Metro Exodus Will Have Vehicles, Crafting, and Huge Stages, but isn’t an Open-World Game

Nathan Birch
Metro Exodus Gameplay

Metro Exodus will not be business as usual for the acclaimed action-horror series. Players will be leaving the cramped confines of the Moscow subway system for more open environments, which begs the question -- how will a Metro game without the metro work? We now have a clearer picture, thanks to Game Informer. Yesterday we brought you a few leaked tidbits from the magazine, but Game Informer has since posted a full Metro Exodus feature, detailing the game’s world, combat options, and more. Scroll on down for all the details.

The World

Most of the Game Informer details concern Metro Exodus’ more open level design. Players will be embarking on a journey through the Russian wilderness, but developer 4A Games is insistent this isn’t an open-world game. Exodus will present players with several large, sandbox stages to explore, but its story is strictly linear – once you proceed to a new area, you won’t be able to backtrack to a previous one.

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But don’t worry, Metro Exodus will still serve up plenty of freedom, even if it isn’t a true open-world game. Stages measure up to two square kilometers, and you can explore them using a variety of vehicles. Your hub will be a train called the Aurora, which will travel with you on your quest and can be upgraded as the game progresses. Overall you can expect a bigger, broader adventure than in past Metro games – this time the story takes place over a full year, with each sandbox stage representing a new season. For instance, the autumn stage takes place in a mountain setting overrun with mutant bears, while the summer stage is a dusty wasteland marked by burning oil platforms.

Weapons and Combat Options

A few details about Metro Exodus’ weapon and combat options have also been revealed. The game now has a Fallout-style scavenging and crafting system, replacing the “ammo economy” from earlier Metro titles, which required you to buy everything with bullets. You can also mix and match weapon upgrades – find a crummy gun with a nice scope on it? Just pop that scope off and put it on you gun. There is a trade-off though – guns now need to be regularly cleaned and maintained or they’ll stop working.

A flexible approach to combat has always been an important Metro feature, but Exodus will give players more options than ever. For instance, Non-lethal takedowns have been added to the game, making stealth a little easier. The game will also keep track of your actions, with enemy factions reacting accordingly. The stealthy approach is usually trickier, but it may pay off down the line.

For those who haven’t been keeping up, here’s a basic rundown of Metro Exodus:

“The year is 2036. A quarter-century after nuclear war devastated the earth, a few thousand survivors still cling to existence beneath the ruins of Moscow, in the tunnels of the Metro. But now, as Artyom, you must flee the Metro and lead a band of Spartan Rangers on an incredible, continent-spanning journey across post-apocalyptic Russia in search of a new life in the East.

Metro Exodus is an epic, story-driven first-person shooter from 4A Games that blends deadly combat and stealth with exploration and survival horror in one of the most immersive game worlds ever created. Explore the Russian wilderness across vast, non-linear levels and follow a thrilling story-line that spans an entire year through spring, summer and autumn to the depths of nuclear winter.”

Metro Exodus journeys onto PC, Xbox One, and PS4 in late 2018.

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