Its mostly atmosphere and graphical quality. The original had a very fuzzy, foggy and dark look to it that befitted an post-apocalypse in the underground metro system. The Metro itself felt like a palpable and evil entity itself that was oppressing you. And the lighting in Redux is massively increased and brighter so that you can see way too many details on everything at all times, making the monsters look more goofy and setpieces less terrifying. Last Light was memetically famous for "darkness you can see in" after all. Plus a lot more little "QoL" fixes that take away from feeling like a scavenger up against impossible odds.
The original was one of the epitome of Slav Jank games, built on a barely functional engine and made you feel like you were literally fighting for your life at all times, similar in many ways to Stalker. Redux is a "modern game" on a fancy new engine that is just an above averagely written FPS. Its literally "soul vs soulless." Because Redux is "objectively" better in a lot of ways, but it doesn't feel the same and is overall won't stick with you the same way.
Not to mention they delisted the original and put up Redux with a higher price originally, on top of "remastering and reselling" Last Light Redux at a higher price less than a year after release as well after delisting it. Not relevant to new players now, but between that and them stealing people's money to become an Epic Exclusive after taking months of preorders on Steam for the third game, its a legitimately scummy company to support in anyway.
Also Last Light is a legitimately terrible game that ruins every returning character and bit of story from 2033, and allowing any part of it to touch the original is a sin. Its been over a decade and I'm still mad.
I recall playing through the original and really enjoying. Tried to replay it a few years ago and was wondering what the hell I ever saw in it. Turns out I was playing the “redux” version on my second go around.
Good video games are a lot more delicate than we realize. I think a lot of the truly great games were - almost by definition - flukes.
I think a lot of the truly great games were - almost by definition - flukes.
Absolutely the case, especially in the "slav jank" category. Like, there are so many fucking masterpieces that were assembled by a bunch of random slavs with a budget of their pocket change.
And every single one of them was in the 90s-00s. Once better tech became more freely available, it just lost the magic.
The first game manages to make you feel that way a lot of the time as well. There is something bigger than just the monsters working against you, and while you can never see it its palpable in a lot of sections.
The darkness is such an integral part of the game that that simple lighting change completely takes all that away.
So kind of like how when the rerelease of Silent Hill 2 removed a bunch of the fog because the PS3 could handle better draw distances and utterly ruined the atmosphere. Got it.
I'm new to the series, what did they change?
Its mostly atmosphere and graphical quality. The original had a very fuzzy, foggy and dark look to it that befitted an post-apocalypse in the underground metro system. The Metro itself felt like a palpable and evil entity itself that was oppressing you. And the lighting in Redux is massively increased and brighter so that you can see way too many details on everything at all times, making the monsters look more goofy and setpieces less terrifying. Last Light was memetically famous for "darkness you can see in" after all. Plus a lot more little "QoL" fixes that take away from feeling like a scavenger up against impossible odds.
The original was one of the epitome of Slav Jank games, built on a barely functional engine and made you feel like you were literally fighting for your life at all times, similar in many ways to Stalker. Redux is a "modern game" on a fancy new engine that is just an above averagely written FPS. Its literally "soul vs soulless." Because Redux is "objectively" better in a lot of ways, but it doesn't feel the same and is overall won't stick with you the same way.
Not to mention they delisted the original and put up Redux with a higher price originally, on top of "remastering and reselling" Last Light Redux at a higher price less than a year after release as well after delisting it. Not relevant to new players now, but between that and them stealing people's money to become an Epic Exclusive after taking months of preorders on Steam for the third game, its a legitimately scummy company to support in anyway.
Also Last Light is a legitimately terrible game that ruins every returning character and bit of story from 2033, and allowing any part of it to touch the original is a sin. Its been over a decade and I'm still mad.
I recall playing through the original and really enjoying. Tried to replay it a few years ago and was wondering what the hell I ever saw in it. Turns out I was playing the “redux” version on my second go around.
Good video games are a lot more delicate than we realize. I think a lot of the truly great games were - almost by definition - flukes.
Absolutely the case, especially in the "slav jank" category. Like, there are so many fucking masterpieces that were assembled by a bunch of random slavs with a budget of their pocket change.
And every single one of them was in the 90s-00s. Once better tech became more freely available, it just lost the magic.
In the book the Metro is arguably the real Big Bad Guy. It does an incredible job of describing what true darkness does to us humans.
The first game manages to make you feel that way a lot of the time as well. There is something bigger than just the monsters working against you, and while you can never see it its palpable in a lot of sections.
The darkness is such an integral part of the game that that simple lighting change completely takes all that away.
I only read the first book and didn't enjoy it too much. That said, even though the plot didn't strike me, I must admit the world-building was great.
It's better as an audio book.
So kind of like how when the rerelease of Silent Hill 2 removed a bunch of the fog because the PS3 could handle better draw distances and utterly ruined the atmosphere. Got it.