''Metro Exodus'' is a 2019
first-person shooter game developed by
4A Games
4A Games Limited is a Ukrainian-Maltese video game developer based in Sliema, Malta. The company was founded in Kyiv, Ukraine, in 2006 by three developers who departed from GSC Game World. In 2014, 4A Games moved its headquarters to Sliema, wher ...
and published by
Deep Silver
Deep Silver is an Austrian video game publisher and a division of Plaion.
History
Deep Silver was announced in November 2002, with their first release to be '' Anarchy Online: The Notum Wars''. According to Craig McNichol, who ran Koch Medi ...
. The game is the third installment in the
''Metro'' video game series, which is based on
Dmitry Glukhovsky
Dmitry Alekseyevich Glukhovsky (, born 12 June 1979) is a Russian author, best known for the science fiction novel '' Metro 2033'' and its sequels. As a journalist, Dmitry Glukhovsky has worked for Euronews, RT in its early years, and others. ...
's novels. It is a sequel to ''
Metro: Last Light'' and the book ''
Metro 2035'', and follows protagonist Artyom and his crew as they flee the
Moscow Metro
The Moscow Metro) is a rapid transit system in the Moscow Oblast of Russia. It serves the capital city of Moscow and the neighbouring cities of Krasnogorsk, Moscow Oblast, Krasnogorsk, Reutov, Lyubertsy, and Kotelniki. Opened in 1935 with one l ...
and set off with their allies on an intercontinental journey through Russia and parts of Kazakhstan on a locomotive called ''Aurora''. The story takes place over a year, during which Artyom visits locations such as the
Volga River
The Volga (, ) is the longest river in Europe and the longest endorheic basin river in the world. Situated in Russia, it flows through Central Russia to Southern Russia and into the Caspian Sea. The Volga has a length of , and a catchment ...
and the
Caspian Sea
The Caspian Sea is the world's largest inland body of water, described as the List of lakes by area, world's largest lake and usually referred to as a full-fledged sea. An endorheic basin, it lies between Europe and Asia: east of the Caucasus, ...
. The game improves on the gameplay mechanics of ''Last Light''; it includes several miniature
open world
In video games, an open world is a virtual world in which the Gamer, player can approach objectives freely, as opposed to a world with more linear and structured gameplay. Notable games in this category include ''The Legend of Zelda (video game ...
locations and has linear levels like earlier games in the series.
Starting in 2014, the game was developed by a team of around 150 based in
Kyiv
Kyiv, also Kiev, is the capital and most populous List of cities in Ukraine, city of Ukraine. Located in the north-central part of the country, it straddles both sides of the Dnieper, Dnieper River. As of 1 January 2022, its population was 2, ...
and
Malta
Malta, officially the Republic of Malta, is an island country in Southern Europe located in the Mediterranean Sea, between Sicily and North Africa. It consists of an archipelago south of Italy, east of Tunisia, and north of Libya. The two ...
. The ''Exodus'' studio's main objective was to combine the core gameplay pillars of the ''Metro'' series with elements from ''
S.T.A.L.K.E.R.: Shadow of Chernobyl'' (2007), which prioritizes
emergent gameplay
Emergent gameplay refers to complex situations in video games, board games, or role-playing games that emerge from the interaction of relatively simple game mechanics.
Designers have attempted to encourage emergent play by providing tools to play ...
and features a large, explorable space. The team experimented with open-world gameplay and excluded mission markers so that players can explore naturally. 4A collaborated with Glukhovsky on the game's story, which focuses more on Artyom's personal story and relationships, forgoing some of the supernatural elements found in previous games for a more grounded story.
''Metro Exodus'' was released for
PlayStation 4
The PlayStation 4 (PS4) is a home video game console developed by Sony Interactive Entertainment. Announced as the successor to the PlayStation 3 in February 2013, it was launched on November 15, 2013, in North America, November 29, 2013, in ...
,
Windows
Windows is a Product lining, product line of Proprietary software, proprietary graphical user interface, graphical operating systems developed and marketed by Microsoft. It is grouped into families and subfamilies that cater to particular sec ...
and
Xbox One
The Xbox One is a home video game console developed by Microsoft. Announced in May 2013, it is the successor to Xbox 360 and the third console in the Xbox#Consoles, Xbox series. It was first released in North America, parts of Europe, Austra ...
in February 2019. An upgraded version of the game titled ''Metro Exodus Enhanced Edition'' was released for
PlayStation 5
The PlayStation 5 (PS5) is a home video game console developed by Sony Interactive Entertainment. It was announced as the successor to the PlayStation 4 in April 2019, was launched on November 12, 2020, in Australia, Japan, New Zealand, North ...
, Windows, and
Xbox Series X/S
The Xbox Series X and Xbox Series S are the fourth generation of consoles in the Xbox series, succeeding the previous generation's Xbox One. Released on November 10, 2020, the higher-end Xbox Series X and lower-end Xbox Series S are part o ...
in May 2021. The game received generally positive reviews from critics, who praised its visuals, level design, gameplay and story. It has sold over 10 million units as of February 2024. Two downloadable expansions titled ''The Two Colonels'' and ''Sam's Story'', each of which features a new playable character, were released in August 2019 and February 2020, respectively. In November 2020, it was announced that a sequel is in development.
