The Metro series is perhaps best known for its atmosphere. Though the upcoming Metro Exodus has fans journey across Russia in search of a new home for Artyom, it promises to deliver on a familiar solemnity. New mutations like the humanimals or the wolves may help ensure that a constant, primal threat lingers over players no matter the landscape. Promotional images have revealed that underground tunnels and dark, claustrophobic passageways will be making a return as well. With Exodus‘ release for Xbox One, PlayStation 4, and PC drawing closer, check out which titles fans should play to get them in the mood for 4A Games’ next post-apocalyptic experience.
Games like Metro Exodus | Hunt: Showdown
Though Crytek’s Hunt: Showdown draws inspiration from the battle royale genre, it shares more in common with the Metro series than with its multiplayer contemporaries. Set in an eerie wasteland filled with dense vegetation instead of snow, players are tasked with tracking down and killing monsters in order to claim a prize. Once a hunter successfully manages to do this, he or she becomes the target, as others are given incentive to steal the reward for themselves. This game of predator and prey is something that Metro fans know all too well, as they may frequently find themselves trapped in a narrow corridor with a monstrous Librarian scanning for footprints.
Games like Metro Exodus | SOMA
Fighting back isn’t always an option in the Metro series. The same is true in Frictional Games’ SOMA, a horrifying science fiction title set in a deep sea facility where humans are being merged with machines against their will. These beings cannot be toppled through ordinary means and tools are limited. The most logical approach, then, is to patiently wait for them to creep past, lest players become one of these creatures themselves. Though many of Metro‘s enemies can be killed with weapons, limited access to ammunition frequently forces players to think carefully about how they will approach a pack of Lurkers or Nosalises.
Another element that the games have in common is that each protagonist drifts into and out of conscious throughout the experience, making fans question whether or not the whole ordeal is real or make-believe. This gives each title a spooky dream-like quality that aids in immersion.
Games like Metro Exodus | F.E.A.R.
Speaking of immersive, F.E.A.R. boasts an intelligent AI system with enemies that crawl under debris to get a good shot in. Oftentimes, grunts will communicate with each other to keep everyone updated on the player’s whereabouts, too, just in case one runs out of ammo and decides to retreat during a firefight. A similar caliber of AI can be found in the Metro series, as factions make sure to check grates once they learn that an unauthorized person has entered their territory. Of course, F.E.A.R. and Metro also share similarities in their frightening aesthetics and first-person shooter mechanics.
Games like Metro Exodus | BioShock
Fallen utopias are endemic to 2K Games’ Bioshock franchise, which transports fans to the murky depths of Rapture and the soaring heights of Colombia. Big Daddies survey the hallways of the former, ready to disembowel threats with a gigantic drill at a moment’s notice. Similarly, Colombia’s Songbird flies in the sky to ensure order. Metro‘s equivalent of these monsters lies in the Dark Ones, psychic humanoids with powers beyond human understanding.
Though the games don’t shed light on this species’ true intentions until Last Light‘s conclusion, having an omnipotent, shadowy presence whisper to Artyom telepathically certainly doesn’t spark much enthusiasm. That’s not to mention the fact that the protagonist’s station is attacked by these creatures at the start of Metro 2033.
Games like Metro Exodus | Outlast
Metro‘s Artyom finds himself running for his life often. Be it the belligerent communist and Nazi forces residing underground or the ravenous mutants that inhabit the surface, fans have to constantly remind themselves where the nearest exits lie lest someone or something unexpectedly jumps out at them or causes them to use all their ammo. The same is true with Red Barrels’ Outlast, which allows players to experience the thrill of being locked away in a remote psychiatric hospital run by homicidal patients. At times it’s best to just hide away in a corner and let enemies walk by. It can beat the alternative of helplessly running away.
Games like Metro Exodus | Alien: Isolation
Sometimes, solitude can be menacing. This is appropriately evidenced in Creative Assembly’s Alien: Isolation, a survival horror title that places players on an abandoned space station filled with Xenomorphs and hostile androids. Just like in the Metro games, bleak situations arise often. It’s not uncommon for one of these extraterrestrials to hop down from an overheard vent, blocking one’s only means of escaping. Things are especially daunting once fans enter the xenomorph nest. Have fun avoiding those facehuggers!
