Metro Exodus: worth getting?

[80251]

Metro Exodus is on sale on steam thru the 17th. Is this game worth getting? I liked all the other Metro games but I've read Metro Exodus is buggy and has long, unskippable cut scenes.

 

[outpt]

Bought it day one and never had a problem. I thought it was a good game

 

[mouacyk]

Most cut scenes can be skipped by holding E (tooltip is visible). On first play through, they add some good context to the missions.

 

[Count von Schwalbe]

Metro Exodus is on sale on steam thru the 17th. Is this game worth getting?

If you have Amazon Prime, you can stream play it through Luna for free, to try it out. I nearly quit after I couldn't figure out one of the early bits but this is definitely one of the best games I have played. Very well written and the play is intuitive. Not an open world per se, fairly linear, but you can play around and explore a bit. I never played the other Metro games, so I can't give a comparison unfortunately.

buggy and has long, unskippable cut scenes.

I had a few weird crashes, but I think those were Luna and not Metro. The cutscenes are in-game (not a video cutscene) and I personally didn't find them overly long. I like to take things a bit slow though, so maybe some could become impatient.

It is an FPS and as such has some elements of speed and skill, but mostly you have to think. I found that going slow, using cover, and managing ammunition/resources was better than running around madly like some FPS games. Less run'n'gun than, say, a Borderlands or Wolfenstein game, but more of a shooter than GTA. For me, it strikes a nice balance between exterminating evil and thinking through a game, while being a good story with good graphics. I actually find it hard to get this immersed into a story, I guess it just caught my imagination just right.

Robot Zombie and myself were just discussing our binge-playing of this game over in the "What are you playing?" thread.

 

[Dr. Dro]

Yes! It's one of my favorite games. The Enhanced Edition (which is included when you buy the game) has some of the best lighting effects I've ever seen in a game too, though it requires a raytracing capable GPU. Standard version will run on older GPUs fine. The DLC is also great, pick that up, too. I'm also going to shamelessly link my own Steam review of the game, though the most noteworthy bit of it is that you really should play the trilogy in order - and in subtitled Russian for maximum immersion.

It is an FPS and as such has some elements of speed and skill, but mostly you have to think. I found that going slow, using cover, and managing ammunition/resources was better than running around madly like some FPS games. Less run'n'gun than, say, a Borderlands or Wolfenstein game, but more of a shooter than GTA. For me, it strikes a nice balance between exterminating evil and thinking through a game, while being a good story with good graphics. I actually find it hard to get this immersed into a story, I guess it just caught my imagination just right.

Robot Zombie and myself were just discussing our binge-playing of this game over in the "What are you playing?" thread.

Indeed, though, I find that the resource strain in Exodus is much less of a problem than it was in 2033 or Last Light. IMO, just pick them all and play through all 3 - it's a blast, these games are simply amazing.

 

[80251]

I have to recommend the book, Metro 2033 was a helluva good read.

 

[Hyderz]

the main game is good, the first dlc is pretty much a ray tracing tech demo but it is gorgeous
the second dlc is good with a nice ending potentially getting a sequal metro in different parts of the world

 

[lexluthermiester]

Is this game worth getting?

Short answer, Yes! Enjoy!

but I've read Metro Exodus is buggy

Bought it day one and never had a problem.

I didn't buy it day one, but never had any issues.

Longer answer:
Exodus is a demanding game. If you have high PC specs, you're good. What do you have?

 

[Joe Bauers]

Yes.

 

[Calenhad]

This is a great game. Not more bugged than the other Metro games imho. And why are you skipping the story-filled cutscenes in your first playthrough? (they are skippable as mentioned above)

 

[80251]

I read on a steam review that the cutscenes were unskippable.

I have a 9700k running @ 5.1 Ghz., 32 GiB of DDR4 running at 3960Mhz. and a 1080ti. I was reluctant to get Exodus mostly because of the lack of performance of my 1080ti in newer titles (e.g. Control).

Even FEAR 3 at 5120x2880 and 4xAA (and 4xSSAA for transparency antialiasing) beats down my 1080ti @ 2165Mhz. pretty effectively.

 

[Tomgang]

Yeah i had good time in the game and liked the story.

 

[lexluthermiester]

I have a 9700k running @ 5.1 Ghz., 32 GiB of DDR4 running at 3960Mhz. and a 1080ti. I was reluctant to get Exodus mostly because of the lack of performance of my 1080ti in newer titles (e.g. Control).

