Metro: Last Light Redux (PC)

Developer:

4A Games

|

Release Date:

2014 (Original 2013)

|

Systems:

Win, PS4, Xbone, Stadia, Switch (Original: Win, PS3, X360)

---

This week on Super Adventures, I've got the same problem I had last week when I wrote about Metro 2033 Redux, except worse. Metro: Last Light Redux has also gotten a free next-gen graphics update and this time it's already out so I'm showing off an outdated release. If I'd known it was coming I would've either played the game later or published this sooner.

I actually played this right after finishing Metro 2033, so that the gameplay would be fresh in my mind and I could compare them. Though I wasn't entirely hyped about the idea as I'd been hiking through claustrophobic rail tunnels in the dark for 15 hours so far. The game's got that BioShock 2 problem, where players have already thoroughly explored the setting and seen everything. An art deco metropolis on the ocean floor is only a novelty once, and decaying train stations aren't even all that impressive the first time around. Even if the lighting is pretty sometimes.

They can't even blame it on the novel, as this time the game wasn't based on a book. Though Metro 2033 author Dmitry Glukhovsky did write the story outline and the dialogue, so it's about as legit as you can get.

Okay, I'm going to show off a decent amount of the game, though I'm going to be vague about things to avoid spoiling the story too much (and to keep it to just one part). This will have big SPOILERS for Metro 2033 however.

Metro 2033 Redux (PC)

Developer:

4A Games

|

Release Date:

2014 (Original: 2010)

|

Systems:

Win, Xbone, PS4, Stadia, Switch, macOS, Linux (Original: Win, X360)

---

Metro 2033 is getting a free next-gen update tomorrow with higher-quality lighting, more environmental detail, 4K textures... all kinds of stuff. Though I didn't learn about this until after I'd played and written about the game. Whoops.

So this week on Super Adventures, I'll be checking out the 2014 Redux version of post-apocalyptic first-person shooter Metro 2033, by Ukrainian developer 4A Games. This was their very first game, though a bunch of them had worked on S.T.A.L.K.E.R.: Shadow of Chernobyl, so they had a bit of experience. It was based on journalist Dmitry Glukhovsky's novel of the same name, but it was his very first book, so you don't have to read the other 2,032 Metro novels to understand what's going on.

Metro 2033 originally came out for Windows and Xbox 360 and that's it. That wasn't much fun for the PlayStation and Nintendo owners who wanted to go get mauled in a spooky cold subway tunnel too, but their turn eventually came around when the game got a reworked Redux re-release. Funny thing is, Redux was released in 2014, one year after the calamity in the backstory that left the world in ruins, so it had become an alternate history story in the meantime. Though, as the title indicates, the action takes place in 2033. Wow, if I'd just waited seven more years I could've published this on the actual date. I really did play the game too early.

I was kind of eager to finally try this and also dreading it, as I'd heard that it's harsh and challenging, and I'd played S.T.A.L.K.E.R. so I could believe it. Even typing in "S.T.A.L.K.E.R." is arduous, that's how uncompromising that game is. But I'd been replaying some Half-Life 2 and it got me in the mood for an hour or two of post-apocalyptic shooting, so I decided to finally pull the trigger.

Dungeons & Dragons Games Vol. 33: Eye of the Beholder II: The Legend of Darkmoon (MS-DOS) - Part 4

You're reading Super Adventures and I'm playing Eye of the Beholder II: The Legend of Darkmoon. Not for much longer though.

This is part 4 of this epic 4-part saga, but if you'd rather read PART 1, PART 2 or PART 3, then click the text.

This is also part 33 of my attempt to play the first 10 years of Dungeons & Dragons video games, spanning 1982 to 1991. Hang on, this is the last game of 1991. That means I've done it, I've played everything on the list! It's over!

It's a bit of an awkward place to end things though, seeing as there's still another Eye of the Beholder game left to play, along with a bunch of Gold Box RPGs. On the plus side, Eye of the Beholder III apparently sucks, so maybe it'll work out for the best if I quit while I'm ahead.

SPOILER WARNING: whatever happens, you're going to know about it.