Games like Metro Exodus | S.T.A.L.K.E.R.
GSC Game World’s S.T.A.L.K.E.R. and the Metro franchise share a similar premise in that each is set after a catastrophic nuclear event. Both attempt to explore the ramifications of using atomic weaponry, as humanity and the world around it is forever changed by radiation. Civilization’s collapse is fascinating, however, as afterimages plaster bits of concrete and innocent child drawings are left behind in the environments each series depicts. The settings of each title are riddled with danger, of course, as both mutants and humans rampage for dominion of the wastelands. Though hulking deformed beasts probably won’t be a threat in a real apocalypse, fear of the unknown will still linger.
It should be noted that the best titles to play before Exodus‘ debut are the franchise’s earlier entries, Metro 2033 and Metro: Last Light. Apocalypse fans should give each game a shot if they haven’t already. Metro Redux for Xbox One and PlayStation 4 is certainly a viable option too, especially considering the package’s enhanced visuals and various gameplay adjustments. No matter what you decide to do leading up to Exodus, remember to always pack a gas mask before heading out into Russia’s irradiated wasteland. In this world, one could always use a breath of fresh air.
Metro Monsters
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Top 10 Scariest Metro Monsters
Russia can be a rough place, especially in a post-apocalypse. The Russia of the Metro franchise can be even rougher. A bombed out toxic wasteland is one thing, but then you add in the mutants. If you're planning on roughing it through the world of Metro Exodus, here's a guide to what you might encounter. -
Nosalis
The rank and fodder of Metro's mutants. Humanoid in stature, they have huge jaws with sharp teeth. Whether they're rushing players or leaping into the fray, they can easily overcome your defenses in a swarm. Variants include Nosalis with armor plating, winged creatures, and the large Rhino. -
Rhino
Take everything you learned about the Nosalis and supersize it. The Rhino is a hulking brute that charges its prey. A player can be ripped apart with just one or two blows from its massive hide. Only seen in Metro: Last Light so far, we'll have to see if a similar creature evolves for Exodus. -
Bear
What would a game set in Russia be without killer bears? Grizzlies are deadly even without nuclear fallout. So, you can imagine that the bears you'll see in Metro Exodus are something special. From their warped jaw to their increased size, you'll want to stay out of their caves. -
Demon
These mutated batmen are deadly creatures that can hover in the air before swooping in on prey. They hunt almost everything in the wastes but prefer smaller prey like humans. However, if you leave them to their hunt, they'll most likely leave you alone. -
Humanimal
Newly spawned for Metro Exodus, the Humanimal is just what it says on the tin. It is not, in fact, a mutated version of Manimal. Instead, it's a zombie-esque human enemy. They travel in packs but they've lost almost all of their humanity, so don't hold back. -
Librarian
In contrast with the Manimalistic Humanimals, the Librarian has retained its wits since the bombs fell. Mutated from gorillas, these brutes are reclusive and protective. They can place traps and memorize speech, and some have even heard them speak in our native tongues. Doing that and surviving is quite a tale indeed. -
Lurker
The rats of Russia have also gone through a big transformation. Lurkers are burrowing creatures that like to single out isolated foes and go in for the kill. They hunt in groups but can be easily dispatched if you're on your toes. Just keep your eyes on their holes and they'll stay buried. -
Shrimp
The big crawdaddy of Metro's mutants, the Shrimp is a giant shellfish that will swipe players with its huge claws. It also has a belly full of acid and will spit at distant foes before closing the distance for an attack. They tend to stay around the water as expected from a mutated barbie-warmer. -
Spiderbug
What if a spider was also a bug? This is the question posed by Metro's Spiderbug. Combining the multiple legs of the webbed insects with a scorpion's tail, these creatures are sure to cause a panic with a very specific group of people. Thankfully, they're very sensitive to light, so keep a flashlight handy when you hear their skittering. -
Dark Ones
On top of the food chain of all of Metro's mutated creatures are the Dark Ones. These are humans who stayed in the fallout and adapted to the new world rather than settling underground. Their psychic powers have seemingly driven humanity mad, but series protagonist Artyom has a secret history with these sentient beings.