You're base system is solid, no worries there. The 1080ti should be good if you're running 1080p resolution. 1440p will be good too as long as you turn some of the settings down. 4k is out of question though. And without an RTX2070 or better, raytracing can not be used. Still, even without RTX and with some setting turned down, the game will look great and you will enjoy it.

5120x2880

What display do you have? Regardless, you'll need to drop that resolution or upgrade your GPU for any of the recent AAA titles.

 

[Count von Schwalbe]

4k is out of question though

Snob

50 FPS at 4K ultra? How many frames ya want?

If you go 4K high or medium you should be good.

 

[80251]

I should say that F.E.A.R. 3 is running at a DSR resolution of 5120x2880 on my 1440p Asus monitor

 

[LabRat 891]

Played through the EGS version over a year ago. Ran well enough at moderated settings (1080p) on my RX 580, and I do *not* recall many bugs, and nothing 'game breaking'. (I think I had to reload a save once due to a glitched 'boss fight' over half way through the game. I didn't have to backtrack much at all. Maybe a couple minutes of gameplay prior.)

The Story has a few moments that require suspended disbelief, and that suspension does have to carry-through once it comes up. That said, the story was enjoyable and far more engaging, wholesome, and heartwarming than many modern games'.

Also, the cutscenes were either skippable or so engaging that I don't remember them being unskippable. (Note: the game sometimes 'background loads' during cutscenes. If you have slow storage, slow CPu, etc. the cutscenes may seem unskippable. The prompt to skip will not pop up before the game has loaded)

If you have the rig to play it smoothly, well worth it. (It's a very pretty game, even w/o maxing it w/ RT).
It's a very enjoyable single player experience, and (at least for me) quite memorable.

 

[lexluthermiester]

50 FPS at 4K ultra? How many frames ya want?

For a game like Exodus? Consistantly at or above 60 which means lowered settings and a lower resolution. I'm a framerate snob, not a resolution snob. To me, frame-rate dips lower than 60 are unacceptable. The 1080ti is still a great card for 1080p and even 1440p, just not for 4K.

I should say that F.E.A.R. 3 is running at a DSR resolution of 5120x2880 on my 1440p Asus monitor

That makes more sense.

 

[robot zombie]

Since we're talking about the cutscenes...

I've played the game enough times that I wish some of them were skippable, but a lot of times I kind of enjoy them for the breakaway. Metro Exodus kind of induces a different kind of stress in you than previous Metro entries, I think because of the openness. It makes the crafting side easier, as well as inventory management. But there's more here-to-there to negotiate in acquiring stuff (or even just getting where you want/need to go,) because you have these big semi-open levels with things that will come around sort of unpredictably and change how the whole run is going. Like... really! There are just so many chances for a random encounter to snowball into chaos and leave you really fighting for your life and expending resources that might leave you needing to take on even more risk than planned to continue. And you can always savescum... unless you play ranger hardcore, in which case you just have to adapt to what has happened to you. It's great It's not like they leave you screwed in that. You can always bounce back, but it does a good job of holding that tension without you feeling like the game just hates you. But it does take mental energy.

I guess after a while of 'roughing it on your own' in the open world, it's nice to have a little context switch into some of the 'cutscene' passages. I think it makes the open-world part feel a little less cold, and it gives me a chance to take my mind out of that survival mode for a bit and recharge.

The one thing I will say... it starts kind of slow. The whole setup, I think is cool the first time. But it does take like... maybe a good hour or two of playing to get to the point where you are entering the first of the 3 larger open-world style regions where the bulk of the real game happens... and when you DO get there, the first things you do are pretty linear. You COULD just go and eff off anywhere on the map, but you really want to just do the thing first and let it cut you loose. Every region kind of begins with a more linear and traditional gameplay flow, and then opens everything up to you, before tightening down as you transition to the next region. The last level is the most linear, but I think the one classic Metro fans will like the most. Novosibirsk is absolutely worth playing to reach if you are a Metro fan, and that's all I'm gonna tell you about it.

Exodus is damned good in the 'feeling it' department, in general. I'm talkin gameplay, I'm talkin exploration and atmosphere. It has that stuff on lock. To me, the story stuff is really only a small part of the net experience. It's all good and memorable, but it's the experience you have with the rest of the game that I think actually makes it work. It's like every element resists everything you want to do in some way, but never does it feel like there's NO way to manage. The level design is great, as is the visual design. It has all of these tense dynamics meshed into the environments that make you never want to stop focusing on what's around you - because even when things seem quiet and peaceful, you are training on hazards. It starts instilling this pretty much right after you finally get to explore the first region freely. It's hard to ever feel fully confident out there. So often, you just feel exposed. I think they really nail that feeling, without totally stealing your sense of control and agency. No... the world is unpredictable, but when things go wrong, you still know you messed up... BADLY. The sense of that sticks with you, and I don't know how they do it. And it makes the story feel so much more real and impactful. All of these people are badassess, you know? But the outside is new territory, and nobody simply EXPECTS to survive. Things are dire for them on a rare level for anyone alive in that world, and story and gameplay both convey that well. It's a death mission, and it feels like a death mission regardless of whether you are with the other characters, or alone in the wilds.

