KadokenGiving Ends to my Friends and it Feels StupendousRegistered Userregular
I did Ranger Easy, English. The VAs are decent for them all being the same Russian VAs that just have to say their lines differently. Fighting Humans is much harder than fighting mutants on that difficulty. I'm on the commie vs fascist sneak across the frontline level. Its really fucking hard to sneak through. All the dialogue has been amazing, the atmosphere is great, the story is one of the better ones I have seen in a long time, and the game is beautiful.
I do think that the
Ghost tunnel of people who died (The atomic bombs fucked with the afterlife?) is really dumb though. Very well executed and creepy, but the concept is retarded, unless the atomic bombs carried some weird anime soul bomb that fucked up everything.
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Ninja Snarl PMy helmet is my burden.Ninja Snarl: Gone, but not forgotten.Registered Userregular
Regular science is boring. Metro 2033 definitely subscribes to SCIENCE, not science.
The ghosts are no more ridiculous than, say, nearly all animal and plant life undergoing MASSIVE mutations in just a couple of decades since the bombs fell, much less the growth of viable ecosystems with those wildly mutated creatures. Or how about the surface air being poisonous, but it doesn't seep down into the tunnels? To stay at ground level, the toxins would have to be heavier than air anyway, so they should kill everyone in the tunnels as well. The viability of all the Metro living off of essentially mushrooms and pigs is also highly... impossible, for a lot of reasons.
Basically, all the science of the Metro is goofy; you can't really pick on one thing without saying it's all ridiculous and retarded.
There's an element of magical realism to the setting. Besides, that's just Khan's theory.
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Ninja Snarl PMy helmet is my burden.Ninja Snarl: Gone, but not forgotten.Registered Userregular
Yeah, that too. Khan's a pretty philosophical dude, so he's got a nice, colorful philosophical angle on it. But nobody in the game itself actually knows what the hell is the deal with that stuff; it's just something that is, and, like many things people don't understand, they come up with explanations to help wrap their head around the idea.
It's not even necessarily clear the monsters are even mutants, and not just nightmares given form by God's Wrath, or whatever. The setting is not interested in why it is the way it is, just how people respond to it.
Honestly, some science fiction or fantastical elements tend to work better when not put under direct scrutiny. If something is a major gameplay or story element, then yes, it may be wise to explain it, but one-off events you deal with only rarely can fit comfortably under the "we seriously fucked up the world in ways we don't yet understand" umbrella.
Just finished Last Light, by the by. Overall it's a markedly better game than 2033: the stealth mechanics worked better, environments were more conducive to stealth or combat approaches, fewer 'hold this spot against waves of mutants' segments, etc. Storywise it's a lot more cohesive and competently told, though it does sort of lose me when it lingers on fantastical stuff, and I was never that interested in the Dark Ones. Like I said, some things work better when they're not under the microscope, and since they're central to the plot this time, I can't help but nitpick. Ending spoilers, obviously:
Springing a super-secret stash of Dark Ones in D6 feels a bit Deus Ex Machina-ey, and the more they tie Artyom to the creatures, the more the deaths at Exhibition and elsewhere seem like some kind of massive communications fuckup that's largely glossed over. That hardly gels with the angel motif the game kept crudely pushing, and I would think a sentient hivemind race that specifically marked one individual would exercise caution around anyone else.
Khan is another example. In 2033 he's essentially just a very old, very wise survivor that knows how to tread lightly around the metro's phenomena. The scene with him praying to pass by the armed ghosts was a great establishing moment, suggesting a lot about his character without spelling everything out or breaking the game's flow. In here pretty much every word out of his mouth is about the Dark Ones in some way, to the point where he doesn't seem to have much character otherwise. Rather than being a methodical and mysterious figure, he instead insists on dragging Artyom into an anomaly on some silly vision quest that he just knows will bring him closer to rescuing the child, conveniently addressing Artyom's guilt in the same breath.
Having said all that, I thought the child was well done and he grew on me quickly. Having him offer assistance in regular gameplay was a nice touch, and he brought what the Dark Ones sorely needed: character. His interpretations of the various beasts' behaviors was interesting, and it was neat that he actually seemed drained by helping Artyom spot targets. The whole red-yellow-green thing was a little on the nose regarding a character's intent, but it was a quick and simple way to convey how he saw things. I actually missed him when he briefly disappeared in the gardens.
