Based on the post-apocalyptic sci-fi epic by Russian author Dmitry Glukhovsky, Metro 2033 is a gorgeous and ambitious shooter that's occasionally bogged down by its heavy reliance on backstory and lack of narrative continuity.

The world is interesting and has some fascinating ideas serving as building blocks; it definitely makes you want to read the novel

Concept: Explore the crumbling tunnels of a post-apocalyptic Moscow as first described in a best-selling Russian novel Graphics: Beautiful environments with a surprising amount of detail are aided by fantastic animation Sound: The guns don't sound particularly powerful, but the monster noises will...

Beneath a frozen city ruined long ago by its own weapons of destruction, humankind clings to survival. In dirty overcrowded stations, women haggle for scraps at the market as old men mourn the world they lost and children run underfoot, knowing no life beyond their meager subterranean existence.

Rich; pervasive atmosphere; Beautifully detailed environments; Rewards exploration and observation; Some clever weapons

Occasional slowdown in frantic moments; Problematic enemy AI; Darkness is sometimes overbearing

Get on board Metro 2033. It's not been heavily advertised but it's a great game, and my early pick for sleeper hit of the year. Hats off to 4A Games on a job well done.

Metro 2033 is a gripping action survival themed FPS game set in the grim post apocalyptic underground of Moscow. Throughout the game you play as Artyom, a young man raised in the tunnels.

A survival-horror/FPS hybrid that suffers from too many fundamental problems to be great.

If you're looking for a unique setting and a haunting vision of the apocalyptic future our world is headed toward, then look no further than Metro 2033 , a survival-horror-style FPS from 4A Games.

This Stalker-meets-Doom shooter arrived late last week, and made quite the change from shepherding around tiny armies in that bizarre glut of real-time-strategy games which have marched onto our hard drives this month.

Metro 2033 Review Publisher: THQ Platform: PC , Xbox 360 UK Price (as reviewed): £24.99 (incl. VAT) US Price (as reviewed): $48.99 (excl. Tax) It's only natural that there should be comparisons drawn between GSC GameWorld's STALKER and 4A Game's Metro 2033 – 4A is founded by ex-GSC staff, after all...

While some areas tend to fall flat and the world can sometimes feel a bit disjointed, Metro 2033 is a unique and unforgettable experience.