THQ announces Metro: Last Light release date

Game publisher THQ has confirmed that its upcoming atmostpheric FPS Metro: Last Light is going to be released in March 2013 on the Xbox 360, the PlayStation 3 and PC. Initial copies of Metro: Last Light will be sold as a Limited Edition and will include exclusive content. The game is now available for pre-order from THQ at $59.99 (approximately Rs 3267) for all platforms.

The Metro: Last Light Limited Edition will include a standard retail copy of the game with ‘Ranger Mode’, the fan-favourite game type from Metro 2033 that represents the ultimate, immersive Metro experience. Additionally, the Limited Edition includes the Ranger load-out, containing bonus military grade bullets to spend on weapon upgrades and equipment, and the deadly AKS-74U modified Russian rifle.

Comes out in March

“‘Ranger Mode’ provides the definitive Metro experience,” said Huw Beynon, Creative Strategist, THQ. “It’s deservedly regarded as one of the most immersive, atmospheric challenges in gaming and we think fans will be very happy to see its return in the Metro: Last Light Limited Edition.”

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Recently, THQ had released a trailer for Metro: Last Light that showed some of the gameplay. Judging from the trailer, the game will be sticking to its survival horrror roots, but will also have extensive outdoor areas to explore and kill monsters in. The game also seems to be sticking to being as atmospheric as Metro 2033 was with claustrophobic levels and messed up mutants.

Back in November, the company had released a live action trailer for Metro: Last Light. The trailer doesn’t show any gameplay or in-game graphics, but aims to flesh out the world of Metro instead. It is the story of some of the survivors of the Armageddon. According to the developers, “They fled to the refuge of the Metro and escaped Armageddon. Now beneath the toxic wastelands, these lucky few adapt to survive in this new and inhospitable world, an unrelenting purgatory.”

Metro: Last Light takes place several months after the first game. All the major factions of the underground Metro system are preparing to fight over the D6 bunker. Last Light is set to be a direct sequel to 2033 and will be seeing a release on the Xbox 360, the PlayStation 3 and the PC in March 2013.

Metro: Last Light was originally announced back in June during this year’s E3. During the announcement, head of THQ, Danny Bilson said, “This game improves on the original in every way - it will have more polish, deeper and more sophisticated gameplay, and satisfyingly visceral combat, without losing what our fans loved about the original. Metro: Last Light is another artful piece of game development from an Eastern European studio that will thrill and terrify anyone looking for a more cerebral experience than your typical first person shooter."

The Metro series takes place in a post-apocalyptic Moscow. The first game was notable for being highly atmospheric and having a unique economy where bullets were the currency. This opened up questions to the player about whether any given bullet is more useful when being shot, or when being traded for either a few better bullets, or a lot of worse bullets.