Gameplay
Like earlier games in the series, ''Metro Exodus'' is a
first-person shooter
A first-person shooter (FPS) is a video game genre, video game centered on gun fighting and other weapon-based combat seen from a First person (video games), first-person perspective, with the player experiencing the action directly through t ...
. The player controls player-character Artyom, who must leave the tunnels of Moscow and travel across the post-apocalyptic wasteland of the former
Russian Federation
Russia, or the Russian Federation, is a country spanning Eastern Europe and North Asia. It is the list of countries and dependencies by area, largest country in the world, and extends across Time in Russia, eleven time zones, sharing Borders ...
and
Republic of Kazakhstan
Kazakhstan, officially the Republic of Kazakhstan, is a landlocked country primarily in Central Asia, with a European Kazakhstan, small portion in Eastern Europe. It borders Russia to the Kazakhstan–Russia border, north and west, China to th ...
while fighting against mutated creatures and hostile humans. The game occurs in one in-game year; environments change along with the seasons as the story progresses. Like earlier ''Metro'' games, ''Metro Exodus'' includes linear missions and introduces several large, open spaces for players to explore. Using binoculars, players can identify points of interest in the game's map. Players can find collectible items such as diary entries and postcards. Some areas are severely
irradiated
Irradiation is the process by which an object is exposed to radiation. An irradiator is a device used to expose an object to radiation, most often gamma radiation, for a variety of purposes. Irradiators may be used for sterilizing medical and p ...
and a gas mask must be worn due to toxic air. Each gas filter lasts one minute each, and these must be replaced provided the player has more in reserve.
Players must wipe off dirt and blood splatter that collect on the gas mask, which may crack if it is damaged, and players must temporarily repair it using
duct tape
Duct tape or duck tape is cloth- or scrim-backed pressure-sensitive tape, often coated with polyethylene. A variety of constructions exist using different backings and adhesives, and the term "duct tape" has been genericized to refer to all o ...
.
The game features a minimalist
head-up display
A head-up display, or heads-up display, also known as a HUD () or head-up guidance system (HGS), is any transparent display that presents data without requiring users to look away from their usual viewpoints. The origin of the name stems from a ...
(HUD); information is usually displayed to the player through tangible objects.
For instance, a timer on Artyom's wristwatch shows how long until the current filter expires.
A compass that displays the direction of their objectives can be attached to the wristwatch.
Players can use firearms such as pistols, shotguns, sniper rifles, and submachine guns, as well as air-powered weapons such as the Tikhar and the Helsing
crossbow
A crossbow is a ranged weapon using an Elasticity (physics), elastic launching device consisting of a Bow and arrow, bow-like assembly called a ''prod'', mounted horizontally on a main frame called a ''tiller'', which is hand-held in a similar f ...
, to defeat enemies. Consumables such as
Molotov cocktail
A Molotov cocktail (among several other names – ''see '') is a hand-thrown incendiary weapon consisting of a frangible container filled with flammable substances and equipped with a Fuse (explosives), fuse (typically a glass bottle filled wit ...
s and grenades can also be used against enemies. The player can carry three weapons at any one time. Players can swap their equipped weapons with those they find in the game world; weapons may also be dismantled for parts and resources. Weapons can be extensively customized; for instance, a laser sight may be attached to a weapon to increase its accuracy.
Players must scavenge for resources as they explore the game's world. In addition to ammunition, players must collect "chemicals" and "materials", both of which are necessary for crafting new consumables and ammunition. Players can craft gas filters, medkits, and ammunition for air-powered weapons by deploying Artyom's backpack. Ammunition for regular weapons must be crafted at workbenches on ''Aurora''.
At workbenches, players can also permanently repair their gas masks and clean their weapons. Performance of uncleaned weapons will decrease and they may
jam
Fruit preserves are preparations of fruits whose main preserving agent is sugar and sometimes acid, often stored in glass jars and used as a condiment or spread.
There are many varieties of fruit preserves globally, distinguished by the meth ...
during combat.
Through exploring and completing side activities, players will find new gears and upgrades; for instance, they will acquire
night-vision goggles
A night-vision device (NVD), also known as a night optical/observation device (NOD) or night-vision goggle (NVG), is an optoelectronic device that allows visualization of images in low levels of light, improving the user's night vision.
The ...
in the Volga River map and a
motion tracker in the Caspian Sea level, both of which can aid the player in combat.
Players can approach their missions in a variety of ways. They can use
stealth tactics such as turning off lights to remain hidden and throwing a can to distract enemies. Alternatively, they can use a lethal approach such as tossing a
throwing knife
A throwing knife is a knife that is specially designed and weighted so that it can be thrown effectively. They are a distinct category from ordinary knives.
Throwing knives are used by many cultures around the world, and as such different tact ...
at enemies to quietly kill them.
Players are encouraged to plan before approaching a mission. The behavior of enemies, which are controlled by
artificial intelligence
Artificial intelligence (AI) is the capability of computer, computational systems to perform tasks typically associated with human intelligence, such as learning, reasoning, problem-solving, perception, and decision-making. It is a field of re ...