Most of the new characters were also enjoyable. Pavel is the obvious standout, since you got to see him from both sides: as an ally in a desperate situation, then as a nemesis who always seems one step ahead of you. The final fight with him was a worthy showdown, making him more formidable than his men without resorting to puzzle boss tricks or a cutscene. Letting him live wasn't exactly the hardest decision I've ever made - again, there's nothing subtle about Metro's morality - but in spite of everything I found it hard to outright hate the guy.
There are other issues, but they're all forgivable in the big picture. Last Light was a hell of a ride and had more meat to it than most shooters on the market. The journey was compelling, the atmosphere was as rich as ever, gameplay was more refined without being oversimplified, and I'm left wanting more of Metro in general while still feeling well and done with the game in front of me. I call that a win in any language.
I also just started the first game on Ranger Easy. Have to say I'm not really sure I like the whole stealth section thing - I have to sneak across a bridge while Fascists and Communists are angry at each other and I can't help but think that games like Thief, Dishonored, and so on do stealth way better than this. If I get spotted it's basically game over, as far as I can tell.
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BethrynUnhappiness is MandatoryRegistered Userregular
Yeah, the stealth actually matters.
I vastly prefer this approach, where you have to avoid an alert, than the compartmentalised approach of other games' 'stealth' options where your screw-up only reaches as far as the next door.
Okay, yes, it's better than Call of Duty or something, but stealth matters largely because it's game over if you're spotted, which I don't find very fun.
I usually grab the stealth armor from the previous station and get below the main rail as soon as possible. You can get pretty far without a shot fired if you're careful. I usually blow it on the Nazi side and have to haul ass to the checkpoint, though. You can shoot your way through, you just gotta pick your fights carefully and not stay out in the open.
Well I don't want to kill the Communists, I'm trying not to be a psychopathic serial killer. But if that's the best way to go then I guess it's time to start hurling throwing knives into innocent conscripts.
Well I don't want to kill the Communists, I'm trying not to be a psychopathic serial killer. But if that's the best way to go then I guess it's time to start hurling throwing knives into innocent conscripts.
Try to remain hidden as long as possible. Eventually you overhear a conversation that makes the rest of the sneaking a bit easier.
Well I don't want to kill the Communists, I'm trying not to be a psychopathic serial killer. But if that's the best way to go then I guess it's time to start hurling throwing knives into innocent conscripts.
Well, you probably shouldn't kill anyone, then. Some of the Nazis you overhear ain't pure evil.
If you don't have the stealth suit and/or a silenced weapon to take out lights, it'll be harder, but there's alternate routes. Youtube has zero detection runs.
I don't want to have to watch YouTube videos just to be able to not kill Nazis.
The first game's stealth was kinda poor. You sneak through the Nazi station by being very, very lucky and knowing exactly where to go. (The route that I found actually closed off a minute or two in. There, uh, might be another?) You could also get a little bit through it and then run.
They overcompensated a bit in Last Light, but I definitely prefer that to "You get seen once for any amount of time at any level of visibility and every enemy knows exactly where you are."
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KadokenGiving Ends to my Friends and it Feels StupendousRegistered Userregular
edited July 2013
I liked sneaking in Metro 2033. The sneaking was actually extremely easy after taking effort to look for that route the executed red was talking about.
Why do people keep saying "The English dub and the fake Russian accents are terribad"? I thought it was all pretty great. Wasn't it all voiced by Ukrainians/Russian Voice actors where they voiced all the language versions? I think I heard Steve Blum once with a decent Russian accent, but as a whole the voicing felt authentic enough. Plus, Artyom's Russian VA seems a little too gruff compared to his English voice. He seems relatively naive and new to some of the stuff in the Metro since he's been in Exhibition all his life, which makes his younger and slightly shaky voice in the dub a good match, while his Russian dub sounds like he's 50 and a grizzled vet.
I got passed the bridge section using a silenced weapon to take out light sources, and staying in the shadows at max range. Pop stragglers in the face with the silenced weapon, one by one. The Nazis spotted me, but I killed every communist with only the last 2 ever knowing I was there.
Currently playing: GW2 and TSW
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Ninja Snarl PMy helmet is my burden.Ninja Snarl: Gone, but not forgotten.Registered Userregular
edited July 2013
My dealings with the Communists and Nazis was pretty easy.
