Metro 2033 is a first-person action shooter about survival in a world after a nuclear war. Players are faced with the task of fighting in order to survive in this hostile environment. The world is full of dangerous creatures, such as the undead, mutants, and madmen. In order to survive, players must utilize all their skills. They can get help from their fellow survivors, who are known as the "Metros".

Players are required to collect resources and build weapons in order to fend off dangerous mobs. This is one of the major gameplay aspects of Metro 2033. Resources are required to build weapons and armor, which can be used to survive the vicious attacks of the enemies. In order to build weapons and armor, players are required to gather materials. Some of these materials can be found in the world, while others need to be collected.