Summary
Dmitry Glukhovsky’sMetroseries takes place in the dark, apocalyptic setting of post-nuclear Russia, telling the story of Artyom as he goes from a mere tunnel-dwelling resident of his station to a fearsome Ranger. Throughout the series, players can expect a blend of intense FPS action along withelements of survival and psychological horror. The games are known for being especially immersive in the FPS genre, combining stealth and strategy with insane set-piece moments and battles against supernatural mutants.
For fans of the original novels orrealistic first-person shooters in general, the series is sure to provide its fair share of memorable experiences, along with a compelling story and a wide range of themes spanning philosophy, religion, politics and more. Most of the games can be enjoyed by both casual and hardcore gamers alike, which has earned the series something of a cult following over the decade since its inception.
The correct play-order for the series in chronological is as follows:
- Metro Last Light
- Metro Exodus
The “Redux” editions of Metro 2033 and Last Light are graphical remasters and do not alter the story or gameplay.
Metro Awakeningis the latest entry into the series, and is unique in the sense that it is the only game in the series which requires VR. On top of being an exceptional technological achievement, the game does an incredible job at replicating the environments, creatures, and atmosphere of the original games. The story itself is a prequel toMetro 2033and waswritten by the series' original author, Dimitry Glukhovsky. Unlike the other games, though, it does not follow the journey of Artyom, and instead follows a station doctor named Serdar.
In addition to being an excellent VR experience, and arguably themost sophisticated VR game sinceHalf Life: Alyx,it also expands on the game world in a meaningful way, exploring more themes of occultism and the supernatural which are prevalent in the original novels. The only downside toMetro Awakeningare the constraints it faces as a result of VR technology itself. Nonetheless, it still pushes the boundaries and is a worthy entry in the series.
Metro Last Lightis the sequel to the originalMetro 2033,and improves upon it in many ways. For some players, it is even considered the best game in the series, but as a standalone title it is unlikely to make much sense to first-time players. Taking place between the events ofMetro 2033andMetro Exodus, the story follows Artyom as he is a more mature and established character and a member of the SPARTA Rangers.
Metro Last Lightcontains its fair share of memorable moments and has a more intuitive game design than almost any other title in the series. Most of the storyis spent on the surface rather than in the tunnels, so the game has more of an action-oriented theme than the psychological survival-horror elements present in other titles.Metro Last Lightis a great bridge between the more confined stealth gameplay ofMetro 2033and the surface-level exploration which features more heavily inMetro Exodus.
Shifting intomore of an open-world format,Metro Exodustook a huge gamble by expanding beyond the confined environments and narrative-heavy focus of the original games. However, it was pulled off extremely well and managed to retain the atmosphere of the original games while adding new elements, characters, and mechanics which all served to enhance the experience. The game’s pacing does slow somewhat during the second act, but aside from that, it produces some of the most memorable moments in the entire series.
With Artyom in more of a senior leadership role by the time ofMetro Exodus, it is arguably the best game in the series when it comes to the development of its characters and Artyom’s relationship with them. Thevaried environments keep gameplay dynamic, as players can use cars, boats, and even ziplines to make their way around the map.Metro Exodusstill retains many of the survival elements present in other games, such as the need for gas mask filters and charging Artyom’s meager electrical light.
Based on the original novel by Dmitry Glukhovsky,Metro 2033is the series-defining title which tells the story of Artyom’s development from a mere tunnel-dweller in VDNKh into a battle-hardened traveler. The game also introduces the key factions, cultures, and creatures which remain present throughout most of the series later. Considering the game originally released over a decade ago, and the Redux version only alters the visuals, the gameplay holds up incredibly well and isone of the best stealth shooters around.
On top of having many of the best moments, characters, and perhaps the best storyline of the series too,Metro 2033also perfectly portrays the desperation of the people living in the game world. Guns and equipment are not as advanced as they are in later games, which can lead to extremely tense situations with uncertain outcomes. It is alsopossible to have multiple different endings, even though it is not explicitly mentioned. There is still plenty to discover, and that applies to both new and returning players alike.