The Nazis are trying to kill the Communists so they can take over the Metro and rule with an iron fist, the Communists are trying to kill the Nazis so they can control the Metro and rule with an iron fist, and Atryom is trying to save his station way off in the underground boondocks. The throwing knives practically leapt out of my hands on their own. Though when being really sneaky, I only ever had to get one guy with a throwing knife for the sake of ease.
When sneaking through a literal warzone where both sides have a "shoot anybody on sight who isn't us" policy, I can't even remotely consider it a game flaw that getting caught there would basically be a death sentence (what are you going to do, kill everybody on both sides by yourself in an open gunfight?) or that killing a few guys might be a necessity to stay hidden.
Not that the first game had the best stealth ever, but in that particular area, it was a definite kill-or-be-killed situation. It would be like trying to sneak from one enemy line to the other in the middle of the trenches of WWI where both sides want you dead; once you get spotted, it's all machine guns and explosions until you're dead.
After another 6 attempts at this stupid stealth section I'm questioning whether it's even worth batting my head against a wall any more or if this should become the first single player FPS game I've abandoned in... as long as I can remember. I don't have a stealth suit and I don't have a silenced gun - I bought armor and I'm carrying an AK. Does the game get much better after this point? I already did that fucking bandit lair and didn't enjoy that. I think the last game I put up with that pulled this stupid stealth shit was NOLF, and that had quicksaves and wonderful humor and music to keep me going. This just has a ridiculous pastiche of World War II where a bunch of underground Russians decided to become fascists or cartoon Communists for god knows what reason and everything is so dark that I can barely admire the nice graphics. This game was really fun when I was running around on the surface with only my breathing to keep me company but now I'm down in Sewershitistan dealing with a bunch of psychic people who know exactly where I am if instead of killing someone with my first throwing knife I kill them .25 seconds later with my second one, after the first one bounces off their armor.
The second game is much better imo. Improves upon everything in the first game.
Really the only reason to play the first now is for the story. The second has a nice little "last time on metro section". Just trudge through however possible, or watch a youtube play through for the story bits.
The game plays the same all the way through, and there is at least one more major stealth section. Dont stay with a game that frustrates you just to finish it is my philosophy.
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KadokenGiving Ends to my Friends and it Feels StupendousRegistered Userregular
Waaah? Metro 2033 is a great game still! Also, have you tried sneaking behind the Red's frontline to a side door where you can find a bayonetted autoshotty (The slotted buckshot one) and nightvision goggles, and then going down to that spot that the executed Red talks about the secret flanking way? Its in the direction of the Nazi where you can find a broken fence that shows a way to the bottom. After that you just have to dodge the Nazi lights and sneak through.
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Ninja Snarl PMy helmet is my burden.Ninja Snarl: Gone, but not forgotten.Registered Userregular
After another 6 attempts at this stupid stealth section I'm questioning whether it's even worth batting my head against a wall any more or if this should become the first single player FPS game I've abandoned in... as long as I can remember. I don't have a stealth suit and I don't have a silenced gun - I bought armor and I'm carrying an AK. Does the game get much better after this point? I already did that fucking bandit lair and didn't enjoy that. I think the last game I put up with that pulled this stupid stealth shit was NOLF, and that had quicksaves and wonderful humor and music to keep me going. This just has a ridiculous pastiche of World War II where a bunch of underground Russians decided to become fascists or cartoon Communists for god knows what reason and everything is so dark that I can barely admire the nice graphics. This game was really fun when I was running around on the surface with only my breathing to keep me company but now I'm down in Sewershitistan dealing with a bunch of psychic people who know exactly where I am if instead of killing someone with my first throwing knife I kill them .25 seconds later with my second one, after the first one bounces off their armor.
So just... kill some guys? I've basically never bought the stealth suit and the majority of my sneaking was enabled by throwing knives; when things went to crap, I just shot my way clear. And yeah, the armor plating can be a brutal surprise, but that's because, unlike basically every other game ever, what you see is what you get; throw a knife at the face of somebody wearing a hockey mask and they're understandably not-dead and very unhappy. No arguing much about the AI, though you CAN actually escape them if you can get to a dark enough spot and move somewhere else. They'll lose track of you until somebody sees you, though at that point they'll all know where you are again.
