Metro 2033 Redux: Ranger Hardcore as your First Playthrough

You started Metro 2033: Redux for the first time, you click new game and then you are offered a handful of different difficulty modes, consequently you are baffled and search the internet about which one to choose. Well, if you are up for a hard challenge and you want to survive in a Souls-like horror adventure on a post-apocalyptic Soviet Moscow, look no further, Ranger Hardcore is the mode for you. There are a few mechanics that are not explained and can be hard to understand without an UI, so before you start there are a few tips with no spoilers that will make your playthrough more enjoyable.

Brief Synopsis (no spoilers)

You play as Artyom a young man who was born days before the nuclear war that obliterated the world. You are part of the survivors who found refuge underground in the Metro system of Moscow. The year is 2033 and you have been tasked to get help from Polis the last bastion of hope, to ask for help regarding some mysterious dark beings threatening to invade your home station.

What proceeds it's a long journey through very hostile lands where you will feel the desperation and hardship required to endure living in this post-apocalyptic world. The different factions of humans, be it nazis or communists, the eternal danger of being hunted by mutant creatures, mark a trail of blood that can only be survived by instinct and stealth.

Playing Ranger Hardcore as your 1st Playthrough

If Metro 2033 Redux is a first-person shooter survival horror game, then Ranger Hardcore is the only difficulty that expresses that genre. The other modes can't capture the feeling of desperation and strategy around scarcity as this one does.

This mode removes the UI and makes you both and your enemies glass cannons. You get half the ammo storage capacity, can only carry two weapons and ammunition becomes much more difficult to find. Throwing knives damage is increased to encourage a stealth approach.

The lack of an UI is not a problem if you are a veteran gamer, as you have seen all mechanics before in multiple games. The saving / loading system is very fine tuned, making sure you don't reach a dead end if you are low on resources.

Tips for Ranger Hardcore (no spoilers)

Remember this it's not going to be an easy journey, so if you are not ready to die repeatedly until you figure a puzzle or a map, then this mode isn't for you.

Quick Time Events

This one is easy to figure out as you are required to push a door at the start of the game. There aren't a lot of these, but whenever you are in a situation you don't have control, just try spamming your Interaction key, E by default.

Ammunition

Ammunition is very scarce so stealthing becomes the standard way to walk around as you don't want the attention of anything. Fighting will make a lot of noise and alert more enemies, so it should only be used as last resort as you don't want to end up with your knife as your only weapon.

Secondary Weapon Menu

You don't get a HUD, but there are ways to navigate your inventory. The way you do it is you Hold your Journal button, by default its M, to get your compass, followed by holding the Right Mouse Button. This will show your inventory, including your Secondary Thrown Weapons. Watch the positions on the circle around the Mouse Icon, the quadrant that has a white shade is the one you currently have selected. To select another one: take off your Journal, then Hold your Weapons Inventory key, TAB by default, and while holding move your mouse on the direction of the item you want to select. You will hear a short sound, with the knives being the most distinguishable.

Sneak, Sneak, Sneak!

Artyom is incredible sneaky, you will be able to pass right most enemies if they are out of their line of sight and you aren't flashing any lights. Stealthing behind human enemies will let you make a silent knife take down. Throwing knives are very effective but tricky to aim, they are plentiful, so firing them in bursts can make them more reliable.

Understanding the Battery

Another Important UI element is how to recharge your battery. You receive it at the start when you get all your gear, but its easily missed because nowhere do you get an explanation of how to use it and is not shown in the “key bindings” menu either. You access your battery by holding the Light key, F by default, then click Left Mouse Button until its charged. This will also work for powering your Night Vision Goggles, in case you thought they didn't work. They will come in handy when you don't want to attract attention with the flashlight.

Use the Compass

Whenever you are unsure on where to go, get that Journal out and let the compass guide you. This will work most of the time but can be unreliable on multiple story buildings when roaming on the surface.

The Weapon Conundrum

You have 2 weapon slots, that means you will only be spending two types of ammunition at one time, while other types stack. Don't be afraid to swap weapons to circle around your different types of ammunition if you are running low on ammo. New firearms will be available later so keep that in mind. The most common ammunition types will be shotgun, pistol and dirty rounds.

Military Grade Ammunition

The currency you gain can also be used as ammunition, so beware of using this as you are literally firing money. To use this mode, Hold the Reload Button, R by default. You will be able to notice that the Dirty Rounds have a rough red circle while the Military Grade are shiny while having a very defined blue circle.

The Markets

You will spend most of your money on ammunition, so don't think twice about selling those items you collect but don't use. You are no using the throwing knives too much? No problem, keep 3 and sell the other 7 to buy some ammo. The same goes for weapons, if you just got a shiny weapon that can be traded for a lot of coin then suit your needs. Whenever possible, stock on air canisters.

Owning your deaths

If you are having trouble on a specific map, just go full “Edge of Tomorrow” on the game and try new things, you are going to die anyways, so might at least try some crazy ideas! Maybe run through enemies instead of fighting, try different weapons or a different path.

Handling frustration

Sometimes you have to accept you don't know where to go and you have run out of ideas. If you ever start feeling frustrated, take a break and come later with a fresh approach, but if you start feeling overwhelmed and you just want to get to the next save point, I would suggest to consult a written walkthrough with directions. A simple sentence like “take a left, left then right” can go long ways on confusing maps. Just don't rely on consulting a guide for everything because exploring and figuring out some of the puzzles give a lot of satisfaction.

Final Thoughts

Metro 2033 Redux is a really solid game, I enjoyed my time with it. Watching videos from people playing the game on normal after my Ranger Hardcore run, made it look like a totally different title. Ranger Hardcore made me feel the terror of living in a world like this, I finished many levels almost out of air and ammunition, trying to sneak past as many enemies as I could to save that precious ammo. Should I derail to investigate a passage in the hopes of getting ammunition or just keep going because your air canister is running out. These types of gambling situations are common in Metro 2033 Redux. It brings a splash of a Lovecraftian feeling with a depiction of the way of life of Metro citizens. It's an atmosphere where anyone could lose all hope, yet they persevere.

Recommendation

If you are into some post-apocalyptic soviet themed, survival horror adventure where you will need to be both sneaky and a good shot, then this game is highly recommended. This is one of those games that is best not talking too much about, because it's better to experience it yourself. It has gone on sales of up to 90% multiple times during this year and its available on Steam and GoG and it's definitely worth the $5 at those times. It will give you from 10 to 15 hours of terror depending on how good you are. Good luck and have fun!

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