It really sells the whole post-apocalyptic Russia setting, you really feel like Artyom. And I really DON'T think Artyom feels like a badass. I think he is always worried and conflicted. Strong-willed AF too, but his predicament is really relatable, and really doesn't require the story parts. It's something you also sense in the gameplay, and encounters in the world. I think he just cares about his people, and showing everyone a better life. And he knows he must survive to pull that off. And you know that too. If it doesn't hit you in the story, it hits you while playing... how serious making the wrong moves can be is kind of always there in the back of your mind, especially on the ranger difficulties. You have to ask what its worth, because it feels like a lot. It's really rough out there. Nobody can be out there without a solid purpose. You just die, or lose yourself. And then, on top of that, you still have to make decent moral decisions, can't jeopardize yourself or your crew by getting impatient. As you explore these environments, you can learn about the different people and situations happening there... by looking around, reading notes, listening in, etc. It really does a lot to make you wanna go "Where am I, and what is this place about?" And that then factors into how you experience the little dungeons and enemy encounters you have. It kind of just... it has that 'soul' to it. Things feel like they matter, even the trivial stuff.

I've heard people say this is the hardest Ranger Hardcore in the series. I tend to disagree a little with that. I think they actually tried to make it more accessible, but that actually throws off the vets. I think in general, the simplifications made to some of the systems, made the exploration flow really intuitively, while still demanding that constant attention that reminds you this is a 'run' that YOU are managing at all times... a run that will never let you just relax. If anything, you are just freer to experience that in Exodus, because it holds your hand less and leaves a lot of decisions in surviving and exploring to you. You really don't spend a lot of time following people around. And there's nobody bailing you out if you just wander into something you weren't prepared for. They give you the rope to hang yourself with. Just has a way of making it all very immersive, on a mental level.

Basically, if you brain conks out on Exodus, you just die a lot and get lost lol. Characters will tell you stuff, but there's no real quest guide, and waypoints are spartan by modern standards, with no fast-travel. So every little thing is an endeavor invoking your own inner will to plan to survive, you have to weigh up what the little missions you come up with to embark on are worth in whatever state your character is in. And that comes from all of the different cues I've been dancing around in this post. I just think it all comes together really well for what is a rare experience with immersion in gaming. You can't survive the Metro Exodus journey without being fully invested in it yourself. It doesn't have that chill, and that's part of what sucks you in. And yet, it avoids virtually all of the tedium you can find in the survival genre. It's the right kind of 'survival-lite' in just the right setting. You get to soak in the incredible visuals and atmosphere, without forgetting how dangerous it all actually is, which only makes it feel that much more real and grand. The game is actually tiny, relative to the 20's standard for open world games. But everything feels big and significant, foreboding yet inviting...

And again... the cutscenes are arguably a small part of this whole deal. A lot of Exodus's best storytelling is more 'atmospheric' in that the story of the world itself that unfolds during the actual gameplay-heavy parts are what make it real. Most of the cutscene stuff can just be walked away from, and you can still have a pretty deep experience. You'll just miss out on learning certain things about the main mission, or different side locations. Often, the way you transition into dialogue and 'safe' sections is compartmentalized into the open-world exploration loop in a way that just makes it feel like part of your exploration. Like, you still fully control Artyom, can just leave that person there talking to themselves lol. The actual 'locked-in' cutscenes are quite rare by comparison. But you almost don't want to walk away. I weirdly find myself wanting to 'respect' these NPCs and just let them talk, just because of what they add to the whole vibe of things and how well it actually blends into the gameplay loop. It's so different from other games with more obviously integrated quest systems. You are actually always doing quests and having encounters with little dialog sections, but it doesn't feel like you are because of how they structure and present it. THIS, I think is really important, as most open-world games are getting it wrong and it never feels organic. Quests in Exodus are so organic you barely know you're on them half of the time. But it's not like Elden Ring where it's almost impossible to find/do them without a guide.

