Metro Conflict

Multiplayer shooters have been doing just fine ever since Wolfenstein and Quake have made the genre as popular as it is today. There are many choices out there, depending on what kind of experience suits you the most. Whether you are a Call of Duty man, or you much rather prefer Battlefield, no one can complain about the lack of games, regardless of taste and preference.

Metro Conflict is the new kid on the block, and it doesn’t have rich parents named Activision or EA Games. However, it certainly doesn’t dress cheap, and it appears to be just as mature and full of stuff as the rest of the gang. To make things even better, it is also free-to-play, which is always a plus. Obviously, there are optional purchases and micro-transactions inside the game, but they do not seem to affect the overall experience for those who choose not to spend a penny on their character.

Speaking of which, the game uses the classic formula in the genre, which means that there are multiple characters to choose from before each match. Each one of them has a different weapon selection and special abilities, and they theoretically serve a purpose in the team. On the other hand, the community is just as eager to go for the full sniper team here as it is in all the other shooters, so that may not work out as you imagine.

The first fear you might have when it comes to giving a newcomer such as this one a chance is that it won’t play as smooth as the established competition. However, you’d be surprised at how accurate and refined the gameplay is, especially when it comes to the actual shooting. Each weapon feels different, and it takes a while to learn how to properly handle it. Thanks to this, you can get a lot of joy out of the game over long periods of time, which is exactly what an MMOFPS of this caliber aims for.

In fact, there is a variety of game modes to pick from, depending on what you are in the mood for. After you finish the training mission and learn a thing or two about the story, you can go in full PVP mode and try a Team Deathmatch, Demolition or Defense round, each one of which obviously features different maps and objectives. None of them is particularly groundbreaking, but they’re tons of fun with the right team.

Lastly, Metro Conflict even looks top-notch, thanks to Epic’s legendary UE3 graphics engine. As such, this should definitely be on your watchlist if you feel like the big boys are starting to disappoint. In fact, it feels mature enough to compete with them toe-to-toe, as long as it doesn’t turn into another pay-2-win fiasco.