Solid Game
Graphics: Absolutely Stunning
This game on max settings is gorgeous, the lighting is realistic and the emphasis on the usefullness of darkness really plays well here. I only have a GTX570 but the game could run with physx enabled and all the fruit no problem at all, except for tessellation, which I used on the second highest setting, which wasn't a surprise as my system is getting quite dated. Textures, dynamic shadows, wiping the blood of mutants off your mask so it doesnt obstruct your view, all of these things combined with a minimal HUD make this game extremely immersive, realistic and at times an intense experience. Cutscenes are well crafted, unobtrusive and retain maximum immersion in gameplay.
Audio: The most effective I've experienced
The sound effects, voice acting and in game music are matched perfectly to the environments you are in. Distant screams of monsters and the scamper of mutants feet, whether it be frantic scurrying or gargantuous thuds, always leaves you looking behind you, watching every nook and cranny, just waiting for something to attack. Pre-determined jump scares are plenty, but are outweighed by the rewards should you navigate them successfully. The sheer brilliance of the audio effects in this game makes it tense, filling you with a feeling of dread, wanting to just push through quickly, running from the howls of watchmen and demons, however, doing so will cause you to die quicker, no matter how tempting it may be. Voice acting is terrific with character conversations engaging and immersive, causing you want to listen in on every one, excellently capturing the emotion of the underground, desperate and uneasy.
Gameplay: Minimal Bugs
Autosave and melee attacks are the only things which can slightly hamper the experience. For example, in the "Bandits" level, my first playthrough was frantic, wanting to reach venice as quick as possible,flying past dark, claustrophobic tunnels, foolishly skipping opportunities to gain extra mask filters. The game was autosaved, where I was about to enter a tunnel full of watchmen, with 8 seconds left of air, which required a much more thorough replay of the mission, exploring every haunting nook and cranny, desperately searching for ammunition and mask filters. This was mainly my fault for my stupidity, but autosave can force you to replay entire missions should you be low on ammo or breathing time when it saves. This almost constant desperation on the surface is what makes Last Light so intense and immersive, its a battle for survival, where time is precious. Your main melee attack rarely will actually hit a mutant, which is frustrating at times, although if you've resorted to melee, you're pretty much dead anyway.
On the whole, gameplay is great, where the very linear level design works well with the great graphics and audio to bring you a truly memorable and harrowing experience. Last Light is a game I highly reccomend you should experience