If you are REALLY certain you've hit a dead-end thanks to your weapon/item selection and have any patience whatsoever left, you can load up the game from a previous chapter and try from there instead. I have no idea why you're criticizing the stealth stuff so harshly when you didn't even bring a silenced weapon, though; by that point in the game, you should've done enough sneaking that it should be pretty obvious to carry at least one silenced weapon. I dunno what's available in that area, but look for pneumatic weapons; they take up the shotgun slot and you have to keep them pumped up, but they're also silent and very powerful; unlike throwing knives, pumped-up pneumatic weapons will pierce armor instead of bounce off, so you can get headshots through helmets and masks.
What difficulty level are you on, anyway? Because if you picked one of the Ranger ones, that might be your problem right there; they can be a better game experience overall, unless it's your first time through and you don't know what's going on in a given area. Kinda hard to learn what to do if the game is killing you too fast to figure out why a certain decision might be mistake.
Hmm, I dunno then. I've played Ranger and it wasn't particularly different from the other difficulties, but that was WELL after playing the game a couple other times already so I already knew the shape of the game. However, might be getting him killed a lot faster than on, say, Normal. I definitely wouldn't suggest somebody picking one of the Ranger modes first time out, though; they're geared to be more unforgiving, which means a whole lot less margin for error and recovery.
It is flat out impossible to progress in Metro 2033 on Ranger easy/hard without the stealth suit. It's a very serious design flaw and usually what people reference when talking about the game's faults. Enemies will kill you in two shots and always have fairly perfect accuracy if you're detected.
The only way to get on with the game non-stealth is to knock the difficulty back to regular easy. Last Light has immeasurably more balanced gameplay, 2033 is just a great experience on any difficulty.
Waaah? Metro 2033 is a great game still! Also, have you tried sneaking behind the Red's frontline to a side door where you can find a bayonetted autoshotty (The slotted buckshot one) and nightvision goggles, and then going down to that spot that the executed Red talks about the secret flanking way? Its in the direction of the Nazi where you can find a broken fence that shows a way to the bottom. After that you just have to dodge the Nazi lights and sneak through.
Metro 2033 is still great, but Last Light is much better. However, unless you wanted the full story or wanted a cheap game, I could not recommend 2033 over Last Light. The stealth in that game just relied too much on knowing what to do. Like at the part Tycho is on, god I could not figure out where to go. Maybe this way? No, shit! Spotted, reload. To much trial and error. I never used throwing knives in 2033 because they would never work, and headshots with pneumatic weapons did not kill people.
2033 is like Half Life 2 to me. A great experience with mediocre gameplay mechanics. Last Light has a great experience and great gameplay mechanics.
It is flat out impossible to progress in Metro 2033 on Ranger easy/hard without the stealth suit. It's a very serious design flaw and usually what people reference when talking about the game's faults. Enemies will kill you in two shots and always have fairly perfect accuracy if you're detected.
The only way to get on with the game non-stealth is to knock the difficulty back to regular easy. Last Light has immeasurably more balanced gameplay, 2033 is just a great experience on any difficulty.
Nah, it's possible. First time around, I got through the game not even knowing about extra armor, and I managed to stealth all the way to the Nazi tunnel before shit went to hell. Died a couple times afterward, but it's doable even on Ranger hardcore. Hell, I found the library a lot easier on hardcore simply because every gun in the game hit harder, making librarians less bullet spongey.
Last Light definitely had more allowance for stealth approaches, of course; non-lethal KOs and more open level design were big parts of that. In 2033 only a handful of areas opened up, like Black Station. That was much more common in LL, and that makes a big difference if you're trying to sneak around.
It is flat out impossible to progress in Metro 2033 on Ranger easy/hard without the stealth suit. It's a very serious design flaw and usually what people reference when talking about the game's faults. Enemies will kill you in two shots and always have fairly perfect accuracy if you're detected.
The only way to get on with the game non-stealth is to knock the difficulty back to regular easy. Last Light has immeasurably more balanced gameplay, 2033 is just a great experience on any difficulty.
Y'know, I don't consider myself a very good gamer... But I tried the game first on Ranger Easy, and it took me only a few tries to sneak past that level, and I still had the regular suit. I even got the "No killing people" achievement.
In fact, I was able to sneak past in most parts of the game, except for the bandit camp, and a few of the monster bits. I don't see why its so hard.
It is flat out impossible to progress in Metro 2033 on Ranger easy/hard without the stealth suit. It's a very serious design flaw and usually what people reference when talking about the game's faults. Enemies will kill you in two shots and always have fairly perfect accuracy if you're detected.