Dungeons & Dragons Games Vol. 32: Eye of the Beholder II: The Legend of Darkmoon (MS-DOS) - Part 3

This week on Super Adventures, it's been pretty much nothing but Eye of the Beholder II: The Legend of Darkmoon. Version 1.1, apparently.

You're reading part 3 of 4, but if you'd prefer to be reading PART 1 or PART 2, then those links will get you where you want to be.

Here's a bit of insight into how bad I am at estimating how much I'll end up writing about a game: I was originally going to cover Eye of the Beholder in one article. I mean the Eye of the Beholder series, all three games, on the same page. I had the layout in place and I figured that 10 screenshots each would be enough. Turns out that 100 would've been a better guess.

Anyway, there's barely any story in the game, but I'll put a SPOILER warning here anyway just to be safe. Maybe I'll end up spoiling a puzzle for you or something.

Dungeons & Dragons Games Vol. 31: Eye of the Beholder II: The Legend of Darkmoon (MS-DOS) - Part 2

Hi, this is still Super Adventures, and I'm still playing Eye of the Beholder II: The Legend of Darkmoon.

This is part two of four, and you can jump back to PART ONE by clicking the bold text.

The game is a part two as well, as it has a "II" in the title. I'm bringing this up because I don't think I've come across a numbered sequel yet while playing these Dungeons & Dragons games. They like to say things like "A Legend Series Fantasy Role-Playing Saga, Vol. II", but this was the first to put a number in the actual name. And then Eye of the Beholder III was the last, until the Baldur's Gate games seven years later.

Here's some more trivia for you: the Steam launcher suddenly stopped launching for me! I tried installing the game to a different PC and it ran on that just fine, so after trying a bunch of troubleshooting I just reinstalled Steam to skip to the part where it works again. That's proper old school difficulty.

There may be SPOILERS below, though that depends if you think it has enough of a story to be spoiled.

Dungeons & Dragons Games Vol. 30: Eye of the Beholder II: The Legend of Darkmoon (MS-DOS) - Part 1

Developer:

Westwood

|

Release Date:

1991

|

Systems:

DOS, Amiga, FM Towns, PC-98

---

This week on Super Adventures, I'm playing the second Eye of Beholder game that Westwood released during 1991. And I thought SSI were rushing out their Gold Box sequels a bit fast.

Eye of the Beholder II: The Legend of Darkmoon was released in December 1991, just 10 months after the first game, and it came out on many of the same systems. But not all of them. Sega CD and SNES owners were left out, probably because they didn't get a port of the first game until 1994. 

At least the Amiga still got a port! The gap between the PC and Amiga 500's hardware specs kept getting bigger, but they continued bringing Dungeons & Dragons games over for one last year. Hang on, the more powerful Amiga 1200 was released in 1992, they could've released a few games for that!

Anyway, this is going to be the first of four parts. It was going to be two, but I thought splitting them in half would be less of a gruelling test of endurance for you, and it's less editing work for me. Plus I really want to publish four articles a month and I've almost ran out of time! I wouldn't count on me finishing the game though, as... no time, too much to do. Sorry.

I'll throw a SPOILER warning here even though it's not exactly a plot heavy game, just so you're aware of what you're getting into by reading past this point.

Super Methane Bros (Amiga CD32)

Developer:

Apache Software

|

Release Date:

1994

|

Systems:

Amiga, Amiga CD32

---

This week on Super Adventures, I'm playing Super Methane Bros on the Amiga CD32!

The game came out in 1994 and there were already a few games with "Bros." in the title by then. First there was Mario Bros., which is its original Japanese title by the way. The abbreviation was there even in Japan. Then afterwards there was Super Mario Bros., Buster Bros. (which is not its Japanese title), Blood Bros., Snow Bros., and Bonanza Bros. And there's one thing that all these games have in common: they remembered to put the dot after "Bros".

Oh hang on, it seems that "Bros" without a dot is the correct way to write it in British English, and Apache Software was British. Actually Mobygames says they were from , but that's close enough. The studio didn't get to make many games before vanishing in the mid '90s, and half their credits are for ports of Sensible Soccer, but they did make the graphically impressive Amiga first-person shooter Death Mask and Mega Drive/Genesis platformer Marsupilami. Plus the sprite artist went on to become the lead artist on some of the Ratchet & Clank games, so there's some bonus trivia for you.

