![]() For almost everything else, you will need to find a workbench, which are scattered throughout as part of occasional safe havens. You can craft a few things on the fly, like ammo for projectile-based weapons, gas-mask filters and throwing knives. Assuming you explore everything, I'd estimate that about half of Exodus' run time takes place in these larger levels, with the rest of the game following the more linear formula of past Metro games.Įxodus does away with using military-grade ammo as a currency, and instead introduces a basic crafting system where you must scavenge for scrap and chemicals. What you find in each location will vary, but all are every bit as detailed and atmospheric to explore as the main story missions, and you are rewarded with unique weapon upgrades and crucial supplies. There are also some new mechanics in the form of new transportation methods a small boat and a rickety old van can be used to traverse these more open environments. You can use binoculars to scout out a point of interest, and mark it on your map. There will be breaks between story missions when you are encouraged to go check some of these optional locations out, to scavenge for supplies and get the lay of the land. ![]() They are mostly filled with bandit camps, mutant-overrun ruins, and outposts from local factions. Though the game is by no means an open world, you'll go through some levels that are far larger and more freeform than anything the series has seen previously. ![]() The biggest addition to Exodus is the inclusion of a few much larger open areas with a number of locations you can explore that aren't tied to the main story. The mix of action, stealth, scavenging and set-pieces returns from previous games, and though most of it will feel fairly familiar to series veterans, everything has been improved. At a couple of points Artyom becomes separated from the group and is contacted on the radio to see if he is ok, but of course he doesn't respond, which just didn't feel right in the context of the characters' relationships and pulled me out of the experience.ĭespite these shortcomings, the dialogue-heavy parts of the game remain largely enjoyable, and it is the compelling gameplay side of Exodus that makes up the bulk of the experience. At times you can feel like a bystander in a play where everyone but you has specific stage directions you awkwardly try and find a place to stand in often cramped quarters as other characters move around to their marks to say their lines and stiffly bump you out of the way. There are stretches where you might spend twenty minutes moving between conversations and just listening to people talk without any meaningful interaction or gameplay. Here, it can feel quite jarring, as characters pull you aside and spout lengthy monologues while you sit or stand silently and smoke a cigarette or drink some booze. The perpetual silence of the central character was slightly awkward but generally written around successfully in previous games. The only real issue I had with the narrative is Artyom's refusal to speak outside of reading journal entries during load screens, and the context in which some of the dialogue is delivered. ![]() More effort is put into character development here, especially with Anna and Colonel Miller. The quality of voice acting and writing is very much in line with Last Light, meaning most characters speak in gruff, Russian-accented English, which can become a bit tedious, though it does fit with the subject matter. You end up spending a lot of time on and around the train, mostly listening to the other members of your crew talk to you or each other. The overarching narrative works well and there are no shortage of epic, memorable moments to be had throughout the 20 or so hour journey. Though Exodus doesn't completely shy away from the more mystical elements that made Last Light's story so intriguing, generally your motivations are grounded in reality and whatever circumstances the train and its occupants finds themselves in. The trip is initially prompted by the discovery of a radio signal seemingly indicating some kind of organized military force looking for help, with new revelations shifting the direction of the group’s adventure over the duration of the campaign. Set in 2036, two years after the events of Metro: Last Light, we once again follow Artyom, his now wife Anna, and father in law Colonel Miller along with a handful of Spartan rangers going on a year-long train journey across Russia. After those titles focused on the complex relationship between the survivors in the metro tunnels beneath Moscow and the mysterious Dark Ones who appeared in the wake of the nuclear war, Exodus offers a more grounded tale about survival and hope. The opening hours of Exodus focus on setting up the story and largely follow the more linear, scripted formula used by the first two games.
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