Metro Exodus is a first-person shooter video game that was developed by 4A Games and published by Deep Silver. It is the third installment in the Metro video game series, which is based on Dmitry Glukhovsky's novels. The game 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 and set off with their allies on an intercontinental journey to the Far East on a locomotive called Aurora. The story takes place over a year, during which Artyom visits locations such as the Volga River and the Caspian Sea. The game improves on the gameplay mechanics of Last Light; it includes several miniature open world 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 and Malta. 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 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 announced in 2017, and was released for PlayStation 4, Windows and Xbox One in 2019. An upgraded version of the game titled Metro Exodus Enhanced Edition was released for Windows, PlayStation 5, and Xbox Series X/S in 2021. Metro Exodus received generally favorable reviews from critics, who praised its visuals, game design, and story but criticized its English voice acting and technical issues at launch. The game has sold over 8.5 million units as of March 2023. 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. 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 and Republic of Kazakhstan 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 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. The game features a minimalist head-up display (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, to defeat enemies. Consumables such as Molotov cocktails 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.