It’s time for another Retro Ad Replay article! This is the series where we head backward in time to reminisce and celebrate the anniversary of some of the most significant moments in gaming. If you find yourself wanting more content like this, be sure to visit Mandatory.com.
In this March 16 edition of Retro Ad Replay, we’re heading back 11 years to when Metro 2033 first launched on PC and Xbox 360. That’s March 16, 2010. Developed by 4A Games and published by THQ, Metro 2033 offered players a terrifying trip down under the tunnels below Moscow. To ensure survival in the metro system, players would have to be efficient with resources and fight against human and supernatural forces.
GameRevolution awarded Journey a 7/10 in our review, celebrating the “great atmosphere,” “good story,” and “realistic sound.”
Here’s a snippet from the GR review:
Based on the eponymous Russian novel, METRO 2033 is a sign of the next step in the game industry for a couple reasons. First, it was conceptualized and designed in Russia, showing gamers that there are other places to develop good games besides the US, Europe, and Japan. Second, the novel it was originally based on was originally a free, online novel. Published for free online in 2002, it became so popular that a printed version was released three years later. Now it has been published in over 20 countries, has its own video game, and the author is in talks for a Hollywood movie. The future is now, my friends, and good stories have new ways of getting out and about.
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The first person combat in METRO 2033 is tight… literally. Most of your fights are in the dark enclosed spaces of the Metro. Many times, you only have your flashlight to show the way. Unlike DOOM 3, however, this future not only has duct tape, but also headlamps. The close surroundings add a high level of desperation to most fights, which is exactly how you should feel against 8 feet-tall mutant freaks.
Check out the Metro 2033 launch trailer below (hosted by XboxViewTV):
