Originally released in 2010 by 4A Games, Metro 2033 became a new standard in first person survival horror.
Set in a decimated Moscow after a nuclear war, players controlled Artyom and followed his tales as he and other survivors are forced to live underground in a desperate attempt to stay alive. 2013 brought the continuation of Artyom’s story, titled Metro Last Light. Now 4A returns again with a brand new chapter titled Metro Exodus.
Coming out from the tunnels and into the world above, we now are faced with new dangers and threats. My time with Metro Exodus set me on board a train that comes to a halt in snow covered terrain near a body of water.
Out in the distance, I could see timid creatures like rabbits as well as new creatures looking at me for their next meal. The wreckage of buildings around the lake and a industrial style complex was out in the distance as well.
We traveled out to rescue a woman proficient in the medical field, sending me to a position on a map with no direct path to get there. Patches of radiation forced me to put on my mask to avoid harm, and navigating the terrain was rough.
My goal was in the middle of the large body of water close to the tracks. Jumping into the water caused me to struggle back onto the closest piece of land, quite possibly due to the weight of my own gear. Instead, I was forced to find a boat to reach the destination I was ordered to go to.
Picking up scraps and items along the way played a key role in my survival and encouraged the crafting mechanics of the game. Rarely would items be of great use, like parts for guns, however, to my relief I would find some ammunition to aid in my defense as I fought off come creatures.
However, through my collections I was able to quickly craft some items for my survival. By either using some materials I found or breaking down to unused equipment into components, I was able to create items like basic medical kits. The scarcity of items really helped bring the feeling that everything I found had some type of value.
Rowing into my location I was greeted to a fanatical religious sermon. A young girl has been caught prior to my arrival and they charged for her to be killed as a heretic, but ultimately the pastor waved them off – sparing her. While being forced to listen and ultimately having my boat locked in a cage, I knew I was going to have trouble.
When I found the medic, she told me I need to leave as the fanatics will soon come to find me. She pointed out there’s another boat, and promptly showed me the route to escape – while giving her assurance she would get to the train safely.
The new mechanic for modifying my gun was a lifesaver.
Different sections of the guns I currently had were able to be changed with parts I had on hand. Having a sight on a gun could be removed or replaced with another or a scope. The barrel was able to be modified for more power. The game itself is very generous and wants the player to be able to adapt and defend themselves to different situations quickly.
The ensuing firefights kept me under a lot of pressure. Lack of ammunition forced me to be smart with my approach. Much rather than opting to run in and fight, I opted to lay low and let the fanatics come to me. However, being overconfident, I did not watch my flank and was gunned down and had to try again.
During my next attempt I was successful. After gunning down a few of my aggressors they proceeded to drop their weapons. Despite this, they kept calling me a heretic and wanted me gone – so my path was clear. I continued proceeding back to the train for a job well done.
For both fans old and new comers, Metro Exodus will bring intense situations and demand you to find the keys to survival. Much rather than focusing on the dark, enclosed areas from the prior parts of the series, it aims to bring the continuation of its story but in a much wider, open world.
Metro Exodus is launching across Windows PC, PlayStation 4, and Xbox One on February 22nd of next year.
