We’ve already talked about Metro 2033 and its contributions to the world of survival horror games. Its atmospheric and frightening gameplay is one that has stayed with players for a long time, making it a definite fan favorite in the genre. However, some hail Metro: Last Light as the bigger and better version of the first installment.
It builds upon already existing mechanics, graphics, and story that we’ve seen in the first game and improves on all these aspects.
However, if you haven’t played Metro: Last Light (but enjoyed Metro 2033) you may be wondering just what the game has in store for you. We’re here to answer that question for you, so keep reading to find out more!
Metro Last Light Walkthrough
In terms of gameplay, Metro: Last Light is quite similar to Metro 2033. Players control the protagonist, Artyom, in the form of a first-person shooter with stealth and survival horror elements.
The levels take place inside the metro system of a post-apocalyptic Moscow. However, the player occasionally travels above ground for certain missions. Compared to Metro 2033, the areas are considerably larger and allow the player to explore by offering multiple routes.
The enemies are mutants and hostile humans, and the player must employ different tactics to defeat them. Mutants will physically attack the player in swarms as they cannot possess weapons, while humans can use the same weapons as the player. There is an array of different weapons to choose from, including:
- Melee Weapons (Knives)
- Handguns
- Assault Rifles and Carbines
- Sniper Rifles, Anti-Material Rifles, Designated Marksman Rifles
- Shotguns
- Pneumatic Weapons
- Heavy Weapons
- Throwables and Explosives
- Emplacement Weapons
As in Metro 2033, these weapons are customizable. There are various attachments to find for most weapons which upgrade the weapons and make them more convenient to use.
The environments in the game are also destructible, opening up another possibility for players in their battle against their enemies.
Artyom can earn karma from certain moral choices in the game, which can be either good or bad. There are several moral points to be earned in all levels through seemingly random actions. All the karma you acquire throughout the game influences which ending you’ll get in the game’s final moments.
What are the chapters in Metro Last Light?
Although Metro 2033 contained chapters, Metro: Last Light scraps the idea of chapters and instead refers to them as levels. This is a linear list that separates each of the different parts of the game from each other. This also helps players find walkthroughs for certain sections of the game easier.
There are 32 chapters or levels in the game in total.
Chapter List is Below
Introduction
The first level in Metro: Last Light only features Artyom as the narrator, and doesn’t include any gameplay. It takes up about 16 minutes of your time.
Sparta
The second level gives some control to the player as the game limits the player’s movements. The first portion of the level features a dream sequence of the main protagonist, Artyom, involving the Dark Ones.
This level also introduces us to Khan and more of the plot. Khan tells Artyom he spotted a Dark One in the botanical garden. They inform Miller, who sends his daughter Anna with them and orders the Dark One to be killed.
The approximate completion time for this level is around 17 minutes.
Ashes
This level sees Artyom and Anna travel to the Botanical Garden where they must search for the single surviving Dark One. This leads to a conflict between the two and some lurkers.
They eventually spot the Dark One and chase after it, but as Artyom touches it, a link forms between them and knocks them both unconscious.
It takes around 9 minutes to complete this level.
Pavel
After Artyom ends up in a Reich concentration camp, he encounters a Red Line soldier named Pavel. Together, they escape the concentration camp.
This level takes up about 15 minutes of your time.
Reich
In the fifth level, Artyom and Pavel must escape a Reich rally. They move through the crowd until Pavel blows their cover, after which they must flee the station through a civilian quarter. The pair run until they reach a rail bike which helps them escape.
This is a rather short level, taking only around 3 minutes to complete.
Separation
This level sees Pavel get captured by Reich soldiers. Artyom has two choices: sneak or fight his way through a Reich outpost with the intention of saving Pavel. The outcome is the same no matter which path you choose. However, you will gain some moral points by choosing the stealthier option.
You’ll need 9 minutes to complete this level.
Facility
The seventh level is a continuation of Artyom’s rescue mission for Pavel. Here, he must sneak or fight his way through a Reich farming facility to do so. Ultimately, the player saves Pavel from death by hanging.
This level takes 12 minutes to complete.
Torchlight
After saving Pavel, the two walk through a tunnel where they overhear a Reich officer issuing an order to cut the lights. This forces them two use the infested tunnels, where they are attacked by hordes of mutated Spiderbugs.
You need around 13 minutes for this level.
Echoes
After finally getting to the surface, Artyom and Pavel must traverse through the wreckage of Flight 76715 to get to the Theatre Station.
You need 14 minutes to complete this level.
Bolshoi
The Bolshoi level has Artyom follow Pavel through the Theatre Station, where they have the opportunity to see a show.