, may change depending on the time of day. For instance, enemies patrolling a camp during daytime may retreat and sleep inside the camp at night, making infiltration easier. The game has a dynamic weather system, allowing players to take advantages of storms and rain, which mask the sounds of Artyom's footsteps. The time of day can be changed at safehouses in the game's world. Not all human survivors are hostile; some may provide valuable information and open up new points of interest, and some may join Artyom's crew. Subtle moral choices in the game provide karma; good karma can be gained by helping
non-playable character
A non-player character (NPC) is a character in a game that is not controlled by a player. The term originated in traditional tabletop role-playing games where it applies to characters controlled by the gamemaster (or referee) rather than by a ...
s, speaking with survivors with Artyom's gun holstered, and sparing enemies who have surrendered. Karma affects the ending the player experiences.
Synopsis
Setting and characters
''Metro Exodus'' is set in 2035, one year after the events of ''
Metro: Last Light'', on a post-apocalyptic Earth that has been devastated by a
nuclear war
Nuclear warfare, also known as atomic warfare, is a War, military conflict or prepared Policy, political strategy that deploys nuclear weaponry. Nuclear weapons are Weapon of mass destruction, weapons of mass destruction; in contrast to conven ...
. Many parts of the world are uninhabitable due to radiation, forcing humans to create communities to survive, and split into factions both peaceful and hostile, who often fight against one another and against aggressive mutant creatures that roam the surface and underground. The game continues the story from ''Metro: Last Light''s "Redemption" ending. As in the two preceding games, the player assumes the role of Artyom, who flees the
Moscow Metro
The Moscow Metro) is a rapid transit system in the Moscow Oblast of Russia. It serves the capital city of Moscow and the neighbouring cities of Krasnogorsk, Moscow Oblast, Krasnogorsk, Reutov, Lyubertsy, and Kotelniki. Opened in 1935 with one l ...
and sets off on a locomotive called the ''Aurora'' with his allies on a journey to the Far East. The story takes place over one year, starting with a harsh
nuclear winter
Nuclear winter is a severe and prolonged anti-greenhouse effect, global climatic cooling effect that is hypothesized to occur after widespread firestorms following a large-scale Nuclear warfare, nuclear war. The hypothesis is based on the fact ...
in the Metro. Anna, another major character in the preceding game and the book ''
Metro 2035'', is now Artyom's wife. Miller, Anna's father and leader of the militaristic Spartan Order in previous games and novels, returns. Artyom's Spartan comrades include Alyosha, Damir, Duke, Idiot, Sam, Stepan, and Tokarev. Other characters who join the ''Aurora'' crew during their journey include an engineer named Yermak, a nurse named Katya, Katya's daughter Nastya, and a mechanic named Krest.
Plot
After
the attack on D6, Artyom becomes disillusioned with the constant infighting and corruption within the Metro and leaves the Spartan Order. He becomes obsessed with proving other humans outside of Moscow have survived and makes numerous dangerous expeditions to the surface. During an expedition with Anna, they witness a working train running on the surface. Before they can follow it, they and a group of people who claim to be from outside Moscow are captured by Hansa soldiers. The Hansa soldiers execute the other prisoners, and Artyom is shot and Anna is taken hostage. Artyom survived the shooting; he follows the soldiers to rescue Anna and inadvertently destroys a signal
jammer
Jammer may refer to:
Signal blocking devices
* Radar jammer, a device used in radar jamming and deception
* Radio jammer, a device used in radio jamming
* Radio-controlled Improvised Explosive Device jammer, a counter-IED device
* Mobile phon ...
that was blocking all radio communications between Moscow and the outside world. Radio transmissions from all over the world begin to be received, and Artyom and Anna realize humanity has not gone extinct. They escape by stealing one of Hansa's locomotives that they later name ''Aurora''.
As the train leaves, the Spartan Order moves in to retake it, and are shocked and confused at Artyom's and Anna's presence. Knowing Hansa will kill all of them for knowing the truth, Miller concludes the Spartans' best chance of survival is to flee Moscow. Once outside the city, Miller tells the others while many of Russia's cities were bombed, the war did not end and
NATO
The North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO ; , OTAN), also called the North Atlantic Alliance, is an intergovernmental organization, intergovernmental Transnationalism, transnational military alliance of 32 Member states of NATO, member s ...
has occupied the remains of the nation. To prevent NATO from attacking Moscow, the Russian leadership decided to secretly jam all communications to make the outside world believe nobody had survived. They receive a radio broadcast from Moscow Defense Command calling for survivors to rally at the "Ark", which is located at
Mount Yamantau. Miller decides to go to the Ark, believing the Russian government has rebuilt itself there.
After crossing the
Volga River
The Volga (, ) is the longest river in Europe and the longest endorheic basin river in the world. Situated in Russia, it flows through Central Russia to Southern Russia and into the Caspian Sea. The Volga has a length of , and a catchment ...
controlled by a technophobic cult, the Spartans reach the Yamantau base, and discover its service-and-construction crew have devolved into cannibals who lure survivors with the false promise of safety. Artyom and the Spartans fight their way out and escape. Miller is enraged that he and the rest of the Order as well as the people of the Metro have been fooled all along by the remnant of the Russian leadership the entire time since there were never any occupation forces and the war truly ended the entire time. Using a map they recovered from Yamantau, they travel to a satellite communication center near the dried-out
Caspian Sea
The Caspian Sea is the world's largest inland body of water, described as the List of lakes by area, world's largest lake and usually referred to as a full-fledged sea. An endorheic basin, it lies between Europe and Asia: east of the Caucasus, ...
