The Metro series consists of a total of 3 different games, two of which have been reissued. These games are set in a post-apocalyptic Moscow, in a world where war has erupted and nuclear bombs have fallen. The survivors of Moscow live in the Nuclear Safe Metro, which is why the series is named as such. The games are based on the books Metro 2033, Metro 2034, and Metro 2035 by Dmitry Glukhovsky.
Metro Games
There are a total of 3 Metro games: Metro 2033, Metro Last Light, and Metro Exodus. However, both 2033 and Last Light have received a remake: Metro 2033 Redux and Metro Last Light Redux.
The first game in the series is Metro 2033, released on March 19, 2010, for PC and Xbox 360. The game’s storyline is based on the novel of the same name by Dmitry Glukhovsky from 2007. However, being a game, it includes additional action sequences not found in the book. This game was developed by 4A Games in collaboration with many employees from GSC Game World, known for developing the game S.T.A.L.K.E.R. The game was published by THQ.
The second game in the series is Metro Last Light, released on May 17, 2013. Also developed by 4A Games, it was released for PC, Linux, macOS, Xbox 360, and PlayStation 3. Due to financial issues, THQ filed for bankruptcy shortly before the release, and Deep Silver acquired the rights for $5.8 million.
The Redux version of Metro 2033 was released in 2014. This version featured improved graphics, AI, and weapon handling, bringing it in line with the technical standards of Metro Last Light. The Redux version also includes all DLCs. It is available for PlayStation 4, Xbox One, Linux, macOS, and Nintendo Switch.
Similarly, Metro Last Light received a remaster in the same year. Metro Last Light Redux was released on August 29, 2014, and is available for Xbox One and PlayStation 4. Graphics, AI, and weapon handling were improved, and all expansions were included.
The latest Metro game is Metro Exodus, based on the book Metro 2035. Unlike the previous games, Metro Exodus is more open-world, allowing for more exploration. Metro Exodus was released on February 15, 2019, for PC, PlayStation 4, and Xbox One. Later, the game was also released for Xbox Series X|S and PlayStation 5.
Story of Metro 2033
The following section contains spoilers for all Metro games and their endings. If you want to experience the story yourself, you should skip this part. Click here to skip ahead.
The story of Metro 2033 and Metro 2033 Redux is identical. The same goes for Last Light, so each game is mentioned only once. Let’s start with Metro 2033. As the name suggests, it is the year 2033, and we are in Moscow, Russia. The world is on the brink after a nuclear war, and all Moscow residents who survived the war live in the Underground Metro, which provided protection from the atomic bombs. You play as Artyom, a young man living in the Metro. Most stations have become shelters where many people live together, including you.
But even though the stations provide shelter, there is still no safety. In the partially radioactive contaminated tunnels, a variety of mutants live, attacking the stations in search of food. But mutants are not the only problem; various political groups also frequently engage in conflicts. The stations have formed alliances and trade with each other.
As Artyom, you are asked by a Ranger, someone who fights through the Metro and on the surface with a gas mask, to visit Colonel Miller at Polis Station after your station is almost overrun by mutants. Additionally, new enemies have appeared in the Metro, the “Dark Ones,” also described as Homo Novus, or new humans. These monsters make Artyom’s journey to Polis more difficult, as he encounters them frequently. These enemies are different from mutants; when near them, Artyom always experiences visions in which the “Dark Ones” save his life.
When you finally find Miller at Polis Station, you are tasked with eliminating the “Dark Ones” with the help of old missile silos in the city, alongside an elite group, the Rangers or Spartans. The game has two endings, depending on your actions throughout the game. If you have performed morally good actions, you can avoid killing the “Dark Ones,” as they turn out not to be as evil as initially thought. If you have not performed morally good deeds, you get the bad ending, where you exterminate the “Dark Ones” with the missiles.
Story of Metro Last Light
The story of Metro Last Light deviates much more from the book 2034. Here, 4A Games largely invented its own story. The game continues after the events of the bad ending of Metro 2033, meaning the “Dark Ones” are exterminated. You find yourself in the Metro when you learn that a “Dark One” has been sighted, even though they are considered extinct. As you head to the old habitat of the “Dark Ones,” you encounter a child of the “Dark Ones.” At first, it runs away from you, but when you corner it, it shows you a vision, revealing that it is not as evil as believed.
During your journey, you also get to know the female character Anna better, who is Colonel Miller’s daughter. A romantic bond seems to develop between Anna and Artyom.
Afterwards, you travel with this child, who repeatedly assists you with their abilities. You and the child are captured by the fascists, and you must free yourselves from them. However, the “Black One” has been stolen, and you now want to get him back to save him. The opposing party wants to use him as a weapon against other stations. Then war breaks out between some Metro factions to control a military base, D6, which you discovered in the predecessor and turned into the Spartans’ headquarters.
