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What would be your stand out SP FPS picks from the last 5 years?
Lets face it. There have been some stellar single player First person shooters over the last 5 or so years.
Games that not only looking fantastic, but also have replay value thanks to enjoyable mechanics.
To start the ball rolling I'm nominating the excellent Metro: Last Light (redux)
Adapted from from the highly enjoyable Metro 2033 and Metro 2034 books, both Metro 2033 (redux, thanks to it's vastly improved performance) and it's follow up Metro: Last Light, both games are much more improved performance wise and are still visually very impressive. Both manage to encapsulate the "post apocalyptic" feel of factional survival and the supernatural/sci-Fi elements of the books.
While metro 2033 is a good game, it's major downside was pacing issues. - However Last Light managed to improve upon the formula by removing the "boring bits" while delivering a stunning atmosphere AND a balance of gameplay not found in most other titles.
There are two main approaches. You can play it the "easy way" in Spartan mode with plenty of ammo and a more traditional run n gun feel. Fun, but ultimately lacking the horror/survival aspect that's the Metro ethos. Where both shine is playing it on the survival / Ranger hardcore mode which adds a whole new depth to it. Truly the way it was intended to be played.
Instead of going in guns blazing, you discover a deep stealth, ammo conserving "plan ahead' method of play reminiscent of early Splinter Cell/Thief games that is infinitely more rewarding. A well placed thrown knife, or silenced head-shot that doesn't alert all enemies on the map is far more enjoyable than a triple headshot which alerts every damn enemy on the map like the COD series gives you. Head shots alsofeel like headshots and not 1,2,3 headshot.
Even within the linear setting of the levels, there are multiple ways of completing a section. Playing peek a boo with intelligent foes is far more enjoyable than shooting at "pop up" kamikaze soldiers with obvious hit point tallies. Enemies don;t have supernatural vision. You can actually hide from them and then flank, pop a shot and slink away to attack from another direction.
Even with the performance tweaking that has lowered some of the particle effect ambience, it still looks superior to the the cartoon-esque look of other "AAA" titles. With all bells and whistles - it simply looks the goods. If you have the grunt on a single screen, the Super Sampling AA looks gorgeous.
Metro LL uses the proven formula of of recreating the fun bits of gameplay in virtually all scenarios. Visually impressive, satisfying gameplay mechanics and weapons that feel unique and not simply re-skinned "same feel pop pops" trumps any sort of humdrum that certain other franchises continue to churn out.
Is it the best FPS ever? No. But neither it is it a gimmicky regurgitation like Chore of Dookie: Advanced Same thing.
If you didn't enjoy the original metro 2033 - Give the redux version a go. The performance tweaks alone are worth it. If you never played it on the Survival hardcore Ranger level - prepare yourself for a different game. Then enjoy the extra improvement of Last Light.
if this game disappoints you, then I'm afraid you have no discerning taste and are quite happy to accept 2nd rate AI, inferior visuals and enemies that soak up bullets like a sponge.