This is one of the longer levels, taking around 23 minutes to complete.
Korbut
Artyom is captured and interrogated by the Red Line secretary general Maxim Moskvin. General Korbut, whom the level was named after, is also present during the interrogation.
This level takes around 12 minutes to complete.
Revolution
During this level, Artyom must escape a Red Line-controlled station. He can choose to do so by sneaking through or fighting his way through.
This level only takes 6 minutes to complete.
Regina
Artyom acquires Regina, a special railcar built by Andrew the Blacksmith. He rides the car through a tunnel on the way to Venice, a flooded station controlled by bandits.
You need around 10 minutes to complete this level.
Bandits
During his travels with Regina, Artyom encounters some Red Line refugees who ask him for his help in dealing with bandits.
This level takes around 12 minutes to complete.
Dark Water
Artyom ends up on a boat which he rides through a room filled with aggressive shrimp he must repel.
This level is very short at only 3 minutes to complete.
Venice
Artyom arrives at Venice after being saved by a local fisherman. He continues on his mission to find Pavel, who keeps getting away.
This level takes 7 minutes to complete.
Sundown
The protagonist briefly reunited with Pavel, who promises to get him home if he gets him out of his cell. Reich soldiers lead Pavel away, and Artyom must fight or sneak his way through to free Pavel once again.
This level takes around 10 minutes.
Nightfall
Artyom pushes through the marches trying to get through the church. He reunites with Anna and the team at the Church outpost.
Nightfall takes about 9 minutes to complete.
Undercity
In Undercity, Anna gets taken hostage by Lesnitsky. It’s up to Artyom to get through the catacombs underneath the Sparta base to rescue her,
Undercity is one of the longest chapters, taking around 24 minutes to complete.
Contagion
Artyom continues in his attempt to rescue Anna. This chapter takes him through the ruins of Oktyabrskaya.
Contagion takes 16 minutes to complete.
Quarantine
Artyom finds out that Oktyabrskaya was infected with an unknown deadly virus. Subsequently, he learns that he and Anna could also be infected. Anna seduces Artyom and he wakes up to find a doctor examining him. Artyom learns he is fine while Anna must stay because of her wound.
Quarantine takes around 10 minutes to complete.
Khan
Artyom continues on his journey to find the Dark One, while Anna stays to inform Miller of Korbut and Moskvin’s plans. The protagonist follows Khan through some underground tunnels to a train car.
This level takes around 17 minutes to complete.
The Chase
Artyom and Khan chase down a Hansa train to rescue the Dark One. The train ends up exploding and both Artyom and the Dark One end up on the surface.
You need around 8 minutes for this level.
The Crossing
Artyom awakens and carries the Dark One to safety, protecting him. The Dark One leads him through the level and Khan wants to use him to end the war.
The Crossing takes around 10 minutes to complete.
Bridge
Artyom and the Dark One travel through the city with the help of a bridge.
The level takes 13 minutes to complete.
Depot
Artyom makes his way to Polis with the Dark One through the surface section of the Metro train depot.
This level takes 15 minutes to complete.
The Dead City
Artyom and the Dark One pass through The Dead City. As they travel through, Artyom gets visions of the events preceding the nukes.
The Dead City takes 18 minutes to get through.
Red Square
Artyom and the Dark One pass through the Red Square, where the Order keeps an outpost in Saint Basil’s Cathedral.
Red Square takes 17 minutes to complete.
The Garden
Artyom and the Dark One pass through The Garden on their way to the peace conference in Polis.
You need 16 minutes to complete The Garden.
Polis
The Dark One senses others of his kind and gets excited to meet them. He is patient, however, and agrees to help Artyom and the others at the peace conference. This level concludes the whole story of the game before The Battle for D6.
Polis takes 10 minutes to complete.
D6
This is the final level before the endings featuring an epic final firefight. Artyom, Khan, Uhlman, and Miller prepare to fight the Red Line. After gearing up, they take the Metro and Miller delivers a speech before they await the arrival of the Red Line.
D6 is one of the longer levels with a playtime of 20 minutes.
Endings
The final chapter plays out the ending for the player depending on the karma they acquired throughout the game. There are two possible endings, though only one is canon according to Metro Exodus.
How to obtain a trophy in Metro Last Light?
There are lots of different trophies to obtain in Metro: Last Light. They all depend on the player performing certain actions (or not performing them), finding items, listening in on conversations, and more. Trophy guides are useful in helping players obtain all the trophies.
Here are a few examples of trophies in Metro: Last Light:
- Artifact | Find all 30 artifacts, including the Secret Metro Map, in Kshatriya.
