Metro Redux on Switch: just how close to PS4 does it get?

4 years 1 month ago

Over the last ten years, 4A Games has built a reputation for pushing technology to new heights - from the original, remarkable Metro 2033 to last year's Metro Exodus - an open world showcase with beautiful ray traced global illumination. However, the firm also enjoyed success with their current-gen Metro Redux remasters, and now those titles are available for Nintendo Switch. Yes, it's another Switch port we're tackling but this time, the original developer has taken point on bringing the games across and as it's 4A you know you're in for something special.

For those unfamiliar, the first two Metro games are first-person shooters set deep within the radiation ravaged Metro system beneath Moscow. With limited supplies, players make their way through the underground (occasionally venturing to the blasted surface) while dealing with a wide range of foes. Stealth, combat and storytelling are all part of the experience, with both games offering a unique atmosphere quite unlike anything else on the market. It's also the first time a Metro game has appeared on a Nintendo platform and it's also the debut for the franchise on what is essentially mobile hardware. On top of that, the port hasn't been handed off to a separate developer as is often the case - 4A rolled up its sleeves and dug in for this one, producing a fascinating piece of work.

To begin with, we can confirm that this is indeed the newer, more modern Redux version of the game - not a conversion of the last-gen Xbox 360/PS3 renditions, which may have been more suited to the power level offered by the Nintendo hybrid. Comparing Xbox 360 to Switch, the differences are stark. Redux offers improved textures and models, a new lighting and materials model and more detail all around. Metro 2033 is a very, very different experience all around, while the sequel - Metro Last Light - also enjoys all of the improvements made for its transition to PS4 and Xbox One.

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