Metro 2033 - Details Surface

THQ and 4A Games have joined forces to deliver a post-apocalyptic thrill ride unlike any other. Their upcoming title in particular is Metro 2033, a first person shooter for PS3, Xbox 360 and PC that translates the 2005 Russian novel hit of the same name, and the details are here for your reading pleasure. Now for those of you who have already read the masterpiece that sold over 400 000 copies, you'll probably know what the game's plot will be like. But for those who haven't (like me) read on, I got you covered with details:

PLOT

The story of Metro 2033 is set in a (don't say it) post-apocalyptic torn future Moscow. A nuclear holocaust has left the world ravaged. Radiation from the outcome has left cities unfit for people to populate, mutated forests and even produce monstrous mutations. Therefore, the few thousand human survivors in Russia sought refuge in the largest underground nuclear shelter called "Moscow metro".

Fast forward twenty years later and the Moscow metro civilization has adapted to life underground. However, life on Earth is anything but hospitable. Everything on the surface lays in ruins, there are no planes and all railroads remain dead, tv and radio communications no longer exist and the colonies down below are separated in factions, each with their own ideals, beliefs and religion.

From here, players are introduced to the northern outpost and their role. They assume the identity of Artem, a 20 year old male who was born sometime before the holocaust but spent most of his life growing up as an orphan in the Moscow metro colony during and after it. As Artem, players will have to struggle for survival when they are given a task to warn other colonies of the dangerous mutants called "Dark Ones" after they descend upon the unsuspecting populace and attack.

SETTING

The world is covered with melted structures, ash and debris. Building lay half ruined and a nuclear winter (grey ash) milks the scenery above. Down below, the subway refuge is rundown with rusty pipes, and dust riddled throughout its tunnels. People wearing dirty clothing including children converse through this society gone down. Engineers have build electrical plants and water supplies with purifiers with what little they have. Its an almost complete gloomy site with the exception of somewhat civilized life occupying it.

GAMEPLAY

Metro 2033 is a first person shooter so expect firearms to be at your disposal. However, you'll also have to rely on equipment like gas masks when going up to the surface since the air is no longer breathable, watches and more. Vehicles are also accessible but little is known about how you will be using them during missions. Metro 2033 is also a highly dynamic game when played. Dynamics in combat allow you to specifically tailor your fighting style in-game (be a strike trooper or a stealth fighter). Dynamics also apply to character interaction especially in the case of dealing with the various political or religious environments within the colony. You can move the story in any direction you choose depending on how you interact with a certain social standpoint. And let's not forget about the A.I. Your enemies especially the Dark Ones will display nerve racking, intelligent behavior during combat like take cover, retreat, call for help, set up ambushes and more.

TECHNOLOGY

If you saw the logos at the beginning of the trailer, then you know that Nvidia PhysX will be the architect of the PC version. It will enlist the rendering capabilities of DirectX 9/10, as well as DirectX 11 to deliver the most detailed world ever. And since its PhysX, expect perfect touches like precised physics, dynamic lighting and shadow effects, distorted vision from gas mask lens and more. The console versions don't have PhysX but you'll be happy to know that they'll sport just as much realistic visuals as their PC counterpart.

THQ and 4A Games could very well make an impact in the post-apocalyptic fps genre when they release the game sometime next year. But with competition like id Software's Rage and 2K Games Bioshock 2 also expected to be released next year, we can't be too sure if Metro 2033 will be worth the retail until the dust settles. Stay tuned for more Metro 2033 news here at The Game Eye.