The only way to get on with the game non-stealth is to knock the difficulty back to regular easy. Last Light has immeasurably more balanced gameplay, 2033 is just a great experience on any difficulty.
I played the game first on ranger hardcore and that was certainly not my experience.
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BethrynUnhappiness is MandatoryRegistered Userregular
It is flat out impossible to progress in Metro 2033 on Ranger easy/hard without the stealth suit.
I promise you, as someone who walked out of Ranger hardcore leaving a trail of destruction and mayhem behind him, including every Librarian and Daemons, you can gun down anything that moves in Ranger mode and live to tell the tale.
You've got to be kidding me. I gave up and turned it down to easy for that stealth section. And now the next sequence is an on rails turret section (because everyone loves) those with a clunky as hell turret (why would we let you turn left and right with your mouse? It's much more fun to use A and D!) and I keep getting blown up halfway through and having to restart at the checkpoint. I mean seriously, I'm not terrible at FPS games, I've beat basically every other single player FPS I've played on the hardest difficulty. This game is just terrible. If you're going to put in something as stupid as an on rails turret sequence at least have the sense not to make it something the player can fail because you've handicapped them with terrible controls.
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Ninja Snarl PMy helmet is my burden.Ninja Snarl: Gone, but not forgotten.Registered Userregular
edited July 2013
I definitely 100% disagree that Metro 2033 is terrible, but I feel like your big problem with the game is you expect certain things to work a certain way instead of handling the way they do work. I mean, you dropped into the game first time out on one of high-lethality difficulty settings before knowing where anything was, then griped because you kept dying the moment you got discovered. You also didn't like a stealth section because you didn't have any silenced weapons... despite stealth being one of the most common themese in the game. There was exactly ONE spot in the entire game where I ever got stuck (which was a genuinely awful, awful, awful spot if you didn't know the "best" approach), but I started out on Normal for the first playthrough. After that, higher lethality didn't matter, because I had experience with all the weapons and whatnot so I knew the stuff that worked for me the best instead of just trying to make do in a bad situation.
Not saying that you're wrong, just that this may a star-shaped-hole kind of a game and you're trying to jam the goofy ellipsoid piece in there because that's the one you like. Bad fits happen.
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BethrynUnhappiness is MandatoryRegistered Userregular
edited July 2013
I just ran that section on Ranger HC, and it's not really giving me that much grief. Aim for the gunner turrets on the enemy vehicles, and straight up murder the footsoldiers. There's a slightly more armoured buggy later that you do gun turret > driver capsule for. After that, you get the showdown with the 'bulldozer', and Pavel or whatever his name is tells you what to shoot for.
In general, the shooting sections (not the rail section) in the first game reward holding a strong defensive position and, if necessary, quickly using health kits (Q by default) while pulling out of sight if things get hairy. The game also heavily rewards exploration with both good and bad ammo, exceptionally good weapons (slienced pistols, free nightvision goggles, some of the better pneumatic weapons). It also provides good weapon upgrades in the shops; having an AK during the WAR chapter isn't a problem if the shooting isn't giving you trouble, but honestly if it is, I would switch over to a Kalash or better from merchants as soon as you get the opportunity.
There was exactly ONE spot in the entire game where I ever got stuck (which was a genuinely awful, awful, awful spot if you didn't know the "best" approach)
Librarians? Because that was the only spot I got stuck on, because Miller gives fucking terrible advice. Telling you to stand still is completely wrong; you need to keep your distance, but look them in the eyes.
I just ran that section on Ranger HC, and it's not really giving me that much grief. Aim for the gunner turrets on the enemy vehicles, and straight up murder the footsoldiers. There's a slightly more armoured buggy later that you do gun turret > driver capsule for. After that, you get the showdown with the 'bulldozer', and Pavel or whatever his name is tells you what to shoot for.
In general, the shooting sections (not the rail section) in the first game reward holding a strong defensive position and, if necessary, quickly using health kits (Q by default) while pulling out of sight if things get hairy. The game also heavily rewards exploration with both good and bad ammo, exceptionally good weapons (slienced pistols, free nightvision goggles, some of the better pneumatic weapons). It also provides good weapon upgrades in the shops; having an AK during the WAR chapter isn't a problem if the shooting isn't giving you trouble, but honestly if it is, I would switch over to a Kalash or better from merchants as soon as you get the opportunity.
