Metro 2033 Diaries Part One

First released in 2010, Metro was a game series I pretty much ignored. I didn’t even know it was based on a book series by Dmitry Glukhovsky, because it looked far too much like a horror game than I liked. I knew it took place in Russia after a nuclear winter, and in the underground train tunnels, but other than that I let it pass me by.

Well, you can’t write about games without constantly being told about the great ones, and Metro is something that just kept coming up. I caved and bought a Metro Redux bundle in the Steam Winter Sale in 2016, and have been waiting for a reason to play them. Well, having finished the Red Faction and Splinter Cell franchises, I decided to make it my newest diary series, because there’s only two games. Until Metro Exodus comes out later this year…

Unlike most of the games from previous diaries, there are no fixes or graphical mods required as Metro 2033 Redux was only released in 2014. I’ll be playing on Spartan difficulty because, as I mentioned, I’m not big on horror.

So, join me on the trip into the Moscow underground as I try to avoid being killed, eaten or worse…

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The year was 2033, two decades after the world had come to an end. Thousands of people had managed to escape to the metro tunnels beneath the city, so civilisation was continuing, albeit not exactly as normal.

Miller and I were climbing a ladder, on our way to either save or destroy what remained of the world. The ladder gave out as I reached the top, but he grabbed me and helped me up. We caught our breath before moving out, where I opened a large shutter for us to get through. I restocked at some lockers and reloaded my weapon, before we headed for the surface, making sure to put on our gas masks first.

I can only assume things get bigger later on...

At the top of a staircase were the remains of a tower building, which unfortunately was infested with mutants known as watchers. Rat-like in appearance, but the size of full grown men, Miller and I gunned down several of them before exiting the building. He radioed to another squad as we carefully made our way to a rendezvous, when suddenly they tried to run me over.

My relief at Miller pulling me out of the way was short lived, as a horde of watchers began stampeding past us. Then they realised that they could eat us, and many turned to attack. I quickly ran out of ammo, and was knocked down by one. I managed to escape it’s grasp, when one of the rangers shouted “Demons!”. I scrambled for cover, but one of the flying things flew right at me, it’s teeth ready for my flesh…

Meanwhile, eight days earlier: Artyom woke up and decided to look through his collection of postcards. His stepdad came along so that I could go with him to meet Hunter, his friend and member of the Spartan Order - the best of the best. We had a little walk through Exhibition, the station they called home, and through the infirmary. Apparently, the current patients had been badly hurt by “The Dark Ones” - those that weren’t injured had been driven insane.

We reached the front door as someone on the other side began to knock. The two guards thought it was mutants, before being told to open it up - mutants wouldn’t knock. Hunter came in and gave me a postcard, then had a chat before suddenly, there was a strange noise. Mutants had broken into the vents.

"They're in the walls!" cried nobody, because nobody remembered the 47 year old movie Aliens

Arytom’s dad told me to grab a weapon, so I did - retrieving a revolver from the nearby locker. We grouped together, and the door guards ran to protect the infirmary, as nosalis began appearing at the ventilation ducts. We took out a few, but soon the vents were opened and they began pouring through.

It was close, and I got bit more than once, but soon enough they were all dead. They looked like smaller versions of the watchers, but before I could stop for a good look at them, someone burst through from the infirmary. Dark Ones had destroyed the guard post.

We ran through Exhibition, reaching the guard post where men lay dead or dying. Hunter steeled himself, handed me a necklace and told me to take it to Melnik in Polis. If he didn’t return, I had to report the current situation at Exhibition. He wouldn’t return…