- C’est la Vie | Gain too many negative moral points or have too few positive ones. Get the Ranger ending.
- Redemption | Gain enough positive moral points. Get the Redemption ending.
- No Way Out | Complete the Khan level on any difficulty.
- Mouse | Complete Echoes without being caught by the pack of watchmen.
- No Shooting Allowed | Kill 10 enemies in a row with throwing knives.
- Gunslinger | Kill at least one enemy with every single weapon available in the game.
- Willpower | Complete at least one mission from the Tower Pack with an applicable “Huge” modifier.
- Kshatriya | Complete the mission Kshatriya.
Metro Last Light Gameplay Review
We’ve already mentioned in another article that we think Metro: Last Light is probably the best game in the series. But now, let us tell you just why we think that’s true.
First of all, the graphics. If you’re playing the original game with the old graphics, you’ll find an appreciation for them considering the time when the game was developed.
On the other hand, if you’re playing the Redux, you’ll most likely finish the game in awe considering how good it looks. The atmosphere and worldbuilding in Last Light is also an amazing feat accomplished by 4A Games.
Second, the gameplay. While the mechanics of the gameplay haven’t changed much from Metro 2033, the encouragement for exploration is what makes this game even better than its predecessor. The maps and areas are bigger and allow for a more immersive experience, which is just another plus in our books.
Finally, the storyline is where it gets really good. To see the antagonists of the previous game turn into somewhat deuteragonists in the sequel is one trope we don’t see all that often. Not to mention that the Baby Dark One is somehow just so cute, and for no good reason. We think it may just be the fact that he’s a baby.
In any case, if you ask us, Metro Last Light is the best out of the three Metro games in the series.
Is Metro Last Light worth playing?
Given our review of Metro: Last Light, we’d definitely say it’s a game worth playing. If you’re into first-person survival horror, you have to add Metro: Last Light to your list of games.
Metro: Last Light along with its predecessor, Metro 2033, sets the standard for what a post-apocalyptic survival horror shooter should look like. The possibility of different endings also offers replay value to the game, though only one ending is canon.
How long is Metro Last Light Redux?
When calculating playtime for a game, we have to take into account the fact that there are 32 chapters (including the endings) to get through in the game. We also need to factor in different player skill levels and playstyles. Of course, a completionist playthrough will always take the longest time, and this one clocks in at around 35 hours.
However, a casual playthrough of Metro: Last Light Redux, including all the side content, should only take you about 13 and a half hours. The game is short but sweet and delivers its story concisely with no beating around the bush.
Should I play Metro 2033 Redux before Last Light?
While it is absolutely possible to play Metro: Last Light before Metro 2033 Redux, it’s not really recommended.
If you go into the sequel without playing the predecessor, you’ll find yourself missing important contextual clues, references, and events in the game because you’re just not acquainted with them.
The bottom line is that yes, you should definitely play Metro 2033 Redux before Last Light.
Is Metro 2033 or Metro Last Light Better?
It’s no secret that both games have something fresh to offer the player. Most nostalgia lovers will definitely prefer Metro 2033 over Metro: Last Light.
However, it’s important to take into account the fact that Metro: Last Light is the newer game. It has also had time to learn from Metro 2033 and improve on its mistakes. Most importantly, the story in Metro: Last Light is definitely better than in Metro 2033.
Overall, our verdict is that Metro: Last Light is a lot better than Metro 2033. Opinions may vary!
Which Metro Game is open world?
Although we’ve been talking about Metro 2033 and Metro Last Light for, well, the entirety of this article, the open-world Metro game is actually Metro Exodus!
With stunning graphics and gameplay that leads the player to explore, Metro Exodus also makes sure not to make the playground too big for its players. There are several large open spaces to traverse, and players are equipped with a pair of binoculars to set points of interest on the map.
Most Common Metro Last Light Bugs
Although bugs can appear anywhere at any time in the game, there are a few Metro: Last Light bugs that have appeared in multiple players’ games. The following is a list of the most common Metro: Last Light bugs players still encounter.
- Players playing on Windows 8.1 will find that its power-saving feature limits the input data, thus causing mouse lag in the game.
- The game has a lot of AI issues where enemies sometimes stand still and don’t attack the player.
- Interacting with Nazi railcars freezes Artyom, preventing further progress until you reload the last checkpoint
- The game will wipe your autosave if you load a main game save then exit and play a DLC mission. Make sure to finish the main game before starting the DLC missions.
- Certain weapons will fire off two shots instead of one, wasting ammo.
These are just some bugs that players have experienced in the years playing this game, and they are still present in the game today. Make sure to always have a backup of your saves so you can reload whenever you need to!