Okay I'm going to play this until I get bored or run out of lives. Shouldn't take long I expect.

Dungeons & Dragons Games Vol. 28: Gold Box - Pools of Darkness (MS-DOS) - Part 2

Today on Super Adventures, I'm getting right back into Pools of Darkness. I didn't actually get around to writing about any of the gameplay in part one, and I feel like that's something people clicking on a game article might be interested in.

The Pool of Radiance saga started on nine systems, but now there are just four left: IBM PC, Commodore Amiga, NEC PC-98 and Apple Macintosh. That's one less than last time, as the venerable Commodore 64 has finally retired. It was the final 8-bit computer left standing, but that era is now over.

Those four systems were the only ones to get the full saga, and that includes the books. There are only three novels: Pool of Radiance, Pools of Darkness... and Pool of Twilight. So they skipped the middle and added an extra story at the end.

I'm still playing the PC game, but I thought I'd show the Amiga title screen this time for the sake of variety. It doesn't add much variety though, as it's the same picture with fewer colours. Commodore really needed to get that AGA chipset out earlier, as even the Amiga's looking dated now.

Alright, beware of SPOILERS beyond this point. Beware of gameplay too, hopefully.

Dungeons & Dragons Games Vol. 27: Gold Box - Pools of Darkness (MS-DOS) - Part 1

Developer:

SSI

|

Release Date:

1991

|

Systems:

DOS, Amiga, Mac, PC-98

---

This week on Super Adventures, I'm checking out the climactic chapter of the Pool of Radiance saga: Pools of Darkness. There was once one pool but now there are more.

I've played so many Gold Box RPGs now. I'm two games into the Krynn trilogy, I just started the Savage Frontier duology, I tried Neverwinter Nights for ten minutes, and I even checked out Buck Rogers: Countdown to Doomsday. But this is the first time I've reached the last game in a series! This is A FORGOTTEN REALMS Fantasy Role-Playing Epic, Vol. IV!

You can tell just from the title screen that the game is running in 256-colour VGA. That's nothing new, Gateway to the Savage Frontier supported VGA as well, though it seems that this time they weren't shy about using the colours available to them. On the other hand, the classic CGA mode was finally abandoned here, meaning players had no way to switch to eye-searing 4-colour cyan and magenta visuals anymore.

I'm really sympathetic to people who don't like continually upgrading their PC to keep up with modern system requirements... but the game came out in 1991, so if it got anyone to drop CGA and pull the trigger on a new graphics card, maybe even a Sound Blaster too, then it did them a favour.

Anyway, I should inform you that I will not be beating this game and bringing this saga to a satisfying conclusion, but I will be dragging this out over two parts anyway. So there will be SPOILERS here for events that happen early in Pools of Darkness, and it's game #4 so I'll probably end up spoiling something from the other three as well. The heroes survived, there's a starter spoiler for you.

TimeSplitters: Future Perfect (Xbox) - Part 2

This week on Super Adventures, I'm playing a little more TimeSplitters: Future Perfect. I've only played two levels so far and I haven't even tried the multiplayer yet so I need to give it a little more time.

If you want to read part one you can CLICK HERE.

The 'future perfect' part of the title is probably a Perfect Dark reference, as the same people worked on both games... but it also refers to a verb tense that's used for actions that will be carried out before something else in the future. At least, that's the definition I just read. So "Free Radical will have released TimeSplitters 4 before Hell freezes over," would be an example.

Free Radical Design doesn't actually exist at the moment, the latest incarnation fell victim to Embracer Group in 2023, so the chances don't seem good. The new Perfect Dark sequel got the same treatment, as developer The Initiative were closed in 2025. At least James Bond is doing well lately, with First Light being the best received entry since GoldenEye 007. Turns out it helps when developers are allowed to finish what they're working on!

Alright, here's a bit more TimeSplitters: Future Perfect. 