, which is now inhabited by raiders, hoping to gain access to a satellite and find habitable land to settle. As the Spartans continue their journey, Anna falls ill from previously breathing poison gas at the Volga. They scout a nearby
taiga
Taiga or tayga ( ; , ), also known as boreal forest or snow forest, is a biome characterized by coniferous forests consisting mostly of pines, spruces, and larches. The taiga, or boreal forest, is the world's largest land biome. In North A ...
forest valley to see if it is suitable to settle but find the dam protecting the valley from radiation is about to fail, making the area uninhabitable. When Artyom returns, he learns Anna's condition has worsened.
The Spartans detour to the heavily-irradiated city of
Novosibirsk
Novosibirsk is the largest city and administrative centre of Novosibirsk Oblast and the Siberian Federal District in Russia. As of the 2021 Russian census, 2021 census, it had a population of 1,633,595, making it the most populous city in Siber ...
, the closest location where an antidote may be found. Despite the risk, Miller and Artyom head into the city alone to search for the antidote. They enter the
Novosibirsk Metro
Novosibirsk Metro is a rapid transit system that serves Novosibirsk, Russia. The system consists of over track on two lines with 13 stations. It opened in January 1986, becoming the eleventh Metro in the USSR and the ninth in the Russian SFSR. Ac ...
and find a young boy named Kirill, the last Novosibirsk survivor, who explains his father left on a mission to obtain a map marking a clean, habitable area. Miller and Artyom split up; Miller goes to find the map and Artyom searches for the antidote. Artyom finds the antidote but a mutant gravely wounds him and he absorbs a heavy dose of radiation. Artyom, Miller, and Kirill return to the train with the map and the antidote; on the return journey, Miller uses a dose of anti-radiation serum meant for himself to save Artyom, and dies of radiation poisoning. The rest of the Spartans donate blood to give Artyom a critical transfusion. Anna is cured with the antidote and with the map, the Spartans settle on the shores of
Lake Baikal
Lake Baikal is a rift lake and the deepest lake in the world. It is situated in southern Siberia, Russia between the Federal subjects of Russia, federal subjects of Irkutsk Oblast, Irkutsk Oblasts of Russia, Oblast to the northwest and the Repu ...
, which is free from radiation.
Artyom's fate depends on the choices the player made during the journey; In the bad ending, Artyom dies from the radiation poisoning, the Spartans and a grieving Anna hold a funeral for him and Artyom and Miller's spirits awaken on a dilapidated version of the ''Aurora'', remaining for eternity in ghostly purgatory. In the good ending, Artyom survives, Miller is buried, and Artyom is selected to replace him as leader of the Spartan Order. Now with a radiation-free home, Artyom decides to return to Moscow and reveal the truth of the world to the survivors of the Metro.
''The Two Colonels''
While Artyom goes to find the cure for Anna's illness in Novosibirsk, Miller begins retracing the steps of Kirill's father Colonel Vyacheslav "Slava" Khlebnikov to find the satellite map. One year prior, Slava worked as a soldier protecting the Novosibirsk Metro while raising Kirill. At the same time, the Novosibirsk Metro government (OSKOM) was planning to evacuate the Metro but there was insufficient anti-radiation serum to protect the entire population. OSKOM began confiscating serum from the populace, causing civil unrest. Civil war broke out in the Metro, forcing Slava to defend OSKOM headquarters from the rebels. General Anatoliy "Tolya" Vinogradov deployed poison gas during the battle, killing almost everybody in the station. When Slava confronted him, Tolya revealed OSKOM leadership had already taken the remaining serum and fled, and had decided to flood the Metro with poison gas to kill the rest of the population. Tolya, who was bitter at being left behind, ordered his men to destroy the OSKOM evacuation train before committing suicide. With no other choice, Slava descended into a mutant-infested bunker to retrieve the map leading to Lake Baikal. He found the map but succumbed to radiation poisoning after losing his dose of serum. In the present, Miller enters the bunker, and finds Slava's body and the map. He tells Slava he did not die in vain and promises to evacuate Kirill from Novosibirsk before leaving.
''Sam's Story''
After the Spartan Order settles in Lake Baikal, one of the Spartans, former
Marine Security Guard
A Marine Security Guard (MSG), also known as a Marine Embassy Guard, is a member of the Marine Corps Embassy Security Group (formerly Marine Security Guard Battalion), a brigade-sized organization of the United States Marine Corps (USMC) whose de ...
Samuel "Sam" Taylor, decides to return to his home in
San Diego
San Diego ( , ) is a city on the Pacific coast of Southern California, adjacent to the Mexico–United States border. With a population of over 1.4 million, it is the List of United States cities by population, eighth-most populous city in t ...
to see if his father survived the nuclear war. Sam travels to the port city of
Vladivostok
Vladivostok ( ; , ) is the largest city and the administrative center of Primorsky Krai and the capital of the Far Eastern Federal District of Russia. It is located around the Zolotoy Rog, Golden Horn Bay on the Sea of Japan, covering an area o ...
