I was twelve or thirteen years old, if I’m not mistaken, when I first met Artyom. And then, I don’t know why and how exactly, but his story made an impression on my still far from strengthened mind, in its significance in no way inferior to that which overtook much later when reading the complete works of Franz Kafka, an already established mind. Little me was carried away by the book as much as I had never been carried away by a book at all.
A simple, but no less exciting and versatile story of Artyom’s adventures from the VDNKh station plunged my consciousness into the world of post-apocalyptic Moscow for a whole week. A week during which I forgot about everything that was not related to the events of the book. I read every line, reviewed individual, particularly interesting moments several times, and truly cared about the characters. Especially for Artyom, who with the last chapters felt not just like a literary character, but like a real friend and comrade.
2015 edition
Together with him, I went through a difficult journey from VDNKh to the Ostankino Tower, on which I had to face many seemingly insurmountable dangers and obstacles. Meet people whose moral beliefs could hardly be categorized as outright “good” or “bad”. To feel all the hopelessness of human existence in a world that has long abandoned man himself. During our journey with Artyom, I saw what it is like – life outside our home station, what orders and laws exist where in principle they cannot exist, how people continue to gnaw each other’s throats in vain attempts to prove their imaginary, former greatness, perhaps in front of tunnel rats and frozen walls of moldy sewers. Unexpectedly for myself, I realized that the animal being of man, in the conditions of returning to the “primitive” system, subtly bordering on the echoes of the few remnants of sanity, has always taken, is taking and will take over what we are accustomed to calling “humanity”.
And all this thanks to the fact that I accidentally came across a shelf with science fiction books in one of the libraries in my hometown.
In 2007, Dmitry Glukhovsky gave me and many, many other readers an amazing world, consisting of just a few branches of the Moscow metro, but opening up vast horizons for a whole universe of diverse places, personalities and their stories, going far beyond the Central Moscow Ring.
Gorgeous cinematic trailer for the game
What is written with a pen cannot be cut out with an ax.
And specifically in this case, this proverb has a retroactive meaning.
It was obvious that the book, so expected at first in narrow circles, gradually spreading across the media field, would eventually have to find a different form of its existence. Fortunately, the setting itself, the history and the world that exists on its pages, were perfect for becoming the basis, for example, of a movie. But events took a slightly different direction in 2010, to the happiness of many gamers, including mine, "Metro 2033" moved from library bookshelves to video game store windows.
The game developer was a Ukrainian company "4A Games", formed by people from the company GSC Game World – the studio that created the legendary "S.T.A.L.K.E.R’a". In 2006, thanks to two Andreys – Prokhorov and Tkachenko, and two Alexanders – Shishkovets and Maksimchuk, the development studio embarked on the difficult path of creating video games, elegantly playing on the first letters of the names of its creators in the name.
Founder and creative director of 4A Games – Andrey Prokhorov
Technical Director – Alexander (Oles) Shishkovets
IT Director – Alexander Maksimchuk
Co-founder – Andrey Tkachenko
Over the years of its existence, until the release of our current subject of consideration, the campaign has acquired a certain staff of employees, released two excellent games – "Metro 2033" And "Metro Last Light", thereby founding a whole series of interactive representatives of the paper original. The development team has gained experience and received recognition in the global industry arena.
By the way, in literary circles, one book turned into a whole universe, into which each new author brought something unusual and original, expanding and deepening the scope of the world of underground tunnels. Well, I myself tried my hand at the vast expanses of post-apocalyptic St. Petersburg. Glukhovsky also did not sit on the sidelines while working on the script "Metro Last Light", was able to release two more books in the series after his debut bestseller. The last of which is "Metro 2035", opened my eyes to the fact that there is life outside of Moscow too. And if readers already knew this very well, thanks to the efforts of the authors "Metro Universe 2033", then for the main character of the series – Artyom, this became a real event in which he believed and to which he diligently walked, in fact, not particularly hoping to justify his own hopes.
Thus, based on all the events described above, the word "Metro" has become something more than just a designation for underground urban transport. In certain, considerable circles, it has become a cult thing. "Metro" very tightly entrenched in modern mass culture, leaving no chance of being unnoticed by society in any of its forms of existence.
