Metro: Last Light has the revamped but faithful aesthetic that all sequels do and a hint of the brooding quality of 2033, but sadly, Last Light has the texture of nothing more than an expansion for the original masterwork. Last Light's main attraction, the campaign, holds an uneven tale that varies from clichéd to thrilling, but it chiefly favours the middle ground of these two. The first half to 3 quarters of the story lacks the startling originality and intense, desolate air 2033 portrayed to remarkable effects; but with the gritty and grimy ambiance used as a crutch, Last Light stays above water and carries the player through with few articulate qualms save the dated AI and unabashed exposition present in almost every encounter. It is when we reach the final act in Last Light that things begin to crack and crumble. A rushed conclusion pooled with little climax creates a palpable sense of disheartenment, as if our long, winding journey towards this heavily anticipated finale was a waste of time. Alas, this disappointment is what I ultimately walked away from Last Light with; a spasmodically engrossing but stilted phase in the Metro series.

Gunplay and environments are barely worth mentioning as they follow the same archetypal structure of their predecessor, but with slightly improved graphics caked over the top. The main resonating feature in Last Light is sadly displeasure -- but then again, it would be a miracle for this game to even come close to the staggering uniqueness and darkness that Metro 2033 was best known for.

4/10