where he meets Captain Eduard "Ed" Baranov. Baranov directs Sam to an intact nuclear submarine named ''Mayflower'', which can take Sam back to the United States. Sam and Ed are separated by a mutant attack and Sam is apprehended by men working for Tom, a fellow
American
American(s) may refer to:
* American, something of, from, or related to the United States of America, commonly known as the "United States" or "America"
** Americans, citizens and nationals of the United States of America
** American ancestry, p ...
. Tom says he was an arms dealer who was stranded in Russia after the nuclear attacks, and asks Sam to find Ed, who is the only person who knows how to refuel the ''Mayflower''. Ed does not trust Tom's intentions with ''Mayflower'', especially because it is still armed with nuclear missiles and his crew is missing, but Sam persuades Ed to negotiate a deal with Tom. Sam and Ed travel to a nearby abandoned naval base to recover the fuel rods needed to power ''Mayflower''. Ed, who is still mistrustful of Tom, asks Sam to sabotage ''Mayflower'', even if it means sacrificing his chance to return home. Tom's lieutenant Klim betrays him and attacks ''Mayflower'', forcing Sam, Ed, and Tom to work together. Sam kills Klim and ''Mayflower'' sets sail from the port. Sam can choose whether to sabotage ''Mayflower'' or leave it intact.
If Sam does not sabotage ''Mayflower'', Tom takes him to San Diego as promised with the firepower of ''Mayflower'' at his command. If Sam sabotages ''Mayflower'', the submarine explodes and sinks, killing both Ed and Tom. Sam remains in Vladivostok but is happy knowing nobody can use the nuclear weapons ''Mayflower'' was carrying and resolves to find another way to return home.
Development

''Metro Exodus'' was developed by a 150-strong team of developers at
4A Games
4A Games Limited is a Ukrainian-Maltese video game developer based in Sliema, Malta. The company was founded in Kyiv, Ukraine, in 2006 by three developers who departed from GSC Game World. In 2014, 4A Games moved its headquarters to Sliema, wher ...
, which was based in
Kyiv, Ukraine
Kyiv, also Kiev, is the capital and most populous List of cities in Ukraine, city of Ukraine. Located in the north-central part of the country, it straddles both sides of the Dnieper, Dnieper River. As of 1 January 2022, its population was 2, ...
, and
Malta
Malta, officially the Republic of Malta, is an island country in Southern Europe located in the Mediterranean Sea, between Sicily and North Africa. It consists of an archipelago south of Italy, east of Tunisia, and north of Libya. The two ...
. Development of the game began in 2014. Andrew Prokhorov served as the game's director. 4A worked with
Dmitry Glukhovsky
Dmitry Alekseyevich Glukhovsky (, born 12 June 1979) is a Russian author, best known for the science fiction novel '' Metro 2033'' and its sequels. As a journalist, Dmitry Glukhovsky has worked for Euronews, RT in its early years, and others. ...
, the franchise's creator, to write the game's story.
Following the release of the linear, story-driven games ''
Metro 2033 Metro 2033 may refer to:
* ''Metro 2033'' (novel), a 2002 novel by Russian author Dmitry Glukhovsky
* ''Metro 2033'' (video game), a 2010 first-person shooter video game based on the novel
See also
* ''Metro'' (franchise), originating from t ...
'' and ''
Metro: Last Light'', the developers received feedback from players who wanted larger levels and more exploration.
The team remembered their experience of working at
GSC Game World
GSC Game World is a Ukrainian video game developer based in Kyiv with a second temporary office in Prague. Founded in Kyiv in 1995 by Sergiy Grygorovych, it is best known for the ''Cossacks (video games series), Cossacks'' and ''S.T.A.L.K.E.R.' ...
on ''
S.T.A.L.K.E.R.: Shadow of Chernobyl'' (2007), which has
emergent gameplay
Emergent gameplay refers to complex situations in video games, board games, or role-playing games that emerge from the interaction of relatively simple game mechanics.
Designers have attempted to encourage emergent play by providing tools to play ...
and large, explorable spaces. The developers wanted to introduce the freeform gameplay of ''S.T.A.L.K.E.R.'' into ''Exodus'', effectively blending the two games. Prokhorov and his team underestimated the difficulty of the task and they spent between two and three years trying to balance open-ended gameplay with storytelling.
Prokhorov compared the structure of the game to that of an
accordion
Accordions (from 19th-century German language, German ', from '—"musical chord, concord of sounds") are a family of box-shaped musical instruments of the bellows-driven free reed aerophone type (producing sound as air flows past a Reed (mou ...
because the design of the game's levels alternates between open and linear.
According to 4A, ''Exodus'' is bigger than ''2033'' and ''Last Light'' combined. The developers described these large areas as "survival sandbox" levels, which adopt more survival elements than its more-linear counterparts. The development team was excited by the change in the game's direction, which allowed them to create more-diverse maps and locations than those of its predecessors, which are set nearly entirely in subway tunnels.
Despite the game's increased scope, the developers avoided deploying a full
open world
In video games, an open world is a virtual world in which the Gamer, player can approach objectives freely, as opposed to a world with more linear and structured gameplay. Notable games in this category include ''The Legend of Zelda (video game ...
in ''Exodus'' because they deemed it would negatively affect the game's storytelling. The developers avoided introducing common open-world game elements such as
side missions and
fetch quest
A quest, or mission, is a task within video games that a player-controlled character, Party (role-playing games), party, or group of characters may complete in order to gain a reward. Quests are most commonly seen in Role-playing video games ...
s. Instead of relying on quest markers and waypoints, the developers hoped to pique player's curiosity and incentivize them to explore by creating visually interesting landmarks that can be seen from afar.