And now, twelve years after the publication of the main novel, after dozens of books in the expanded universe and two full-fledged video games, the release happens "Metro Exodus". Perhaps the best game in the series, occupying the entire volume of the current information gaming, and not only, space.
You have a one way ticket?
"Exodus" takes as a basis the plot described by Dmitry Glukhovsky in the novel "Metro 2035". More precisely, it takes the ending of the novel as a basis, slightly changing it in order to tie into one ball both the ending of the book and the ending of the previous game in the series – "Metro Last Light".
Artyom, who survived the massacre between the Reds and the Nazis in D-6, does not give up hope of finding any survivors outside of Moscow. Every day he goes to the surface, exposing himself to serious danger, in order to use a radio transmitter to try to catch signals from the outside world. Almost no one believes him, and each new foray takes away not only the illusory chances of discovering someone, but also the remnants of not so good health, without which there will be no one to discover someone.
Artyom’s attempts to catch a signal from the outside world
But in the most unexpected way it turns out that life outside the Moscow metro still exists. Moreover, there is a train that can deliver you to the station of this life. Artyom, along with his wife Anna, her father Colonel Melnik and a few members of the “Order” end up on the “Aurora”, and this is the name the team’s newly made house gets. Artyom learns from Melnik that all his life Moscow has been closed to the rest of the surviving world with “jammers” to avoid new missile attacks.
After the events that took place, the heroes no longer have the opportunity to return to the tunnels of their native metro. Artyom and his team are left with the only option – to travel by rail across all of Russia to find a new home in places where the dosimeter readings will not constantly “crackle” about overestimating normal readings.
The story itself, being a continuation of the general story arc of Artyom, is obviously intended to draw a line under the adventures of a simple guy from a metro station located near the Botanical Garden. Beginning in the cramped corridors, back rooms, rooms and tunnels of a small metro station on the worn pages of a novel, this story, twelve years later, ends (at least it seems so) with a large-scale journey across the vast expanses of Russia.
The scenario concept of a road adventure opens up the opportunity for developers to tell their story vividly, colorfully, without much effort, stretching the bar of storytelling to the maximum possible within the framework of the available plot. Oddly enough, they take full advantage of this opportunity. Story "Metro Exodus" equal parts fun, beautiful, and capable of holding your attention for 20+ hours of gameplay. It’s interesting to watch the developing events, and each new plot twist, if not surprising, can certainly cause surprise. Although there is also a place for the amazing interweavings and results of the journey. This is understandable, because Dmitry Glukhovsky himself took part in writing the script, giving "Exodus" much more power than, for example, the previous “Ray of Hope”.
The closer, the dearer.
By itself "Metro", as a phenomenon of mass culture, focuses primarily on the CIS region, especially on residents of Russia. Which is natural, given the fact that both the main books of the series and the games tell exactly about the fate of the latter. Therefore, the attitude of Russian-speaking players towards this project has always been special. Why, this is our own – dear!
Dmitry Glukhovsky on Igromir
The topic of life after a nuclear disaster on the territory of the post-Soviet space, in principle, attracts our people. Either this is due to the living conditions already familiar to the population, in which it makes no difference whether nuclear missiles fell on the roofs of houses or these roofs collapsed on their own, as they say, “from old age,” or with the color and “adventures” that such a life promises, or with the love of simple gatherings with a guitar by the fire and internal freedom, unencumbered by a bureaucratic society, or with everything combined. In any case, everyone who loves "Metro", deep down in my heart I would definitely like to try on the role of a resident of “Polis” or a fighter of the Order of “Sparta”, desperately fighting for the sovereignty of his native station or the lives of his relatives and comrades in the intervals between forays to the surface and rare drinking sessions in subway taverns. Romance! What if, on your own steam locomotive, you set off on a journey through destroyed Russia, from Moscow to Novosibirsk?. Breathtaking.
Our people love Metro
It follows that due to the peculiarities of the mentality, the closeness of the story being told and the surroundings, the scenery and environment that we can observe from the window every day, the degree of involvement in the game process with subsequent dedication on the part of the player becomes the determining factor in attempts to understand the secret of the success of the game series "Metro" in general, and most "Metro Exodus" in particular.
Exit to the https://neonbingocasino.co.uk/bonus/ surface.