There was exactly ONE spot in the entire game where I ever got stuck (which was a genuinely awful, awful, awful spot if you didn't know the "best" approach)
Librarians? Because that was the only spot I got stuck on, because Miller gives fucking terrible advice. Telling you to stand still is completely wrong; you need to keep your distance, but look them in the eyes.
Yeah, how it works Librarians approach to a short distance if you're staring them down, but they'll stop short and eventually leave. While doing this, they'll roar and make a few challenging swings; if they 'accidentally' hit you, they switch to full attack mode. You need to take a step or two back so you're out of range, but then hold your ground until they actually turn and leave. At least, that's how it worked for me. Failing that, a fully charged Hellsing is an acceptable Plan B.
I think he may have meant the escort section late in the game though, which owes more to Miller's suicidal AI and often requires trickery to stay alive. It's doable the way it's intended, you just really gotta be on the ball.
Ninja Snarl PMy helmet is my burden.Ninja Snarl: Gone, but not forgotten.Registered Userregular
I never once had trouble with the Librarians, but I figured out real quick the part about looking at them and staying away. And that was only the first time; after that, I knew pneumatic weapons were king and you could mow down Librarians with an overcharged shot or two to the face.
Yeah, it was definitely that escort thing where I got stuck, because doing it by shooting all the enemies is an awful, awful way to do it, while just burning through your military ammo is the easy-peasy way that doesn't make you want to stomp up and down on the keyboard.
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BethrynUnhappiness is MandatoryRegistered Userregular
edited July 2013
Or use MG rounds, which makes is really fairly easy. ^^
Although the real trick is shooting the spawners rather than the blobs.
having an AK during the WAR chapter isn't a problem if the shooting isn't giving you trouble, but honestly if it is, I would switch over to a Kalash or better
I think he may have meant the escort section late in the game though, which owes more to Miller's suicidal AI and often requires trickery to stay alive. It's doable the way it's intended, you just really gotta be on the ball.
The part with the kid was also not awesome.
Also, turret sequences are pretty much always very dull and not very fun, so I'd like them to stop happening if people can't put a spin on it.
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I do think that the
Just finished Last Light, by the by. Overall it's a markedly better game than 2033: the stealth mechanics worked better, environments were more conducive to stealth or combat approaches, fewer 'hold this spot against waves of mutants' segments, etc. Storywise it's a lot more cohesive and competently told, though it does sort of lose me when it lingers on fantastical stuff, and I was never that interested in the Dark Ones. Like I said, some things work better when they're not under the microscope, and since they're central to the plot this time, I can't help but nitpick. Ending spoilers, obviously:
Khan is another example. In 2033 he's essentially just a very old, very wise survivor that knows how to tread lightly around the metro's phenomena. The scene with him praying to pass by the armed ghosts was a great establishing moment, suggesting a lot about his character without spelling everything out or breaking the game's flow. In here pretty much every word out of his mouth is about the Dark Ones in some way, to the point where he doesn't seem to have much character otherwise. Rather than being a methodical and mysterious figure, he instead insists on dragging Artyom into an anomaly on some silly vision quest that he just knows will bring him closer to rescuing the child, conveniently addressing Artyom's guilt in the same breath.
Having said all that, I thought the child was well done and he grew on me quickly. Having him offer assistance in regular gameplay was a nice touch, and he brought what the Dark Ones sorely needed: character. His interpretations of the various beasts' behaviors was interesting, and it was neat that he actually seemed drained by helping Artyom spot targets. The whole red-yellow-green thing was a little on the nose regarding a character's intent, but it was a quick and simple way to convey how he saw things. I actually missed him when he briefly disappeared in the gardens.
Most of the new characters were also enjoyable. Pavel is the obvious standout, since you got to see him from both sides: as an ally in a desperate situation, then as a nemesis who always seems one step ahead of you. The final fight with him was a worthy showdown, making him more formidable than his men without resorting to puzzle boss tricks or a cutscene. Letting him live wasn't exactly the hardest decision I've ever made - again, there's nothing subtle about Metro's morality - but in spite of everything I found it hard to outright hate the guy.
There are other issues, but they're all forgivable in the big picture. Last Light was a hell of a ride and had more meat to it than most shooters on the market. The journey was compelling, the atmosphere was as rich as ever, gameplay was more refined without being oversimplified, and I'm left wanting more of Metro in general while still feeling well and done with the game in front of me. I call that a win in any language.
