Analysis of Metro Simulator 2. Looking for the light at the end of the tunnel.

The second part of the Russian metro simulator arrives on XBOX

It happens every day and in every city, but this week I read this news. They cut off the main Madrid metro line, with passengers walking on the tracks. What is said, This happens in every subway in every city.

Moscow is a city with a unique metro system. It is one of the first in the world in terms of passenger density. The so-called “People’s Palace” looks like a museum at every stop. Chandeliers, frescoes and communist icons mingle in the depths of Moscow. The deepest without exaggeration. Most were built after World War II, during the hottest years of the Cold War. They were designed with nuclear hell in mind. From this idea were born the Metro novels and the video games that followed.

I have two small children. And like most children, trains hold their attention. It fascinates me to see how they struggle to look out the subway window. When we arrive at the stops, but also between them. Face pressed against the glass, staring into the darkness. Because between the stops, there is nothing to see. Darkness until the next stop.

Due to a network error, activity on line 6 is suspended.

Metro Simulator 2 is a game that, like all subways in all cities, It has its glitches or system failures. This time, it will not be necessary to go down the track, it will only be necessary to restart the game. I have not managed to complete any of your “tutorials”. There are two, one for each train they offer us. These phases do not concern you with understanding and assimilating what you are doing. They only tell you which buttons you need to press to turn on the train, activate safety features and station signs. The advantage of repeating the tutorial so many times (without ever being able to finish it) is that I have perfectly internalized the process of starting the locomotive.

It has 2 game modes. Scenarios where predefined routes are offered. There are 4 including the two tutorials. As an anecdote, starting one of them crashes as soon as it starts because I was unable to access this part of the tutorial which shows you what to do in this situation. Even if I can start it without knowing how, the game crashes. Either the screen freezes, goes black, or sends me to the main menu. This happened to me several times in all scenarios.

The majestic Moscow Metro.

The other side, What is free riding on rails?, let’s configure the route. You can only choose one line with four variants, two train types, departure location and timetable. That’s what it is. There is no evolution, there are no more trains and possible improvements. At least since I’ve been playing in this mode I haven’t had any technical issues in the video game. But the information provided in the tutorial is so sparse and having no other sources of information, it becomes a confusing game. Also the name of the stops and the whole sign in Cyrillic doesn’t help.

Well, to set the scene, yes. Because if I don’t put it in Russian, what happens if I take line 10 of the Barcelona metro. With the exception of two, the stops are almost all identical, they only change color and are not marked in any way. In this free mode, you can get off the train (even on a schedule), and I haven’t found anything similar at the “Palacio Del Pueblo”.

Miles and miles of darkness.

Being a subway driver differs from being a long-distance train driver in that there are more stops and more views. Once the starting sequence is learned, the game involves controlling speed in the dark and braking at the right time when stopping. There is none left. And that’s what the metro is: Stop, darkness, stop.

The only time you feel in control is braking in time for stops. Without falling short or exaggerating. But it’s still monotonous. The rest of the actions are carried out with a First person pointer on subway sign. They added the Zoom with the triggers for better aiming, but it remains quite uncomfortable and not very suitable.

Conclusions.

I have no doubt that being a sequel to a title, KishMish Games doesn’t know how to make games. But Metro Simulator 2 does not work as a port for XBOX. There is a certain laziness when it comes to taking charge at command, for not insisting that the game be broken from the garages. I know they fixed bugs on PC, but the game has been released since June 2023. They’ve had plenty of time to implement the port improvements. Apart from that, I find Metro Simulator 2 confusing in terms of explanations but too simple and flat in terms of gameplay. Without much to explore. Without evolution that rewards the player for improving. As boring as taking the subway alone. Because we all know that the best and worst of the metro are its users: these wildlife.