Like a game, "Exodus" does the best thing possible. Preserving and developing the developments of the previous parts of the series, it increases past achievements, expands the overall scope of presentation and, most importantly, immerses the player in a completely new open world for the series, while at the same time leaving intact the atmosphere so revered and loved by everyone. Yes, name the world "Exodus" truly open is quite difficult, and hardly possible at all. But, if we consider this aspect specifically within the framework of this series, and do not try to draw parallels with the open worlds of FarCry, The Witcher 3 or the same Stalker, then the freedom of movement and exploration that the new Metro provides will look like an unconditional step forward.
The game now makes sense to have a full-fledged map of the area
Such an approach to adding an open world should be regarded as an optional, but still useful option that does not fundamentally change the main essence of the game, but transforms this game. The expanses of locations that open up to the player are not replete with a large number of places of interest or unique “side quests”, and behind most question marks there is a designation of the usual habitat of bandits or an area of high radiation. However, the very fact of having, so to speak, a semi-open world in the game, expands it, makes it possible to better feel the atmosphere, explore the surroundings and feel like part of the game reality.
Of course, someone may object by saying that the open world of Exodus is frankly empty and uninteresting. The most he can offer is a few extra hours of wandering around the available map in an attempt to stumble upon an improvement to Artyom’s gas mask or to clear the next “local dummies spawn” point. And in some ways such a statement may be valid. True only if you treat the expansion of the boundaries of dark tunnels to the horizons of swamps, deserts and forests as a fundamental element of the gameplay. Otherwise, the new horizons that have opened serve only as a consequence of the development of the game series, and not as its determining cause.
The open world of the game creates truly mesmerizing landscapes
Open world "Metro Exodus" does not impose itself on the player in any way and does not force him to study it. You have the right to completely complete the game without spending a second exploring locations, with all their secret places and a few branches, especially since in most cases, the plot itself will lead you to one or another previously missed place. Without paying attention to any extraneous things, you can move only towards the main goal, thereby returning the game from the newly minted concept of its semi-open world, to the more familiar form of a linear plot-oriented shooter. But is it necessary to do this – the question remains open.
But still, the deepening of gameplay mechanics due to the expansion of locations, increasing the level of variability of passage and replayability, dynamic changes in the time of day, the slight liveliness of the artificial intelligence of natural fauna, functioning “separately” from the player, and sometimes generating quite interesting situations, coupled with the general scale of what is happening, make it possible to fully experience the atmosphere of the surrounding world. And missing out on this opportunity is unlikely to make any sense in the context of getting a full gaming experience. However, the decision is always yours. In this regard, the new “Metro” quite successfully fits on two chairs at once. For those who need, albeit not entirely, an open world – it makes it open, and for those who are not interested in such a world – "Exodus" effortlessly moves it into the background, turning it into large-scale scenery.
Experience: gaming and visual.
Speaking of scenery. What beauties "Metro Exodus" meets players can only claim the most enthusiastic reviews and enthusiastic epithets.
The decision to travel across Russia by train opened up a world of amazing beauty for both the characters and the players, shimmering with all the colors of the rainbow in a kaleidoscope of whirlwind adventures.
In fact, the developers, in collaboration with Glukhovsky, made a very correct and, in principle, the only possible decision, referring to the ending of the novel "Metro 2035" – allow players to look at the fate of the rest of the country without forcing them to constantly wander through damp and dark tunnels.
Having expanded the boundaries of the areola of history, the developers show us the flooded environs of the Volga River, the deserted terrain of the Caspian Sea, government bunkers, and the dense forests of the Taiga, finally taking us all the way to Novosibirsk.
And now it’s worth talking about how the game presents itself to the player. In other words, about how it feels from the point of view of internal experiences and the player’s immersion in the atmosphere. It’s worth talking about the player’s experience as a spectator rather than as a main character directly involved in the process. Because the player gets the viewing experience from how the game looks and sounds.
Probably all the beauty "Metro: Exodus" is that it is capable of creating unique emotions in the player. It can touch the depths of the soul and give unforgettable moments of passing. All this becomes possible, in addition to the plot basis, thanks to the visual component.