Now playing: Teardown and Baldur's Gate 3 (co-op)
Sunday Spotlight: Horror Tales: The Wine
Really digging the what seem to be homemade junk weapons.
Also:
I thought she loved me..
I vastly prefer this approach, where you have to avoid an alert, than the compartmentalised approach of other games' 'stealth' options where your screw-up only reaches as far as the next door.
Now playing: Teardown and Baldur's Gate 3 (co-op)
Sunday Spotlight: Horror Tales: The Wine
Stealthily taking down that line of four guys walking down the stairs and over to the other outpost one-by-one is very satisfying.
Try to remain hidden as long as possible. Eventually you overhear a conversation that makes the rest of the sneaking a bit easier.
Steam // Secret Satan
Well, you probably shouldn't kill anyone, then. Some of the Nazis you overhear ain't pure evil.
If you don't have the stealth suit and/or a silenced weapon to take out lights, it'll be harder, but there's alternate routes. Youtube has zero detection runs.
The first game's stealth was kinda poor. You sneak through the Nazi station by being very, very lucky and knowing exactly where to go. (The route that I found actually closed off a minute or two in. There, uh, might be another?) You could also get a little bit through it and then run.
They overcompensated a bit in Last Light, but I definitely prefer that to "You get seen once for any amount of time at any level of visibility and every enemy knows exactly where you are."
Why do people keep saying "The English dub and the fake Russian accents are terribad"? I thought it was all pretty great. Wasn't it all voiced by Ukrainians/Russian Voice actors where they voiced all the language versions? I think I heard Steve Blum once with a decent Russian accent, but as a whole the voicing felt authentic enough. Plus, Artyom's Russian VA seems a little too gruff compared to his English voice. He seems relatively naive and new to some of the stuff in the Metro since he's been in Exhibition all his life, which makes his younger and slightly shaky voice in the dub a good match, while his Russian dub sounds like he's 50 and a grizzled vet.
Currently playing: GW2 and TSW
The Nazis are trying to kill the Communists so they can take over the Metro and rule with an iron fist, the Communists are trying to kill the Nazis so they can control the Metro and rule with an iron fist, and Atryom is trying to save his station way off in the underground boondocks. The throwing knives practically leapt out of my hands on their own. Though when being really sneaky, I only ever had to get one guy with a throwing knife for the sake of ease.
When sneaking through a literal warzone where both sides have a "shoot anybody on sight who isn't us" policy, I can't even remotely consider it a game flaw that getting caught there would basically be a death sentence (what are you going to do, kill everybody on both sides by yourself in an open gunfight?) or that killing a few guys might be a necessity to stay hidden.
Not that the first game had the best stealth ever, but in that particular area, it was a definite kill-or-be-killed situation. It would be like trying to sneak from one enemy line to the other in the middle of the trenches of WWI where both sides want you dead; once you get spotted, it's all machine guns and explosions until you're dead.
Really the only reason to play the first now is for the story. The second has a nice little "last time on metro section". Just trudge through however possible, or watch a youtube play through for the story bits.
The game plays the same all the way through, and there is at least one more major stealth section. Dont stay with a game that frustrates you just to finish it is my philosophy.
So just... kill some guys? I've basically never bought the stealth suit and the majority of my sneaking was enabled by throwing knives; when things went to crap, I just shot my way clear. And yeah, the armor plating can be a brutal surprise, but that's because, unlike basically every other game ever, what you see is what you get; throw a knife at the face of somebody wearing a hockey mask and they're understandably not-dead and very unhappy. No arguing much about the AI, though you CAN actually escape them if you can get to a dark enough spot and move somewhere else. They'll lose track of you until somebody sees you, though at that point they'll all know where you are again.
If you are REALLY certain you've hit a dead-end thanks to your weapon/item selection and have any patience whatsoever left, you can load up the game from a previous chapter and try from there instead. I have no idea why you're criticizing the stealth stuff so harshly when you didn't even bring a silenced weapon, though; by that point in the game, you should've done enough sneaking that it should be pretty obvious to carry at least one silenced weapon. I dunno what's available in that area, but look for pneumatic weapons; they take up the shotgun slot and you have to keep them pumped up, but they're also silent and very powerful; unlike throwing knives, pumped-up pneumatic weapons will pierce armor instead of bounce off, so you can get headshots through helmets and masks.
