| Metro Awakening | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Release Date | Gameplay & Story | DLC & Pre-Order | Review |
| Release Date | |
|---|---|
| November 7, 2024 More Details | |
| Genre | |
| First-Person Shooter, Action | |
| Platforms | Price (MSRP) |
   |
$39.99 |
| Developer | Publisher |
| Vertigo Games | Vertigo Games |
| Number of Players | Age Rating |
| 1 | |
| Time to Finish | Cross Platform Play |
| 12 - 13 Hours | Yes |
| Official Website | Official Website for Metro Awakening |
Metro Awakening Latest News
⚫︎ Metro Awakening Gets Nominated As Best VR / AR For 2024 TGA Awards (Game8)
⚫︎ Metro Awakening Gets A November Release, Announced During September's State of Play (Game8)
⚫︎ Metro Awakening adapts classic gameplay mechanics for PS VR2 (PlayStation Blog)
Metro Awakening Overview
Metro Awakening is a first-person shooter built exclusively for virtual reality platforms, developed by Vertigo Games. Known for its work on VR titles such as Arizona Sunshine, the studio collaborated with Dmitry Glukhovsky, the creator of the Metro novels, to craft a prequel story set in the series' established universe.
The story takes place in 2028, years before the events of Metro 2033. It focuses on Serdar, a doctor living in the Moscow Metro system, who embarks on a journey through its dangerous tunnels to find medicine for his wife. This narrative also serves as an origin story for Khan, a significant figure in the Metro series, exploring his transformation into the character known from earlier titles.
The game shifts toward a more story-driven design compared to previous Metro entries. The developers incorporated guidance from Glukhovsky, who influenced the narrative direction, particularly in grounding the story within the emotional and spiritual elements characteristic of the series.
| Steam |
PlayStation |
Meta Quest |
|||
| $39.99 | |||||
Metro Awakening Gameplay
The gameplay of Metro Awakening adapts the core mechanics of the series for a VR format. As a first-person experience, players must explore the Moscow Metro, manage limited resources, and confront hostile entities. Unlike traditional versions, the VR platform emphasizes tactile interaction that affects how players navigate, combat, and solve problems.
The combat system relies on handmade weapons familiar to the franchise, with each requiring careful management of ammunition and maintenance. Reloading is performed manually, with VR controls replicating the physical actions needed. This design reinforces the scarcity of resources, as every bullet and action must be carefully considered.
Stealth remains a critical component, allowing players to evade or neutralize threats in a controlled manner. The dark and confined environments of the Metro enhance the reliance on stealth, while VR interactivity makes mechanics like crouching, peeking around corners, and manipulating light sources integral to survival.
Exploration is heavily tied to the atmosphere. Players interact with objects, examine environmental details, and uncover narrative clues by physically manipulating elements in the VR space. The inclusion of gas masks and filters is central to the gameplay loop, with players having to monitor their condition and replace them regularly to survive the hazardous environments.
Metro Awakening also has sequences where the protagonist experiences hallucinations and interacts with spectral entities. These events challenge the player’s perception and decisions, often blending gameplay with narrative progression. These elements are designed to explore themes of fear, hope, and transformation within the Metro’s hostile and mysterious world.
Metro Awakening Reviews
Immersive Yet Lacking In Some Areas
Metro Awakening received a 7/10 from The Gamer, which praised its atmospheric presentation and emotionally compelling protagonist, Serdar. However, the review criticized the game's overly linear level design and inconsistent stealth mechanics. Tech Radar awarded it 3.5/5 stars, highlighting the immersive environments and satisfying gunplay while pointing out technical glitches, a slow-paced story, and limited accessibility for VR newcomers.
GamesRadar+ gave the game 3/5 stars, noting the satisfying physicality of combat but criticizing the lack of environmental variety and muddled storytelling. On Metacritic, the game scored 76/100, with critics praising its immersion but noting repetitive gameplay, poor checkpoint placement, and combat frustrations. Steam user reviews have been mostly positive, averaging 3/5 stars, with many players enjoying the story but encountering performance issues and underwhelming combat mechanics.
Metro Awakening Announcement Trailer
Metro Launch Trailer
The launch trailer demonstrates how players will experience Metro Awakening in VR, beginning with a scene of a man putting on a headset to emphasize the nature of the game. It also highlights various gameplay elements, giving viewers a glimpse of the exploration, combat, and atmosphere they can expect.
Metro Awakening Trivia
⚫︎ Interestingly, Metro Awakening will be almost entirely free of politically charged content. Glukhovsky explained that the game shifts away from the series' typical political themes due to his personal experiences in combatting Russian war propaganda, offering a more personal story instead.
⚫︎ The light UI and limited backpack and inventory in Metro Awakening, are part of making the experience feel more grounded and realistic in VR.
⚫︎ Metro Awakening explores the origin of Khan. Introduced in Metro 2033, he is a former ranger who serves as a guide and mentor to the protagonist, Artyom. Khan is notable for his deep knowledge of the world, his philosophical outlook, and his connection to the mystical elements of the Metro universe.
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