In 2010, developer 4A Games released Metro 2033, a survival first-person shooter set in a post nuclear war Moscow. Based on Dmitry Glukhovsky’s novel of the same name, the game showcased a grim, futuristic setting: Earth’s surface had become toxic from radiation and terrifying monsters roamed the land, which left survivors to seek shelter in underground metro tunnels. The game featured claustrophobic environments, horror elements, tense gunfights, and an appealing plot. A sequel, Metro Last Light, was released in 2013, and while both games received critical praise and commercial success, they never quite reached the levels of popularity that other iconic shooters have attained.
Now, 4A Games is gearing up to release the latest installment, Metro Exodus, and it’s shaping up to be the game to finally bring the series into the mainstream. While the first two games in the series were relatively similar to each other, Metro Exodus looks to change up much of its gameplay elements in a, literal, big way. Despite major gameplay changes, Metro Exodus will still retain elements that made the game a cult hit. The series unsettling atmosphere and intriguing world-building was what immersed fans into the series, and the next installment hopes to contain those elements into massive, non-linear levels.
Metro Exodus Story
Brave new world: explore open-world environments in a post-apocalyptic Russia.
The story of Metro Exodus takes place in 2036, two years after the events Metro Last Light. Players will control Artyom, the protagonist from the first two games, and will venture out of the metro to embark on a post-apocalyptic, continent-spanning journey through Russia in search of new life. The player will be joined by a band of Spartan Rangers as they make their way east. Helping them along the journey, by is the Aurora: a reinforced steam locomotive that’s suited to defend itself against hostile creatures. The story will take place across the period of one year as players will witness seasonal changes through spring, autumn, summer, and even the harsh, nuclear winter.
Metro Exodus Release Date
Metro Exodus was originally set to release this year, but is now slated for a February 22, 2019 release. The game will launch on PC, PS4, and Xbox One, and is being developed by 4A games, who previously worked on the last two Metro titles. Metro Exodus was revealed, via a teaser trailer, during Microsoft’s press conference at E3 2017, which showcased the game’s mechanics and gorgeous, post-apocalyptic environments.
Metro Exodus Gameplay
Metro Exodus is a first-person shooter with elements of survival-horror gameplay. Players will utilize an arsenal of firearms to engage in firefights with other survivors throughout their journey, but must be careful not to use up scarce resources and ammunition. Humans aren’t the only danger in Metro Exodus, as there will be hostile creatures to contend with as well. These creatures are a result of the nuclear fallout that devastated the surface – and they come in a variety of different forms. There’s creatures that look like, zombies, mutated dogs, gargoyles, and even mutated sea life. One of the more recent gameplay trailers showcased a unique enemy: a blue light that floats around certain areas, emitting deadly radiation for those unlucky enough to get close to it. Players will need to scavenge the wasteland, looking for parts and ammunition, if they wish to stand a chance against hostile tribes and mutated monsters lurking about.
Scavenge and build: collect parts throughout the wasteland to craft weapons that cater to your playstyle
Luckily, there’s plenty of firepower to go around, especially when customization is possible. Through scavenging for parts, players will have access to in-depth customization for their weapons. Throughout the game’s world, players will find workbenches to craft and modify new materials and weapons. Weapon efficiency will be based on five stats: damage, accuracy, rate of fire, stability, and magazine. These stats can be altered by equipping many combinations of stocks, barrels, magazines, scopes, and other parts to build your own personalized weapon. These weapons can also degrade, accumulating dirt and grime over time, and will need to be cleaned to maintain the weapon’s stats.
Weapons will not be the only items you can craft. Gas masks, med packs, ammunition, and throwable items can all be crafted at a workbench. This in depth crafting and modification system will encourage players to explore their surroundings in search of parts. Crafting a reliable weapon will be of good use against the dangers players will face on the surface world.
The first two games in the Metro franchise primarily took place in the underground metro systems, giving the game a unique, claustrophic atmosphere. Metro Exodus will be no different, despite trailers showing a more open-world experience. Throughout the game’s plot, players will roam around outdoor, sandbox-style levels, where they’ll have the freedom to explore and engage with enemies in numerous ways. If you’re the run and gun type; you can dive straight into a group of hostile enemies, using your customized weapons to inflict massive damage. Or, you can take a more stealthy approach by choosing the side route to sneak around an enemy encampment.
Despite 4A Games taking a more open-world approach to the next installment in the Metro franchise, the game will still have its moments of tense, closed-quarters events that the franchise is known for. During a demo trailer at E3 2018, the developers showcased a moment where the main character, Artyom, must search for his wife, Anna, in one of the open-world environments. This mission leads him trapped in an enclosed area underground – where the threat of radiation still persists. The player must rely on their gas mask while searching for a way out. This scenario leads to a stressful moment where the player must find an escape route before running out of clean air. Those intense, claustrophic elements of the first two games are still preserved in Metro Exodus
Another new feature of Metro Exodus is the game’s environmental changes. The game will implement a day and night cycle, which will open up new tactical options depending on character visibility. Enemies will be on patrol during the day, and the player will be incredibly visible while the sun is out. At night, less enemies will be on patrol, with most of them either asleep or huddled around a fire, giving the player a much easier time to sneak through their facility. Also, weather will have an effect on the environment. A strong storm at night will keep the player in cover, making stealth a much easier option by staying in the shadows. Metro Exodus is building heavily on the foundation set by previous entries, but retains enough elements that made the franchise so memorable for fans of the series.
Metro Exodus Trailers
The reveal trailer for Metro Exodus. First announced at E3 2017:
Trailer that showcases the Aurora: a heavily modified steam-powered locomotive:
Gameplay demo that was revealed at E3 2018. This video showcased most of the game’s mechanics, which includes: crafting, customization, environments, weather systems, and day and night cycle:
Metro Exodus Developer
Metro Exodus is being developed by 4A games, who worked on the first two entries in the Metro series. Andriy Prokhorov is the creative director for the game, with Jon Bloch serving as executive producer. 4A Games was founded by Oles' Shiskovtsov and Aleksandr Maksimchuk, who were former programmers for GSC Game World, a development company who worked on the S.T.A.L.K.E.R. series, another first-person survival shooter set in a post-apocalyptic world
Metro Exodus News
Metro Exodus revealed a demo trailer at E3 2018, which showcased the game’s mechanics and gorgeous wasteland environments. 4A Games Executive producer, Jon Bloch, was interviewed at E3 about the upcoming game. He spoke at length about the inclusion of an open-world environment, offering players a dynamic gameplay experience, and the state of the game’s development. Currently, the development team is working on finishing touches, such as making sure the graphics are polished, and tightening the gameplay.
Metro Exodus Price
Metro Exodus is being developed by 4A games and published by Deep Silver. The game will retail at $59.99 when it lands on PC, Xbox One, and PS4 on February 22, 2019.
