This is a first person shooter (FPS) post-apocalyptic survival adventure game set in Russia’s metro. Like an adventure game you have quite a lot of opportunities to free roam and search for ammo as it tends to be scarce- because of this lack of ammo there are also many opportunities for stealth. Bioshock is similar as it is quite taxing on the player as they must scrounge for supplies by exploring, but Metro is more orientated to stealth which implements a new feature less frequently used in adventure games.
The game is the second in the series and is set in post-apocalyptic Moscow. It revolves around Artyom, the protagonist of the first game, as he is sent to retrieve arms from a bunker known as D6 to aid in the war. As it is post-apocalyptic a lot of weaponry has been destroyed and is difficult to location, informing the survival methods of the player. Stealth is used as you will need to sneak through enemy bases to ensure Artyom can achieve specific objectives and is not captured by the enemy. In the game there are ‘moral points’ that can be earned or lost depending on small choices you make and effect the outcome of the game- the player may decide to play a certain way to get the end they want. The target audience is teenagers to early 20 year olds because of its often violent and occasional horror like nature.
To create last light they worked on the same engine used to create 2033 but spent time upping the graphics and improving the games physics. These were both invested in specifically to enhance the gameplay so the companions have a more diverse set of movement and its visually more attractive for the player. The improved physics give both Artyom and his companions newer skills and make the game run more smoothly. New weaponry and a drivable mine vehicle was also added to add interest to the game so it would differ from the first and keep the players attention. These factors each manage to enhance the gameplay.
The humour of the characters appeals to the target audience as it is often quite dark, they also display abilities (action scenes) that will interest people of the target age. Characters are not necessarily relevant to the target audience as they are majorly quite a lot older and facing battles the players can’t imagine, but some of their personal issues may reflect those of the gamer. The characters are gradually developed as the game continues, but many companions leave and return throughout the narrative so Artyom (and the player) gets the chance to effect the lives of many different characters. Each character is a part of one of the many factions formed in the metro and can often be unhinged because of the diegesis. I feel that the characters are very interesting but would be stronger if there were fewer of them so you learned more of their lives.
The challenge is to make your way through to bunker D6 as Artyom and achieve the best ending using the ‘moral points’ you accumulate. Gamers will engage with this as it is an objective with a reason behind it- to help the rangers (a faction within the game). You are challenged to conserve ammo as much as possible so you only use it when you find yourself stuck- the moment you finally get the chance to use your stash players will feel satisfied. The gameplay often asks the player to use stealth as it fits with the current mission objective (e.g. sneaking through a camp) which keeps the fighting relevant and leaves you gripped to the storyline. Each level has a new location filled with guards with different routines and the player gets the opportunity to decide how they will deal with them so it isn’t always the same tactics. The action is broken up by sections where you are given the opportunity to explore the ‘surface’ or to buy ammunition in one of the few safe houses.
The target audience of the game is teenagers to early 20s, although the game is rated 18, as it captures the interests of this age group. It’ll probably mainly be boys playing because of the action-packed and violent nature of the game which at times diminished the story’s effect. FPS games are stereotypically very popular with people of this age group and gender. Other games targeting a similar audience would be Call of Duty or Battlefield- whilst this game may not necessarily be as well known it is still very popular. It is also renowned for having a better storyline than the aforementioned games, even though it does not have multiplayer which are the main features used to target their audience Call of duty and Battlefield.
Metro is available on: Microsoft Windows, OS X, Linux, PlayStation 3, PlayStation 4, Xbox 360 and Xbox One. The game is suited to all of these platforms though probably more specifically to the consoles as that is what it was initially designed for in relevance to the shooting and stealth mechanics.
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