experience in Last Light.
Content:
1. Violence: The violence is almost identical to that of Metro 2033. Melee attacks, throwing knives, incendiary grenades, and a small spectrum of guns can be used to kill humans and mutant creatures. While there is plenty of blood, there is no explicit gore.
2. Profanity: Sporadic uses of words like "fucking" await players.
3. Sexuality: In Venice, Artyom can choose to watch at least two women in lingerie dance for the sexual pleasure of male onlookers, the second of which can be paid for a personal erotic dance. No, there is nothing about sensual dances or lingerie that is sexual on its own, but the words "Sex Shop" can be seen when entering the area, so the context is blatantly sexual.
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