Take the Aurora on an epic, trans-siberian adventure

Metro Exodus is the latest game in the sensational Metro series; developed by 4A Games in 2019, and released to critical acclaim. After amassing hundreds of hours of in-game time,  I will be giving you the ultimate review, listing all the pros and cons, and leaving no stone left unturned! 

About Metro Exodus

Radiation sure makes the local animals bitey...

Metro Exodus - Launch Trailer (Official)

In Metro Exodus, our protagonist Artyom and his companions finally leave the claustrophobic confines of the Moscow metro tunnels in search of a place unaffected by the radiation and mutants, where they can finally settle down in peace. 

The long journey would be impossible if not for The Aurora, our steam train and home, which acts as a hub as we progress through the war-torn lands of Russia, and work our way east. 

Of course, finding our forever home is no easy task, and our heroes must be willing to risk everything to succeed. Along the tracks, we learn that the mutants aren’t the only thing we should be worrying about… 

Metro Exodus Story

Groups of Humanimals can easily overwhelm you

Metro exodus starts our story with Artyom, hopelessly looking for any signs of life outside of Moscow. After uncovering a conspiracy, Artyom, who is now joined with members of the elite Spartan Rangers, must leave the metro tunnels in search of answers. 

The story takes the crew of the Aurora on a year-long quest, where they are challenged by post-apocalypse horrors. Mutated animals of all kinds prowl the land (And waters), and many of the humans we find are no less sinister. One encounter in a bunker filled with cannibals sticks out as particularly memorable…

The levels throughout the game are separated by a mix of linear missions, and several open world maps. There are plenty of side quests in these larger maps, though, most of these are of the standard fetch this or kill that variety. 

Exodus does well to keep you invested in the plot and the characters in our main cast, but the arrival at a location called The Ark happens too soon considering that was the original destination, but that doesn’t hurt the story too much, as there is more than enough motivation for the Spartans to continue their journey.

Metro Exodus Gameplay 

Light will keep you safe from the mutated spiders, until the power goes out…

Metro Exodus - E3 2018 Gameplay Demo (Official 4K)

Metro Exodus’ gameplay is a varied mix of shooting, stealth, and resource management. The open world maps give you the option of choosing what objective you would like to tackle first. Using your binoculars on points of interest will display the objectives on your map, so it helps to scan your environments before proceeding.

Collecting resources is an important process as you explore your surroundings. Materials and chemicals can be found and used for crafting. This includes: weapon cleaning and customisation, gas mask repairs, and making med kits and ammo. 

There is a day-night cycle that drastically changes your experience. During the day, human enemies will be more active and will, of course, spot you easier. At night, humans will keep closer to their camps, but the mutants of the land will be on the hunt. You can use a bed in safe areas to sleep and change the time of day to suit you. 

Stealth is a major element in Exodus’ gameplay. Using the darkness to your advantage, you can sneak up on unwitting bandits and take them out silently. You have the choice of lethal and non-lethal takedowns. Bear in mind, lethal takedowns will negatively affect your ‘Karma’.

Watch out for the deadly ‘Demons’! 

Replayability is encouraged in a couple of different ways. Difficulty levels will change up the frequency that you’ll find ammunition and supplies, and if you’re playing on Ranger Hardcore mode, the hud is almost completely removed for the ultimate immersive experience. 

The previously mentioned karma system is affected by killing human enemies, and doing good deeds for friendly NPCs. Depending on your karma level at the end of the game, you’ll end up with either the good or bad ending. 

This karma system is both good and bad. It’s a hidden system, so you will have no idea which ending you’re likely to get until the final moment. On the plus side, one ending means you now get to play the game again to experience the other.

Metro Exodus Combat

Slavers of The Caspian take ‘kill it with fire’ literally!

Weapon handling is a treat 

From what you have already learnt about Exodus, you won’t be surprised to hear that you’re never too far from a fight. Fortunately, combat is where this game excels. 

Gunplay feels extremely tight and satisfying, as you mow down groups of bandits and mutants. You’re no one-man army, though; as one quick burst of enemy rifle fire will stop you in your tracks. Taking cover in firefights is key.

Kill enough of your foes, and the rest may surrender

Your weapon arsenal has been reduced from the previous game in the series ‘Last Light’, but Exodus makes up for this with weapon mods. Some modifications can completely change how a gun feels and performs. 

Some situations will encourage you to use stealth to eliminate hostiles silently. Using the gas powered Tikhar and throwing knives will help you thin down squads and cause disarray when their bodies are located.  

