A whole new world.

The Metro series has always been a unique take on the FPS genre. The first game was rough around the edges with an interesting premise and narrative. I still think about those endings to this day. The second cleaned up a lot of the issues from the first one, while delivering a solid follow-up to the adventures of Artyom. Metro Exodus is the most ambitious title to date. Artyom and his cohorts are going topside finally, the world is at their disposal, and it is time to complete the trilogy in grand fashion.

The biggest change with Exodus is the expansion of the world. Taking to the surface for nearly the entire game, Exodus exchanges the linear design of the original games and instead offers players a series of open environments complete with plenty of side missions and world building to discover. Each new area the crew visits features new environments and characters to interact with. It makes the world feel alive and open.

MSRP: $59.99
Platforms: XB1 (reviewed), PS4, PC
Price I’d Pay: $59.99

Early on players get access to the Aurora, a train that takes them across the world as they search for answers and a new place to start the world over after the bombs have dropped. Along the way they meet new friends and crew members while also uncovering what has happened to the world for the two decades they had survived inside the Metro.

Metro Exodus attempts to create the world with plenty of tender narrative moments among the people on the train. Not just with Artyom and his love Anna, but the entire team. This is a risk, as the game spends lengthy amounts of time with zero action, just button prompts and conversation, not dissimilar to the camp sequences in Red Dead Redemption 2. There are a ton of characters to get to know, and it really feels like a journey with these characters. I liked playing guitar, enjoying dinner, or just having long conversations with my ragtag band of soldiers.

Without spoiling too much of the main story, there are a few beats from previous games that seem completely forgotten. The narrative really focuses on the world outside the Metro and the team’s need to journey and survive. Survive is a good word, since this entry feels more focused on that. I would find plenty of scrap in the world that I would use to craft ammo as well as repair and clean my guns and equipment. It is a mild system that doesn’t step on its own feet. I never felt unable to complete any mission, nor was any mission a complete pushover. This is a challenging game, but thankfully players can change the difficulty at any point in the journey.

Like previous games, Exodus is still a Metro game at heart. It is unlike any other shooter I have ever played. There are a ton of systems to deal with. Whether it is charging up my pneumatic gun or my mobile power supply, there is a lot to manage. The environments are creepy and genuinely engulfing. I felt like I was in this world.

A lot of this has to do with how ridiculously gorgeous this game is. I played on Xbox One X and there are simply times I had to stop and just stare. The 4K resolution really makes the rundown dystopia stand out. Each new hub area is completely different than the last, complete with new mutated creatures and insane humans to deal with. This is a showpiece in graphical design and I still cannot believe how good it looks.

My journey didn’t come without issues though. The shooting still feels loose in a lot of respects. Even after tweaking the in-game options, it never felt great to me. I ended up sticking with the shotgun for close range action. I also had quite a few hard locks during my playthrough. Nothing seemed to trigger this. It would just lock and I would have to close the app. Luckily the autosave happens often. This being the biggest and most ambitious Metro game to date likely attributed to these issues, and I am positive 4A Games will iron them out, but it definitely interrupted my play time in the world.

Metro Exodus is the most ambitious game in the series to date, and also the most impressive. The visuals are absolutely stunning, the world is incredibly detailed, and I loved finishing out this unique trilogy. 4A Games continues to impress and I cannot wait to see what they tackle next. Exodus is a proper entry in the series and should be experienced by everyone who enjoys it. I wish they had touched more on some of the earlier threads of the series, but this is still one of the most engrossing games I have ever played.

Review copy of game provided by publisher.

Good
  • Absolutely gorgeous
  • The world is large and interesting
  • Creepy atmosphere
  • Interesting characters and interactions
Bad
  • Some minor technical issues
  • Shooting still feels awkward at times
9
Excellent
Written by
Ken is the Editor-in-Chief of this hole in the wall and he loves to troll for the fun of it. He also enjoys long walks through Arkham Asylum and the cool air of Shadow Moses Island. His turn-ons include Mortal Kombat, Metal Gear Solid and StarCraft.