TimeSplitters: Future Perfect (Xbox) - Part 1

Developer:

Free Radical

|

Release Date:

2005

|

Systems:

PS2, Xbox, GameCube

---

This week on Super Adventures, I'm playing the third and (to this date) final entry in the TimeSplitters franchise, TimeSplitters: Future Perfect. They could've called it TimeSplitters 3 and kept things simple, but they didn't.

Future Perfect was released in 2005, but it was firmly PlayStation 2 generation like its predecessors. In fact the TimeSplitters series spanned the entire era, with TimeSplitters 1 arriving the same time the PS2 made it over to the west, and Future Perfect coming out just before Perfect Dark Zero helped launch the Xbox 360. Wait... Future Perfect, Perfect Dark... that can't be a coincidence.

This was a multiplatform release, so PlayStation 2, GameCube and Xbox owners all got to play it (though not against each other). But there was one system that didn't get a port: Windows PC! Call of Duty 2, F.E.A.R. and Quake 4 all launched on PC first, all in 2005, so it wouldn't have been an absurd idea, even at a time when consoles were king and ridiculous anti-piracy schemes were driving PC gamers to piracy. We could've had a bit of mouse aiming, maybe even some quicksaves, but no.

Alright, I'm going to load up the Xbox version on an Xbox One and I'll keep playing through the single player until either I have enough screenshots or my enthusiasm runs out. And I suppose there'd be no harm in me playing a few rounds of the multiplayer afterwards.

TimeSplitters 2 (Xbox) - Part 2

This week on Super Adventures, I'm playing a little more of TimeSplitters 2! Just a little bit more, not much.

TimeSplitters 2 came out in October 2002, around the same time as games like Medal of Honor: Allied Assault, Metroid Prime and 007: Nightfire. Also No One Lives Forever 2, Red Faction II, Unreal II and Star Wars: Jedi Knight II - Jedi Outcast. It was a great time for fans of single-player first-person shooter sequels, and the multiplayer was pretty decent as well.

In fact many would argue that the best first-person console multiplayer was right here in TimeSplitters 2, especially if you didn't have an Xbox for Halo. But right now I'm more interested in the game's single-player and I've only made it up to level two so far so I need to pick up the pace.

If you want to read what I said about level 1 you should CLICK HERE. Otherwise, I'm just going to jump straight into the next level.

TimeSplitters 2 (Xbox) - Part 1

Developer:

Free Radical

|

Release Date:

2002

|

Systems:

PS2, Xbox, GameCube

---

This week on Super Adventures, I'm playing the second TimeSplitters game! Which, by pure coincidence, is also the second TimeSplitters game to never get a PC port. 

The PlayStation 2 release was joined by Xbox and GameCube versions this time, but it still never made it to mice and keyboards. There should be some kind of law against releasing a first-person shooter on everything but PC, because that just doesn't make any sense. Plus it's cruel, to me personally.

I'm going to be playing the Xbox version on an Xbox One through the miracle of backwards compatibility, as they started selling it again a few years back. Perhaps they saw all the people buying Homefront: The Revolution after we learned that the game is hidden inside as a bonus feature, and realised they were leaving money on the table.

The original TimeSplitters game was a bit of a unknown to me when I wrote about it a couple of years back, but this one I'm already familiar with. I played a lot of TimeSplitters 2 back in the day, mostly the deathmatch actually. See, I do play multiplayer sometimes! But this time around my plan is to try the first few single-player levels, about an hour of gameplay. Then I'll show a picture of the multiplayer menu, say I'm very impressed by all the modes it has, and then skip to the part where I wrap things up.

Dungeons & Dragons Games Vol. 23: Gold Box - Death Knights of Krynn (MS-DOS) - Part 3

This week on Super Adventures, I'm just going to write a little more about Death Knights of Krynn.

I don't usually drag these things out to three parts, because I usually spend the time to properly edit them down! But this is a fairly interesting game so I don't feel too bad about making an exception. I won't be finishing it though, I haven't turned into the CRPG Addict. Yet.