What difficulty level are you on, anyway? Because if you picked one of the Ranger ones, that might be your problem right there; they can be a better game experience overall, unless it's your first time through and you don't know what's going on in a given area. Kinda hard to learn what to do if the game is killing you too fast to figure out why a certain decision might be mistake.
Hmm, I dunno then. I've played Ranger and it wasn't particularly different from the other difficulties, but that was WELL after playing the game a couple other times already so I already knew the shape of the game. However, might be getting him killed a lot faster than on, say, Normal. I definitely wouldn't suggest somebody picking one of the Ranger modes first time out, though; they're geared to be more unforgiving, which means a whole lot less margin for error and recovery.
The only way to get on with the game non-stealth is to knock the difficulty back to regular easy. Last Light has immeasurably more balanced gameplay, 2033 is just a great experience on any difficulty.
Metro 2033 is still great, but Last Light is much better. However, unless you wanted the full story or wanted a cheap game, I could not recommend 2033 over Last Light. The stealth in that game just relied too much on knowing what to do. Like at the part Tycho is on, god I could not figure out where to go. Maybe this way? No, shit! Spotted, reload. To much trial and error. I never used throwing knives in 2033 because they would never work, and headshots with pneumatic weapons did not kill people.
2033 is like Half Life 2 to me. A great experience with mediocre gameplay mechanics. Last Light has a great experience and great gameplay mechanics.
IMO
Nah, it's possible. First time around, I got through the game not even knowing about extra armor, and I managed to stealth all the way to the Nazi tunnel before shit went to hell. Died a couple times afterward, but it's doable even on Ranger hardcore. Hell, I found the library a lot easier on hardcore simply because every gun in the game hit harder, making librarians less bullet spongey.
Last Light definitely had more allowance for stealth approaches, of course; non-lethal KOs and more open level design were big parts of that. In 2033 only a handful of areas opened up, like Black Station. That was much more common in LL, and that makes a big difference if you're trying to sneak around.
Now playing: Teardown and Baldur's Gate 3 (co-op)
Sunday Spotlight: Horror Tales: The Wine
Y'know, I don't consider myself a very good gamer... But I tried the game first on Ranger Easy, and it took me only a few tries to sneak past that level, and I still had the regular suit. I even got the "No killing people" achievement.
In fact, I was able to sneak past in most parts of the game, except for the bandit camp, and a few of the monster bits. I don't see why its so hard.
I played the game first on ranger hardcore and that was certainly not my experience.
Not saying that you're wrong, just that this may a star-shaped-hole kind of a game and you're trying to jam the goofy ellipsoid piece in there because that's the one you like. Bad fits happen.
In general, the shooting sections (not the rail section) in the first game reward holding a strong defensive position and, if necessary, quickly using health kits (Q by default) while pulling out of sight if things get hairy. The game also heavily rewards exploration with both good and bad ammo, exceptionally good weapons (slienced pistols, free nightvision goggles, some of the better pneumatic weapons). It also provides good weapon upgrades in the shops; having an AK during the WAR chapter isn't a problem if the shooting isn't giving you trouble, but honestly if it is, I would switch over to a Kalash or better from merchants as soon as you get the opportunity.
Librarians? Because that was the only spot I got stuck on, because Miller gives fucking terrible advice. Telling you to stand still is completely wrong; you need to keep your distance, but look them in the eyes.
Yeah, how it works Librarians approach to a short distance if you're staring them down, but they'll stop short and eventually leave. While doing this, they'll roar and make a few challenging swings; if they 'accidentally' hit you, they switch to full attack mode. You need to take a step or two back so you're out of range, but then hold your ground until they actually turn and leave. At least, that's how it worked for me. Failing that, a fully charged Hellsing is an acceptable Plan B.
I think he may have meant the escort section late in the game though, which owes more to Miller's suicidal AI and often requires trickery to stay alive. It's doable the way it's intended, you just really gotta be on the ball.
Now playing: Teardown and Baldur's Gate 3 (co-op)
Sunday Spotlight: Horror Tales: The Wine
Yeah, it was definitely that escort thing where I got stuck, because doing it by shooting all the enemies is an awful, awful way to do it, while just burning through your military ammo is the easy-peasy way that doesn't make you want to stomp up and down on the keyboard.
Although the real trick is shooting the spawners rather than the blobs.
Uh, isn't the Kalash the AK?
The part with the kid was also not awesome.
Also, turret sequences are pretty much always very dull and not very fun, so I'd like them to stop happening if people can't put a spin on it.