Haven't played the Metro games yet? Metro Redux is the perfect chance

The apocalypse never looked so good

Metro 2033 and Metro: Last Light don't get nearly the appreciation they deserve, despite achieving cult status with many gamers and sitting in the backlog of even more. If you haven't yet found time to enjoy this creepy shooter/survival horror hybrid series, you're about to get the perfect opportunity in the form of Metro Redux. The dedicated team at 4A Games are billing Redux as the "definitive Metro experience," sprucing up both games with remastered visuals, additional content, and an entirely new way to enjoy either game.

First, a quick refresher: both Metro games take place in a post-apocalyptic Moscow, where humanity lives in underground tunnels and the surface is a treacherous, snowy wasteland full of mutants and toxic air. They masterfully blend intense shootouts and eerie suspense, but 2033 focuses on careful resource management, while Last Light opts for more gunplay. Metro Redux bills these playstyles as "Survival" and "Spartan," which are now modes of play (selected on top of a difficulty) that you can enjoy in either game. None can deny that Last Light was the prettier game--and with that in mind, both games now utilize an improved version of Last Light's engine, with better textures, lightning effects, and rendering tools. It's enough to make the aging 2033 look like an entirely new game.

Metro Redux has an interesting pricing structure--if you recently beat Last Light and have no interest in playing it again, both Metro 2033 Redux and Metro: Last Light Redux will be available as separate PC downloads at $25 each. On console, Xbox One and PS4 copies will only be available as a $50 combo pack. If you were waiting for a reason to finally play the Metro series, or just want to relive its horrors in new ways, Metro Redux is definitely it.

Metro 2033 looks incredible in the new engine--particularly with regards to the lighting, which makes you notice small details that were practically invisible in the way-too-dark original

This shot is so hauntingly beautiful, it's easy to forget that there's a flock of winged mutants about to descend and devour your flesh

Level architecture has also been improved for Redux; maps that previously had to be split into two sections are now merged into one giant environment

Metro: Last Light Redux is the complete version, as all the DLC is packed in along with the upgrades