Here have some links to help you get around:

• Death Knights of Krynn - Part One
• Death Knights of Krynn - Part Two
• List of the Dungeons & Dragons games I've played

Going to three parts means that I get to show off the C64 title screen as well. It's nothing that amazing, but I can appreciate how the C64 versions of the Gold Box RPGs all share the same theme and look like they're part of a set. That is not the case for any of the other versions. Not that there are many other versions left at this point, as the game only came out for PC, C64, Amiga and PC-98. I was thinking of showing off the Amiga title screen, but it's just the PC version with slightly better colours.

Once again I should mention that there will be SPOILERS here, for both this and Champions of Krynn.

Dungeons & Dragons Games Vol. 22: Gold Box - Death Knights of Krynn (MS-DOS) - Part 2

This week on Super Adventures, I'm going to continue playing Death Knights of Krynn! If you'd prefer to read part one instead, click THIS LINK.

I'm still playing the DOS version you can buy from Steam and GOG, I just decided to show the PC-98 version of the title screen this time. It's based on the game's box art, or at least the painting the box art borrowed. The PC-98 title music is also worth a listen, and if this was 1998 I'd have it autoplaying when you open this page.

The painting is called 'Lord Soth's Charge' and that's him at the front, the leader of the undead army. I don't actually know anything else about him, but I feel like we wouldn't be friends in real life. I do know something about the engravings surrounding the logo though. There are three orders of Solamnic Knights: the Order of the Crown, the Order of the Sword, and the highest of them is the Order of the Rose. So the rose design is probably related to that.

Warning: this is going to have SPOILERS. Not just for Death Knights of Krynn, but also Champions of Krynn, as it's a sequel.

Dungeons & Dragons Games Vol. 21: Gold Box - Death Knights of Krynn (MS-DOS) - Part 1

Developer:

SSI

|

Release Date:

1991

|

Systems:

DOS, Amiga, C64, PC-98

---

This week on Super Adventures, it's the second game in Strategic Simulations Inc.'s Krynn series: Death Knights of Krynn. There's an interesting use of colour in that title screen. It makes me think of Halloween... or maybe Christmas. Regardless, it's very on-brand for Gold Box art.

I've been playing the Dungeons & Dragons games in as close to chronological order as I can figure out and so far there's been a lot of variety. I've been jumping between action games, wargames, dragon flight sims etc. That's not really the case for this next batch though, as they released three Gold Box RPGs in the same year: Death Knights of Krynn, Gateway to the Savage Frontier and Pools of Darkness - the middle chapter of one series, the beginning of another, and the conclusion to the original saga. Oh, plus there was Neverwinter Nights, the Gold Box MMO.

Death Knights of Krynn is once again taking me back to the Dragonlance campaign setting, and I actually know a bit about the place now. I know about the War of the Lance and the Solamnic Knights and their fearsome moustaches, I know about the Dark Queen Takhisis and the Draconians made from corrupted dragon eggs. I don't think I know anything about Death Knights yet, but I'm here to learn.

I should probably warn you that this is going to have SPOILERS. Not just for Death Knights of Krynn, but also Champions of Krynn, as this is a sequel.

Dungeons & Dragons Games Vol. 20: Eye of the Beholder (MS-DOS) - Part 2

This week on Super Adventures, I'm playing the rest of Eye of the Beholder.

(Click this text for PART ONE, or this text for the LIST OF DUNGEONS & DRAGONS GAMES I've played so far.)

The game was originally for MS-DOS, Amiga and PC-98 computers, then made its way to the Sega Mega CD and SNES a few years later. So for once no one involved had to think 'But how do we get this to run on an old 8-bit Commodore 64 in 64 KB of RAM?' Even the game it borrowed its gameplay from, Dungeon Master, was a 16/32-bit Atari ST title.

The Atari ST was left out this time, though owners were likely used to that by now. It got two more Dungeons & Dragons games this year, Curse of the Azure Bonds and Shadow Sorcerer, before being dropped entirely. This was technically the second and last D&D game for the Mega Drive/Genesis too, with the Mega CD release coming out after the Sega exclusive Warriors of the Eternal Sun.

Anyway, I'd give you a spoiler warning about all the story I'll be playing through, but it's not really that kind of RPG. I could give you a warning for new dungeon tiles though, as I'll be delving deep enough to see all the art.

