Metro Exodus was inspired by 2015’s Metro 2035 by Dmitry Glukhovsky’s third Metro book, which was itself inspired by Metro: Last Light
Metro Exodus
A BEAUTIFULLY CRAFTED, YET SOMEWHAT TRADITIONAL, RIDE OUT OF THE METRO
PUBLISHER DEEP SILVER / DEVELOPER 4A GAMES / RELEASE DATE 15 FEBRUARY 2019 / COST £49.99/$59.99
of the realistic snow effects that are
the franchise’s trademark – along with
some convincing desert sandstorms
and lashings of beautifully textured
rusty, steampunk-style metal.Back in the USSR
Metro Exodus begins with franchise
protagonist Artyom above ground in
Moscow, obsessively scanning the
airwaves for evidence of life beyond
the Russian capital. A breakneck story
exposition ensues (mixed up with a
whirlwind tutorial), which contains a
few plot holes (Artyom’s fellow elite
soldiers from the Order Of Spartans
conveniently and inexplicably keep
arriving to rescue him and his wife
Anna), and ends up with Artyom and
his fellow Spartans ensconced on
a steam train, heading off to find a
radiation-free place in which to settle.
However dubiously achieved it may
be, it’s a great premise which makes
Metro Exodus feel different to the rest
of the series. Artyom and his crewThe Metro franchise
has steadily built
up a cult following
since 2010’s Metro
2033 , thanks to its
judicious mix of
shooter, stealth and horror elements,
along with its distinctively Russian
flavour and technical prowess. Metro
Exodus builds on those elements –
but it does also mark a change-up
for the franchise designed to help it
infiltrate the mainstream.
At first glance you’d be tempted
to classify it as a tad old-fashioned.
Bucking just about every modern
trend, it is single-player-only, has a
number of single-path sequences and
concentrates on relating a convoluted,
but carefully paced, storyline. We can
safely assert that it won’t suddenly
acquire a battle royale mode.
If it sounds traditional on paper, it
certainly doesn’t feel that way: it looks
magnificent, running smoothly in 4K
on an Xbox One X and boasting plenty
embark on a veritable odyssey; their
new-found quest wouldn’t be out of
place in an RPG. During the course
of it, the gang encounters religious
fanatics who abhor electricity as if
it were the devil, cannibals, slavers,
mutated animals and an ever-growing
cast of eccentrics and weirdos. Its
story is impeccably paced, with a deep
understanding of ebb and flow.
The gameplay also impresses. There
are plenty of conventional shooter
sequences, but others which very
much emanate from the realms of
survival horror, and stealth features
heavily, too. At times, you encounter
light puzzles, and you also get to row
boats and drive trains.
4A Games appears to have
consciously decided to make
Metro Exodus’s control system
more accessible than those of its
predecessors. Gameplay-wise, it’s
a lot more forgiving – although you
still have to scavenge every enemy
you shoot for bullets and craftingshort
cutWHAT IS IT?
A post-apocalyptic
shooter with some
stealth and survival
horror elements.
WHAT’S IT LIKE?
More modern than it
sounds, with an
absorbing story, great
pacing and varied
game design.
WHO’S IT FOR?
Those who like their
shooters
single-player,
challenging and
thought-provoking.078 THE OFFICIAL XBOX MAGAZINE
REVIEW