Metro: Dark Light (Redux)

The story continues, and it's generally a satisfying sequel. It has an expanded variety of locales over the first game and improved pacing, but its more complex plot can't quite rise above the very linear storytelling. Though there are lots of characters here, it's hard to care about any of them. As in the first game, there are two endings, but this time you will need to follow a guide to get the "good" one, because there are various things you need to do in your playthrough. That's kinda annoying for completionists.

Unfortunately, Dark Light also inherits all the flaws of 2033, as the gameplay and design are essentially the same. Once again, exploration is often punished, such as when you open a door and move to the next level even if you didn't want to. Tough luck, this is a one-way ride. Again, characters talk over each other and it's impossible to pay attention. And finally, voice acting continues to be horrendous, with the same bizarre decision that everyone use Russian-ish accents even though they speak English. Actually, here this poorly conceived principle is taken to truly absurd extremes (even the aliens have this cringey accent!).

Apparently some gamers enjoyed the bits of gratuitous sex in the first game, because here it's just all over the place, in all its plasticky, uncanny-valley weirdness. Speaking of which, children are still freakishly rendered and voiced.

In conclusion: if you enjoyed the first game then you'll get more of the same here. Sometimes too much of the same. It's not a new experience, just ... more of it.