Let it snow! — Metro Exodus E3 2018 preview

A desolate snowy post-apocalyptic world awaits you in Metro Exodus, one of the games I had the pleasure of trying for myself at E3 this year.

Metro Exodus is without a doubt the most ambitious game that Foray Games has attempted so far. There are more lines of dialogue than the previous two Metro games combined, the game is more than double the length of previous titles, and the in-game world covers the entirety of Russia rather than being confined to a single city.

In Metro Exodus, you fight to flee the ruins of Moscow in this post apocalyptic world. There are both dangerous people and monsters to fight along your journey, and it’s up to you to help any survivors you find along your way. The game expands upon the previous Metro games, but still follows the same tested formula. The story is full of suspense, horror, and gameplay is a combination of war-like combat and stealth.

In the demo, I played as Artyom, starting with his group on a train that quickly crashed into a roadblock set up by adversaries of some kind. Along with Anna, Artyom’s wife, I got off the train and explored the area–going between walking around and finding a rowboat. I quickly found my way into a cult hideout, where the members preached about the evils of electricity. As you work your way upstairs, you discover a girl and her mother who are being held captive–and of course, it’s your job to save them.

After fighting my way through the cult, I had to row myself back to safety–though it wasn’t as safe as I thought. Lurking in the depths of the water are creatures that are ready to attack, including a giant murderous whale. I was luckily saved by a friend keeping his eye out, and made my way back to the train before my time was up.

As in the previous games, the world is rough and ruthless, but it’s up to you to choose how Artyom lives his life. Do you murder your way across Russia? Or do you choose to show mercy when your enemies throw their hands in the air and beg for their lives? The world of Metro is yours to do with as you like.

Exodus also introduces a new crafting system that allows you to craft on the go using your backpack and scraps you find along the way. Each weapon has multiple ways it can be modded and adjusted, and you can do it on the go.

The version I played was content and feature-locked, though it didn’t have all the polish of a completed game yet. Despite that, the game looked absolutely gorgeous as I traversed my way through a desolate snowy landscape in the middle of Russia.

If this is what the game looks like in beta, I cannot wait to see what the final polished product delivers. The ruins of fallen planes and dilapidated buildings contrast in a haunting yet beautiful way against the scenic snowy backdrops. The monsters that attacked me fit perfectly in this post-apocalyptic world.

The preview of Metro Exodus left me hungry for more, and I can’t wait to play through Artyom’s journey myself. Metro Exodus will be released on February 22, 2019 on Xbox One, Playstation 4, and PC. Stay tuned for more E3 coverage here on Gaming Trend.

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