Dungeons & Dragons Games Vol. 19: Eye of the Beholder (MS-DOS) - Part 1

Developer:

Westwood

|

Release Date:

1991

|

Systems:

DOS, Amiga, PC-98, Sega CD, SNES

---

This week on Super Adventures, I'm returning to an old nemesis of mine, Eye of the Beholder. I've tried this a bunch of times and never gotten anywhere in it.

The text says it's A Legend Series Fantasy Role-Playing Saga, Vol. 1, so that's a little different. Pool of Radiance was a Forgotten Realms Role-Playing Epic, Vol. 1, but this time it's a saga and it's part of the Legend series! A series that only has games called Eye of the Beholder in it, as far as I'm aware. Plus they missed out the 'Forgotten Realms' part, even though that's where this is set.

Oh, this is by Westwood Associates, by the way, the folks who made Hillsfar (bad) and DragonStrike  (awkward), and the internet says it came out in 1991, not 1990 like it says on the title screen. 1991 featured more Dungeons & Dragons games than any year before or since, with Eye of the Beholder being right at the start of them. And also at the end of them.

• Eye of the Beholder
• Death Knights of Krynn
• Neverwinter Nights
• Gateway to the Savage Frontier
• Pools of Darkness
• Shadow Sorcerer
• Eye of the Beholder II: The Legend of Darkmoon

Two Eye of the Beholder games in one year is a bit much, though I suppose it's not as bad as four Gold Box RPGs!

Alright, this is the second time I've covered this game, if the first time even counts. All I did was wander around the first floor of the SNES game for a bit before getting bored and giving up. This time however I'm not quitting so easily and you can expect to see hours worth of identical-looking plain dungeon walls. So get a drink and make yourself comfortable. That's just good advice in general, really.

Starfield (PC) - Part 2

This week on Super Adventures, I'm contemplating the fact that 'Starfield' is only two letters away from being 'Garfield'. Though one of those letters is the longest T I've ever seen in a logo.

I've already put a few hours into Starfield, but I'm not quite done with it. Mostly because I haven't really done anything yet. If you want to see the story so far click here: PART ONE.

I'm not promising that I'll be able to get anything done in this part either, but I'll certainly make an effort to try out all the game's features before I'm done with it. Even though it will mean that I also have to write about them and try to explain them. RPGs always need a horrifying amount of explanation.

Note: like I said at the start of part one, this is an old version of the game from early 2025, not the shiny new April 2026 updated release. I won't be comparing the different versions because I don't actually know what's different. The update isn't even out yet at the time I'm publishing this.

Another note: beware of SPOILERS.

Starfield (PC) - Part 1

Developer:

Bethesda

|

Release Date:

2023

|

Systems:

Win, Series X|S

---

This week, Bethesda's infamous Starfield is getting a free update to coincide with its launch on the PlayStation 5! It's a huge upgrade that apparently makes the game better in every way.

But I won't be covering that.

I actually played Starfield way back in January 2025 and never finished writing about it. Because I somehow keep forgetting that trying to do seven things at the same time always leads to nothing getting done. So this week on Super Adventures, I'm opening a time capsule containing my opinions on the game as it was.

It's a shame I couldn't have been more hyped about Starfield, as I love the 3D Fallout games and Mass Effect, and space games like TIE Fighter and Freelancer used to be my thing. So "A new space RPG by the makers of Fallout 3" was right at the top of my 'dream game list', just underneath "A new space RPG by the makers of Fallout: New Vegas". I can't believe I actually got both of them in the end, though it wasn't a huge shock to me that both turned out kind of flawed.

Still, it's a new IP from the developer that gave us the Fallout sequels and the Elder Scrolls sequels and nothing else in two decades besides IHRA Professional Drag Racing, so that on its own is interesting. Though it wouldn't have been so bad if they had used an existing IP for their space game... like that Star Trek licence that Bethesda Softworks had at one point. "A Star Trek RPG by the makers of Fallout 3" is even higher on my 'dream game list'. 

Alright, I'm going to go on an expedition into Starfield to see if there's any joy in there to find. It's a big universe so this will be the first part of two.