Global brand manager Huw Beynon described the game as a "thinking person's shooter". The developers hoped to evoke feelings of being lost and alone with ''Exodus'', and to reward players for "thinking before shooting" and "exploring off the beaten path". To make the gaming experience immersive, information typically told through a
head up display
A head-up display, or heads-up display, also known as a HUD () or head-up guidance system (HGS), is any transparent display that presents data without requiring users to look away from their usual viewpoints. The origin of the name stems from a ...
(HUD) was physicalized through Artyom's gears and equipment.
For instance, instead of placing a minimap on-screen, Artyom pulls from his backpack a physical map of the location attached to a leather binder for players to view.
To accommodate the more-open levels, the developers overhauled the game's
artificial intelligence
Artificial intelligence (AI) is the capability of computer, computational systems to perform tasks typically associated with human intelligence, such as learning, reasoning, problem-solving, perception, and decision-making. It is a field of re ...
system. For instance, human enemies are better coordinated, sharing with each other information about the player's location. Mutants and monsters also interact with each other.
''Exodus'' is a sequel to the book ''
Metro 2035'', which is a sequel to ''Last Light''. Glukhovsky was a consultant for 4A, working closely with the studio to ensure that the game's tone matched with that of the books. Glukhovsky gave 4A freedom to create the game's narrative but he occasionally clashed with them when they rejected his suggestions due to resources or technical limitations.
According to the developers, the game's script was twice as long as those of ''2033'' and ''Last Light'' combined, and much of it was described as "ancillary". The developers wanted to write dialogue for the game's non-playable characters, including enemy conversations, that players can overhear from afar. While these dialogues are inconsequential to the game's overarching story, the developers believed they made the characters more alive, enhancing player immersion.
According to Glukhovsky, ''Exodus''s story is more personal than those of earlier games in the series, focusing on Artyom and his relationship with his wife Anna and his father-in-law Colonel Miller.
Release
4A Games and publisher
Deep Silver
Deep Silver is an Austrian video game publisher and a division of Plaion.
History
Deep Silver was announced in November 2002, with their first release to be '' Anarchy Online: The Notum Wars''. According to Craig McNichol, who ran Koch Medi ...
announced ''Metro Exodus'' on 11 June 2017 at Microsoft's press conference during
E3. The game was Initially due to be released in late 2018 but it was delayed to avoid competition with other prominent titles. Development of the game was completed on 2 December 2018, when 4A games announced it had been declared
gold
Gold is a chemical element; it has chemical symbol Au (from Latin ) and atomic number 79. In its pure form, it is a brightness, bright, slightly orange-yellow, dense, soft, malleable, and ductile metal. Chemically, gold is a transition metal ...
, indicating it was being prepared for duplication and release. The game was released for
PlayStation 4
The PlayStation 4 (PS4) is a home video game console developed by Sony Interactive Entertainment. Announced as the successor to the PlayStation 3 in February 2013, it was launched on November 15, 2013, in North America, November 29, 2013, in ...
,
Microsoft Windows
Windows is a Product lining, product line of Proprietary software, proprietary graphical user interface, graphical operating systems developed and marketed by Microsoft. It is grouped into families and subfamilies that cater to particular sec ...
, and
Xbox One
The Xbox One is a home video game console developed by Microsoft. Announced in May 2013, it is the successor to Xbox 360 and the third console in the Xbox#Consoles, Xbox series. It was first released in North America, parts of Europe, Austra ...
on 15 February 2019, which was followed by a
Google Stadia
Stadia was a cloud gaming service developed and operated by Google. Known in development as Project Stream, the service debuted through a Software release life cycle#closed beta, closed beta in October 2018, and publicly launched in November 20 ...
version on 19 November 2019 as part of that system's launch.
Linux
Linux ( ) is a family of open source Unix-like operating systems based on the Linux kernel, an kernel (operating system), operating system kernel first released on September 17, 1991, by Linus Torvalds. Linux is typically package manager, pac ...
and
macOS
macOS, previously OS X and originally Mac OS X, is a Unix, Unix-based operating system developed and marketed by Apple Inc., Apple since 2001. It is the current operating system for Apple's Mac (computer), Mac computers. With ...
versions were released on 14 April 2021. In addition to the game's standard edition, players can purchase the "Aurora Limited Edition", which includes a steelbook case, an artbook, and an expansion pass. Deep Silver also released a "Spartan Collector’s Edition", which includes a statuette of Artyom and other items.
On 28 January 2019, it was announced the Windows release would be exclusive to the
Epic Games Store
The Epic Games Store is a video game digital distribution service and storefront operated by Epic Games. It launched in December 2018 as a software client, for Microsoft Windows and macOS, and online storefront. Android and iOS versions of t ...
for one year; the publisher cited the platform's more-favorable revenue split. The game's pre-sales were discontinued on
Steam
Steam is water vapor, often mixed with air or an aerosol of liquid water droplets. This may occur due to evaporation or due to boiling, where heat is applied until water reaches the enthalpy of vaporization. Saturated or superheated steam is inv ...
following the announcement and existing Steam digital purchases were still fulfilled. The decision caused controversy and resulted in a large number of players calling for a boycott of the game, and
review bombing
A review bomb is a malicious Internet phenomenon in which a large number of people or a few people with multiple accounts post negative user reviews online in an attempt to harm the sales or popularity of a product, a service, or a business. Whil ...
the franchise's previous games on Steam.