Dealing with the mutants of the land is much more unpredictable. Packs of Watchmen will gladly stalk you until the perfect moment to strike and will work together to flank and catch you unawares. You’ll need to watch your back at all times, and never let your guard down!

Metro Exodus Quest/Mission System

Assume you are being watched at all times! 

Missions within the world of Metro Exodus are typically given to the player in the form of conversations with the friendly NPCs and crew of the Aurora; usually our fearless but sometimes naive leader, Colonel Miller. 

These missions will be displayed on our map, so you will always know where to head to follow the main story. Of course, in the open world maps, you’re free to go wherever you please. 

One notable quest in the early stages of the game has you rendezvous with a local engineer called Krest. You’ll need to shoot your way through hordes of zombie-like creatures named Humanimals in a tense battle before you can link up and have him join our ranks of outcasts.

Metro Exodus Graphics

Sure, the world’s out to kill you. But doesn’t it look pretty! 

This horrifying world is a treat on the eyes

Despite being released 5 years ago, Metro Exodus’ graphics still look phenomenal to this day. Environments, characters, and items are all extremely detailed, and animations are smooth. With current hardware, you should be able to run this at 60fps in 4k. 

Graphically, lighting is where Exodus really shines (No pun intended). During the night and dark sections, light realistically lights up the areas around them, and makes the dark feel even darker. 

This is all the result of the Ray Tracing that Metro Exodus utilises excellently. All objects in the world reflect or block light sources, depending on the material. This realistic lighting ensures your sneaking paths are easily spotted. 

The only element that lets the graphics down are some low detailed floor textures (Usually outside locations). This sticks out most likely due to the rest of the game looking so good, and most of the time isn’t that noticeable.

Metro Exodus DLC and Expansions

Explore a new world in Sam’s Story

There have been two expansions released for Metro Exodus. The Two Colonels was released first, and is a linear, atmospheric story based around a colonel named Khelebnikov and his son, struggling to survive in the metro tunnels of Novosibirsk. 

The Two Colonels also includes The Aurora’s own Colonel Miller, following in the footsteps of Khelebnikov, and eventually leads to an emotional conclusion. This one is definitely worth playing for fans of the original games. 

The second expansion is named Sam’s Story, and is more familiar to the base game of Exodus. You play as Sam, another crew member of the Aurora, who is now trying to get back to the US, his native country he has not seen in decades.

You find yourself in a semi-open world in the far east city of Vladivostok. Here you learn of a nuclear submarine which could take you across the Pacific Ocean; but a gang of bandits, and the terrifying Batwing stand in your way.

These expansions both have a lot to offer a player, and their inclusion only adds to the quality of the overall game. One complaint about Sam’s Story would be the voice acting for the character of Sam. A lot of his lines seem really out of place, especially during action scenes.

Metro Exodus Developer

4A Games are no strangers to atmospheric experiences

4A Games developed Metro Exodus, and from release in February 2019, they provided consistent updates and bug fixes up until May 2021. 

In addition to the DLC’s, 4A also released a free, enhanced edition to take advantage of Ray Tracing-capable GPUs, and also improves frame rates, with sharper image details. 

Despite the updates, Exodus still suffers with some bugs. These can occur pretty regularly if you’re jumping over or on top of objects. Also, if you’re unfortunate enough to fall from a great height; you might end up falling through the map.

Metro Exodus Price 

Your terrifying travel companion through The Taiga

At the time of writing, you can pick up Metro Exodus for extremely good value! On Steam, the base game is up for sale for £5.29, and the Gold Edition with both DLC is only £6.99.

On consoles you’ll be paying a bit more. Both the Xbox and PlayStation store, They’ll up for £24.99 for the base game, and £34.99 for the Gold Edition. While more than worth your money paying this price, I would recommend waiting for one of the frequent sales before purchasing. 

There are no cosmetic items or pay to win elements available to buy, you’ll be pleased to hear; just the two editions of the game, so you won’t be spending any more hard earned money, no matter how many hours you put into it. 

Final Verdict

Bandits and slavers will try to make you regret leaving the metro tunnels

Metro Exodus is a great addition to the Metro series, and manages to maintain all the atmosphere and horror of the linear games, and combine it with a more open and detailed experience. 

Pros

• Great gunplay 
• Tense horror and atmosphere
• Fun enemies to fight, with smart AI 
• Fantastic lighting
• Gripping story

Cons
 

• Confusing Karma system 
• Easily encountered bugs 
• Occasional low detailed textures 
• Bad voice acting in Sam’s Story DLC

Verdict: 9/10