I will also say... it IS still a Metro game and has Metro clunk and bugs. But if the other entries didn't deter you, Exodus probably won't either. It is still the most polished and refined entry to date. I might even argue it's one of those games that people who are into video games as a whole play, just to experience that part of the zeitgeist. I think experiencing Metro Exodus enhances your understanding of games, teaches you to appreciate different ways of approaching the elements used in these types of games, because it just doesn't play like any other open-world hybrid out there. It keeps that Metro identity, and in doing so makes for a very unique and refreshing open-world experience, because 4A has never had fully 'mainstream' sensibilities. It shines so well in Exodus. It's an innovative game. When I play Exodus, I remember why I love gaming. I remember being so excited when it first came out. It really felt revolutionary to me, even in spite of the dated elements such as the lacking NPC animation and distinctly old-school movement and general traversal. The ambition is on-point. It's an exceptionally well-crafted experience, in spite of its flaws. I think that 4A knows those flaws just as well, but also understood what 'scope' is in development, and didn't get caught up on the little molehills. That stuff improves a bit with each release, with the rest of the focus on sticking the most important parts with full investment. It's hard for me to look at the flaws the game does have and say they are slacking. More like... they maximised what they already had in order to focus more on really fleshing-out the big changes they wanted to pivot to with this title, the things that needed to stand out about it. What you never get to see are the bigger problems that were fully solved on release because of that.


I wouldn't say Exodus is a particularly long game. It can be, I guess depending on how much exploring you do and how efficient you are. But I did 2 of 3 of the open-world levels in an afternoon, skipping very little. The levels aren't exactly huge. It's more like "What if we took a linear level, opened it up, and then made it 8x bigger?" You can find and put yourself on fairly linear paths that will make the game progress more quickly. Sometimes, I actually wish it was longer.

I could really go on and on. Sorry to dump basically a whole review... I was taking some guesses on what you might be worrying about and wanted to point out some positives that might help you recognize those issues as perhaps being less relevant to what the game is actually trying to offer. It is a whole package with different elements converging on the same general feel. Not everything always works for everyone, but I think for most people, whatever hitch you snag on is worth looking past, as there are definitely still going to be elements that will work on you in a memorable way and make it all worth it. Metro has never been the most accessible series. But Exodus is by far the most accessible of them.

 

[Count von Schwalbe]

first of the 3 larger open-world style regions

4, I think. Volga, Caspian, Valley, Novosibirsk.

Not counting the bunker though, it's pretty small.

 

[robot zombie]

4, I think. Volga, Caspian, Valley, Novosibirsk.

Not counting the bunker though, it's pretty small.

Ahh, see I don't count Novosibirsk in the same category as the rest because it bears more similarities to a classic Metro level than the previous 3, and is sort of its own thing. For me, the "Exodus-style" master levels are the first 3, Volga, Caspian, and Taiga. You've got the opening levels, which are just like short preamble levels kind of introducing some mechanics and establishing the main story. And then you've got Novosibirsk to endgame, which is like an orange-sized cherry on top.

 

[cvaldes]

If you liked the other Metro games, I don't see anything in Exodus that would be glaringly objectionable. Admittedly I've only dabbled with the games and haven't completed a full run through any of them.

It should be pointed out that the PC Enhanced Edition has much better visuals for RTX owners from enhanced ray tracing:

The best settings for Metro Exodus Enhanced Edition

Ray tracing is a minimum entry requirement for the latest Metro upgrade, but it's sooo worth the price of admission.

www.pcgamer.com

yet largely preserves performance as it jumps to DLSS 2 from DLSS 1 in the original title.

 

[AusWolf]

Absolutely worth it. Probably the best Metro game.

 

[Count von Schwalbe]

Ahh, see I don't count Novosibirsk in the same category as the rest because it bears more similarities to a classic Metro level than the previous 3, and is sort of its own thing. For me, the "Exodus-style" master levels are the first 3, Volga, Caspian, and Taiga. You've got the opening levels, which are just like short preamble levels kind of introducing some mechanics and establishing the main story. And then you've got Novosibirsk to endgame, which is like an orange-sized cherry on top.

OIC, not to Novo yet.

 

[GamerGuy]

Heck, love the Metro series lots, even got the Expansions - Sam's Story and The Two Colonels. You should play it with your RTX 2080 Ti for the RT eye candy (with the PC Enhanced version), I play it with my RX 6900 XT and on my laptop with an RTX 3070 (140W). I have the game installed in my main rig, as well as in my laptop which I'll be taking with me to Canada in November.

 

[xtreemchaos]

great game, stunning scenes, it plays nice even on a 1080 without RT on but even better on a 2080 with RT on. id deff recommend it.