Valve
A valve is a device or natural object that regulates, directs or controls the flow of a fluid (gases, liquids, fluidized solids, or Slurry, slurries) by opening, closing, or partially obstructing various passageways. Valves are technically Pip ...
wrote on the game's Steam page the game's removal from the storefront was "unfair", especially after a long pre-sales period. One of the game's developers was criticised in the gaming press for stating on a forum if ''Metro Exodus'' did not sell well on the Epic Games Store, its sequels may become
console exclusives. In a statement, 4A Games said these views did not represent those of the company. ''Metro Exodus'' was released on Steam on 15 February 2020.
In March 2019, 4A Games released a patch named "Ranger Update" that introduced a
New Game Plus
New Game Plus (also New Game+ or NG+) is an unlockable video game mode available in some video game titles that allows the player to restart the game's story with all or some of the items or experience gained in the first playthrough. New Game ...
mode in which players can modify individual gameplay elements such as persistent radiation and the number of weapons Artyom can carry. It also features developer commentary in the form of a collectible named Green Tape Players. Two expansions for the game were released; the first expansion, ''The Two Colonels'', which was released in August 2019, features claustrophobic environments that are similar to those of the first two games in the series. It serves as a prequel to the game and follows Colonel Khlebnikov as he attempts to reunite with his son Kirill in Novosibirsk on
New Year's Eve
In the Gregorian calendar, New Year's Eve refers to the evening, or commonly the entire day, of the last day of the year, 31 December, also known as Old Year's Day. In many countries, New Year's Eve is celebrated with dancing, eating, drinkin ...
. The second expansion, ''Sam's Story'', which features larger, more-open levels like ''Exodus'', was released on 11 February 2020. The expansion follows an American marine named Sam, who must attempt to reach the harbor of Vladivostok and return to the US.
An upgraded version of the game titled ''Metro Exodus Enhanced Edition'', which supports
ray tracing and
global illumination
Global illumination (GI), or indirect illumination, is a group of algorithms used in 3D computer graphics that are meant to add more realistic lighting
Lighting or illumination is the deliberate use of light to achieve practical or aest ...
, was released for Microsoft Windows on 6 May 2021, and for
PlayStation 5
The PlayStation 5 (PS5) is a home video game console developed by Sony Interactive Entertainment. It was announced as the successor to the PlayStation 4 in April 2019, was launched on November 12, 2020, in Australia, Japan, New Zealand, North ...
and
Xbox Series X/S
The Xbox Series X and Xbox Series S are the fourth generation of consoles in the Xbox series, succeeding the previous generation's Xbox One. Released on November 10, 2020, the higher-end Xbox Series X and lower-end Xbox Series S are part o ...
on 18 June 2021. It was released as a free upgrade for all owners of the original version.
In January 2023, 4A Games released the game's
software development kit
A software development kit (SDK) is a collection of software development tools in one installable package. They facilitate the creation of applications by having a compiler, debugger and sometimes a software framework. They are normally specific t ...
for owners of ''Metro Exodus''.
Reception
Critical reception
''Metro Exodus'' was released to "generally favourable" reviews, according to the review aggregator
Metacritic
Metacritic is an American website that aggregates reviews of films, television shows, music albums, video games, and formerly books. For each product, the scores from each review are averaged (a weighted average). Metacritic was created ...
.
The game was nominated for "Best Action Game" at
The Game Awards 2019
The Game Awards 2019 was an award show that honored the best video games of 2019. The event was produced and hosted by Geoff Keighley, creator and producer of The Game Awards, and was held to an invited audience at the Microsoft Theater in Los ...
. It was also nominated for "
Outstanding Technical Achievement" at the
23rd Annual D.I.C.E. Awards, and "
Technical Achievement" at the
16th British Academy Games Awards
The 16th British Academy Video Game Awards was hosted by the British Academy of Film and Television Arts on 2 April 2020 to honour the best video games of 2019. Though originally planned to be presented at a ceremony at the Queen Elizabeth Hall ...
.
Critics generally liked the game's more-open structure. Writing for ''
Game Informer
''Game Informer'' (''GI'' is an American monthly Video game journalism, video game magazine featuring articles, news, strategy, and reviews of video games and video game console, game consoles. It debuted in August 1991, when the video game reta ...
'', Matt Bertz praised the diverse biomes in the game, which kept the experience fresh as it introduced new characters, enemies, and factions as players progressed. He described the game's pacing as its "greatest triumph" because none of the large region overstays its welcome.
Austin Wood from ''
GamesRadar
''GamesRadar+'' (formerly ''GamesRadar'') is an entertainment website for video game-related news, previews, and reviews. It is owned by Future plc. In late 2014, Future Publishing-owned sites ''Total Film'', '' SFX'', '' Edge'' and ''Computer ...
'' called the locations in the game "gorgeous" and said he liked the way the linear-story setpieces and open levels complement each other. He chose the two larger levels Caspian Sea and the Volga River as one of the game's strongest points.
Michael Higham from ''
GameSpot
''GameSpot'' is an American video gaming website that provides news, reviews, previews, downloads, and other information on video games. The site was launched on May 1, 1996, created by Pete Deemer, Vince Broady, and Jon Epstein. In addition ...
'', however, was disappointed players were not rewarded for exploring the game's world, and that engaging in combat with mutants is a waste of time because they do not drop resources like their human counterparts. Both Bertz and Higham noted Artyom's movement is slow, a problem that is further aggravated by the larger levels.
