Metro Last Light PC Technical Review

[seanR3D]

We go deep underground with 4A Games' atmospheric shooter Metro Last Light to find out how it fares on PC. Read our tech review to see how it does in terms of features, performance, and more.

Metro Last Light PC Technical Review @ Rage3D.com

[LimeyGeeza]

I get a 'This video is private' message when I click on the youtube vid... am I doing it wrong?

[seanR3D]

Originally Posted by LimeyGeeza

I get a 'This video is private' message when I click on the youtube vid... am I doing it wrong?

Nope. Try now.

[LimeyGeeza]

Originally Posted by seanR3D

Nope. Try now.

Yep works now - great review, looks like this is a 'must buy' for most.

I am wondering if Auto-Aim is turned on by default as it's a left over from the console versions (or they want you to play with a gamepad on PC), it doesn't sound like it has been dumbed down for console though from your remarks.

[seanR3D]

Originally Posted by LimeyGeeza

Yep works now - great review, looks like this is a 'must buy' for most.

I am wondering if Auto-Aim is turned on by default as it's a left over from the console versions (or they want you to play with a gamepad on PC), it doesn't sound like it has been dumbed down for console though from your remarks.

Nah it's very much a PC game. I think it's controller support related. Or they think auto aim is a good idea for some reason.

[Meteor_of_War]

Thanks.

Nice to hear the engine is further optimized over the first game. Can't wait until it unlocks.

[Argoon1981]

Originally Posted by Meteor|WAR

Thanks.

Nice to hear the engine is further optimized over the first game. Can't wait until it unlocks.

I didn't read the article yet nor i have the game but i just want to say that when i ear the word "optimized" i always cringe for the simple reason that optimization on games is not much on the engine side (for what Metro2033 engine could do it is/was very well optimized) but on the game design and art side, so optimization could mean two things, or they where able to do the same thing but using less resources (not likely) or they brought the visuals down or even the game world scale down compared to the first game (like crysis 2 did) to achieve better performance, hope i'm wrong on this last one, go read the article now.

[seanR3D]

Originally Posted by Argoon1981

I didn't read the article yet nor i have the game but i just want to say that when i ear the word "optimized" i always cringe for the simple reason that optimization on games is not much on the engine side (for what Metro2033 engine could do it is/was very well optimized) but on the game design and art side, so optimization could mean two things, or they where able to do the same thing but using less resources (not likely) or they brought the visuals down or even the game world scale down compared to the first game (like crysis 2 did) to achieve better performance.

No? The engine is all I'm ever referring to when discussing performance improvements, and for good reason. It's not just likely, it's what's happening thanks to DirectX 11. Technology has evolved and become more efficient, and they've evolved their engine and become more efficient along with it. It's straightforward. Read the article and look at the screenshots -- it's obvious the game looks better.

[oozz77]

Gee, the recommended system specs of a Titan or 7990 are really up there and would put 95% of users out of the game so to speak.

I know it did say he was getting FPS of about 80 and dropping to 45, but again most of us will need a beast of a machine to run it at it's full potential!!

Anything below a GTX680 or HD7970 would probably only run this at low settings!

I trust it at least does "use" all 4 CPU cores and for those lucky enough with 6 to eight cores, that it can take advantage of the extra cores as well??

[Meteor_of_War]

Originally Posted by oozz77

I know it did say he was getting FPS of about 80 and dropping to 45, but again most of us will need a beast of a machine to run it at it's full potential!!

I'm fine with this because IMO this is what new release PC games should be.

I can remember years ago when a new high end PC game was released only those with the very top end systems could max them out--this was truly software pushing hardware technology, as it should be. Until of course this past current gen of consoles ruined all that. Its nice to see some games like Crysis and Metro keeping that alive.

[Argoon1981]

Ok readed the article (didn't saw the video i don't want any spoilers) nice work on the article, but one thing i found a little strange if i may, are you certain the game textures are 2K rez? And all of them or just characters? If true the pics don't give me that impression at all even tho they look good. About my previous comment, yes a pure dx11 engine comes with some performance improvements and knowing the engine better does help, but i still don't think they are so great to cause a major difference on a game like Metro if it uses the same graphics techniques, for example Stalker went from a game that run well on all PC's using the dx8+ static light option, to a game that pushed PC's to its knees on the dx10+ render, "evolved their engine and become more efficient along with it" didn't helped much on this case for the simple reason that on higher renders they used much heavier effects, maybe just maybe the Metro guys are doing the inverse?
For example the pic with the bearded guy, his shading looks very much like plastic and not like what i remember from the previous game, but perhaps is the lighting tho.

I will certainly buy the game i bought the first one and i love it but I'm just being cautious with "hype" because i have seen this many times before, how "optimizations" just amounted to nothing but taking stuff out of the games.

[seanR3D]

Game it out now on Steam, guys.

Originally Posted by Argoon1981

Ok readed the article (didn't saw the video i don't want any spoilers) nice work on the article, but one thing i found a little strange if i may, are you certain the game textures are 2K rez? And all of them or just characters? If true the pics don't give me that impression at all even tho they look good. About my previous comment, yes a pure dx11 engine comes with some performance improvements and knowing the engine better does help, but i still don't think they are so great to cause a major difference on a game like Metro if it uses the same graphics techniques, for example Stalker went from a game that run well on all PC's using the dx8+ static light option, to a game that pushed PC's to its knees on the dx10+ render, "evolved their engine and become more efficient along with it" didn't helped much on this case for the simple reason that on higher renders they used much heavier effects, maybe just maybe the Metro guys are doing the inverse?
For example the pic with the bearded guy, his shading looks very much like plastic and not like what i remember from the previous game, but perhaps is the lighting tho.

I will certainly buy the game i bought the first one and i love it but I'm just being cautious with "hype" because i have seen this many times before, how "optimizations" just amounted to nothing but taking stuff out of the games.

2048 is the official word, yes. And no, not all of them, but most. My guess with Stalker is they were new to the tech and didn't know how to really take advantage of it, and the tech itself was new. The "plastic" look I didn't really notice on any other characters; in either case I'd say it's about art design if anything.

It's good to be cautious. I'm glad you liked the article and that you're going to buy the game; I'm eager to hear what you think after playing for yourself.

[seanR3D]

Originally Posted by Dark_Shadow198

Did you run into any FoV problems? Since there is no slider and all.

I found it fine, but some are more sensitive/specific about it. You can adjust it now with file editing.