Additionally, a plague has emerged in large parts of the Metro, costing hundreds of lives. The game ends with a major battle for Station D6, but again there are two different endings. In the bad ending, the Rangers are overrun by the Reds and lose the fight. Subsequently, you use the self-destruct function of D6 on Colonel Miller’s command to prevent it from falling into the hands of the Reds. In the final cutscene, you first see the explosion and then some visions, such as saluting Rangers or hearing your mother’s words. Then there’s a cut to a scene several years later, where Anna tells your shared child the story of you.
In the positive ending, the little “Black One” manages to stop you just before you blow up the station. In D6, there are several other “Black Ones” locked in a room, who, thanks to the little one, fight alongside you and convince the enemies to shoot themselves. Thus, you can win the battle. However, many Spartans died in this battle, and Miller lost his legs. He is now the overseer of the Polis station. The “Black Ones” have withdrawn from the city for the first time after this battle.
Story of Metro Exodus
Metro Exodus continues the story with the positive ending from Metro Last Light. So, you still play as Artyom, who is on the surface at the beginning of the game with his beloved Anna. Artyom can’t believe there are no other people in the world, so he’s always searching for signals from other humans. On this day, Anna and Artyom find a train during their expedition that runs on the surface. Shortly afterward, a car arrives, forcibly taking Artyom and Anna.
It turns out that the drivers of the car have two more prisoners who are supposedly from another city. These are to be executed, but Artyom tries to stop it. Unfortunately, he can’t save the two and gets shot himself. Fortunately, he survives and now wants to find Anna again. He finds Anna again at a train station, where he can free her with the help of the train driver. There, Anna and Artyom also learn that there is still other life outside of Moscow, but Moscow is still at war and therefore jammers isolate the city from the outside world.
The train driver has problems with the train owners and therefore wants to flee together with Artyom and Anna. After they manage to escape with the train, the train is stormed by Miller and his men. After learning what happened, he knows his daughter wouldn’t survive if she stayed in the city. Miller then decides to flee the city with his Spartans by train. The goal is a military bunker where the government is supposed to be. Unfortunately, this is not the case. It’s just a place full of cannibals who eat everyone who comes to this bunker. But then there are several other places the group travels to.
Metro Exodus DLCs
Metro Exodus has a total of two DLCs, which you can still purchase for the game. Once Sam’s Story and The Two Colonels. These two DLCs offer an extra story that is not part of the main story and provide several hours of extra gameplay.
Development of Game Mechanics
All Metro games are first-person shooters. However, the first two Metro games, Metro 2033 and Metro Last Light, are significantly different from Metro Exodus. The first two games are very linear, so in most cases, there’s only one way you can go and few places to explore freely. In these two games, you spend much of your time in the tunnels of the Metro and the stations and are only on the surface for a very small part of the time. In Metro Exodus, this is different. Here, you are hardly ever in the narrow tunnels but almost always on the surface. You travel to many different areas with your train, where you can explore freely and also do optional tasks.
You can also do other things with your weapons. In the first two games, you could improve your weapons in the stations for ammunition (the currency) through upgrades or you could find weapons from enemies. This is still the case in Metro Exodus, but here you can craft simple ammunition with collected materials and attach collected upgrades to your weapon. Additionally, it is also important to keep your weapon clean through constant maintenance so that it remains accurate.
Best Order of Metro Games
If you feel like playing the Metro games, I would recommend playing the games in chronological order. So, you should start with Metro 2033 Redux, then play Metro Last Light Redux, and finally Metro Exodus. Playing the non-remastered versions of the games doesn’t make much sense, as they are identical to the better Redux versions in terms of story.
What’s Coming in the Future?
There is still a new Metro game to come as a continuation of Metro Exodus. However, this game has not been officially announced yet. But this year, 4A Games is expected to make an announcement about the next Metro installment. Once we know more about it, you’ll find out about it here on AllKeyShop immediately.
Additionally, Vertigo Games is developing a VR Metro game on the side. This game is even supposed to come out this year under the name Metro Awakening. This game also takes place in the Metro universe but a few years earlier in 2028. You also don’t play as Artyom but as Doctor Serdar.
Save on Buying Metro Games
This weekend, you can save a lot on Steam if you want to buy the Metro games. The Metro Saga Bundle, which includes Metro 2033 Redux, Metro Last Light, and the Gold Edition of Metro Exodus, currently costs only €9.06 instead of €84.96. But this offer is only valid until Monday at 23:59, so act now!
If you miss the offer or only want one of the games, you can save with AllKeyShop. AllKeyShop compares the prices from over 60 verified key sellers for you and can always show you the best price for video games.
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