Andy Kelly from ''
PC Gamer
''PC Gamer'' is a magazine and website founded in the United Kingdom in 1993 devoted to PC gaming and published monthly by Future plc. The magazine has several regional editions, with the UK and US editions becoming the best selling PC games m ...
'' praised 4A's approach to open-world design for prioritizing attention to details over size.
Gameplay received a generally positive reception.
Wood described the gameplay as "a varied mix of rock-solid gunplay and tense stealth missions".
Higham praised the game's level design for allowing players to choose how they want to approach an objective.
The weapon-customization system was also praised for allowing players to experiment, making combat flexible.
Tristian Oglivie from ''
IGN
''IGN'' is an American video gaming and entertainment media website operated by IGN Entertainment Inc., a subsidiary of Ziff Davis, Inc. The company's headquarters is located in San Francisco's SoMa district and is headed by its former e ...
'' called the gameplay "refreshing" for encouraging and rewarding players to take their time and plan before attack.
Kelly criticized the gameplay for being simplistic, summarizing the game as "a pretty rote FPS attached to a setting that deserves much better".
The game was praised for its immersive gameplay.
Oglivie praised its avoidance of menus and on-screen markers for grounding players in the game's world. In addition, he added by withholding information about locations of interest, players are more likely to explore locations out of curiosity.
Brendan Lowry from ''Windows Central'' praised 4A's decision to turn gameplay systems into physical interactions within the game's world, which contributes to an "incredibly immersive" experience.
The game's story generally received positive reviews. Bertz compared the game's campaign to the ''
Wolfenstein
''Wolfenstein'' is a series of alternate history World War II video games originally developed by Muse Software. The majority of the games follow William "B.J." Blazkowicz, an American Army captain, and his fight against the Axis powers. Earlie ...
'' games developed by
MachineGames
MachineGames Sweden AB is a Swedish video game developer based in Uppsala. The studio was founded in 2009 by seven former employees of Starbreeze Studios, including founder Magnus Högdahl. After unsuccessfully pitching game ideas to several ...
, though he said subpar performances from the cast hinder the emotional impact of certain scenes.
Higham said the story is more grounded than that of its predecessor, and that ''Metro Exodus ''forgoes the supernatural elements for a more personal story. He also praised the game's characters and wrote the "best parts of the story" can be found in the locomotive, interacting with Artyom's crew, which adds moments of levity to the game.
Astrid Johnson from ''
Polygon
In geometry, a polygon () is a plane figure made up of line segments connected to form a closed polygonal chain.
The segments of a closed polygonal chain are called its '' edges'' or ''sides''. The points where two edges meet are the polygon ...
'' wrote unlike the series' earlier games, ''Exodus'' injects the story with hope, and interacting with other characters on the train is "captivating" because it juxtaposes with the game's bleak setting. Oglivie liked the game's story but said it does not have a central threat and that the ending "grinds to a halt".
Critics criticized Artyom's status as a
silent protagonist
In video games, a silent protagonist is a player character who lacks any dialogue for the entire duration of a game, with the possible exception of occasional interjections or short phrases. In some games, especially visual novels, this may extend ...
.
Kelly praised the game's
use of environment to tell side stories, describing them as "vivid". While he praised the game's environments and atmosphere for evoking a pervading sense of "hopelessness and melancholy", he said the game loses its identity when it is no longer set underground.
Sales
In the United Kingdom, ''Metro Exodus'' debuted at number two in the weekly sales charts, where it sold 50% more units than its predecessor ''
Metro: Last Light''. In Japan, the PS4 version sold approximately 17,513 physical units during its launch week, making it the seventh best-selling retail game of any format. The game debuted at number one in the weekly Switzerland retail charts. ''Exodus'' was the ninth best-selling video game in the United States in February 2019; its sales in its launch month set a new record for the series.
Up to the end of its release quarter on 31 March 2019, ''Metro Exodus'' generated €58 million for publisher Deep Silver.
THQ Nordic, Deep Silver's parent company, said while physical sales performed in line with management's expectations, the game's digital sales exceeded it. According to CEO Lars Wingefors, the "absolute majority" of the game's sales came from console players. After its release on Steam on 15 February 2020, the game sold more than 200,000 units within two days. By February 2022, the game had sold six million units. By March 2023, it had sold over 8.5 million units. As of February 2024, it has sold over 10 million units.
Sequel
In November 2020, 4A Games announced it was working on a sequel to ''Metro Exodus''. Glukhovsky will be involved in the game's development.
References
External links
*
{{Metro 2033
2019 video games
Deep Silver games
First-person shooters
2010s horror video games
Video games about cults
Metro (franchise)
PlayStation 4 games
PlayStation 4 Pro enhanced games
PlayStation 5 games
Post-apocalyptic video games
Stadia games
Single-player video games
Video game sequels
Video games about cannibalism
Video games about nuclear war and weapons
Video games based on novels
Video games developed in Malta
Video games developed in Ukraine
Video games set in Kazakhstan
Video games set in Moscow
Video games set in Russia
Video games set in Siberia
Video games set in 2035
Video games set in 2036
Video games with commentaries
Windows games
Xbox One games
Xbox One X enhanced games
Xbox Series X and Series S games
Linux games
Video games using PhysX
4A Games games
Video games with multiple endings