"4AGames" was able to pull out the "picture" "Exodus" to an amazing level by today’s standards. Everything looks very juicy, without making you doubt the realism of what is happening. General landscapes, interiors of buildings and a personal train, elements of equipment, weapons, dirt on these weapons, monsters, sunsets and sunrises, abandoned houses, nature and fog with rain. Oh, this fog and rain. If even in a video game it’s unpleasant to be on the street when he appears, then that says a lot. In a word, the game looks incredible.
However, unfortunately, it is unlikely to be possible to say the same thing and with the same confidence about the sound. It’s not bad, but it doesn’t live up to the level of the picture, thereby reducing its significance. The game just doesn’t sound like a game that’s in the running to be one of the best games of 2019. The sound lacks depth or weight or something. It’s simple and unpretentious, and many of the sound effects seem to be taken from the collection of samples from the first search site, for example: “Sound of lightning strike”. You can live with this, but I would like it to be much better.
Speaking of not the best sound, I’m not talking about the music used in the game. In my subjective opinion, the musical compositions are chosen perfectly, and sometimes their synergy with a mesmerizing picture creates what makes it worth immersing yourself in the world "Metro Exodus" with your head. And in order not to be unfounded, I will give a small example of such a moment.
At the "TAIGA" level, immediately after we reach the "sensational" Lenin monument, receiving the ill-fated achievement or missing it, we find ourselves among several destroyed one-story houses – buildings of a children’s camp. In front of the entrance to the territory there is an arch on which is written: “Sunny” – the name. Slowly passing under the arch, we find ourselves in the territory. All around are dilapidated, shabby children’s houses – a reminder of the carefree life of the past, of children’s smiles, of summer holidays and the happiness of sunny days. Suddenly, picking up the general composition, he begins to play "Teardrops, Pt.1". At first, very quietly, barely noticeable, it begins to gain momentum, finding the highest point of the climax of the scene already inside one of the houses. We are in the middle of the room, surrounded by collapsed shelves with charred books, overturned desks and tables, soft toys that look more like coals, a battered chalkboard, broken windows and a feeling of emptiness – terrifying loneliness, corroding the soul from the inside. We are faced with the shaky echoes of a past whose greatness was doomed to eternal rest under the tombstones of endless childhood hopes for a better future.
Monument to Lenin on the approach to the Solnechny children’s camp
And the game is full of such scenes. True, like the one described above, you can easily miss them if you find yourself in the wrong place at the wrong time. But that’s the beauty of them. Because, being not so obvious, they acquire a much greater value than if they were forcibly shoved in the player’s face, if the player was forced to view them. But that doesn’t happen. It doesn’t happen because 4A Games masters such an important element of storytelling as environmental storytelling. This aspect was also seen in previous parts of the series, but in "Exodus" it reached its apogee It would seem that it was just scenery and music in the background. But it’s not that simple. And this is the same spectator, gaming experience.
Experience, by the way, but just a game one, "Metro Exodus" also very competently serves the player, distributing and combining all the story stages according to the “Hit, run and rest” principle throughout the entire passage. In addition, the game world itself contributes to the competent presentation and transfer of this experience. After all, now each new stage is not just a change in the environment at the same type of stations, with different variations of underground passages and buildings. This is a new corner of nature that can tell its own story, not without various variations of underground passages and buildings, of course. But this time, similar sequences of being underground/in a closed space: whether in the subway, in the sewers, in a bunker or in a warehouse, exist to balance the pace of the story and presentation, making the gameplay and the game itself more complex. And if earlier a similar approach was not particularly noticeable due to the fact that players spent most of their time underground, where each new and even changed stage was still similar to the previous one, and the levels on the surface were almost the same corridor as outside it, now, with the advent of contrast in the construction of individual stages of the game, the presence of fast “underground-linear” levels is on par with more measured episodes in the open world and completely calm ones – on the train, excellent played on the combination between "Animato" and "Andante" in the narrative and gameplay, thereby increasing the involvement of the players in what is happening.
Mobile home.
Meet "Aurora"
A separate, very important element of the game, which to some extent determines its entire essence, is the “Aurora” – the train on which the heroes travel. Its presence in the game is very interesting from the point of view that, firstly, what else can you use to travel all over Russia in conditions of post-nuclear realities with greater comfort, if not on your own locomotive, and secondly, what else will remind both players and heroes of their past life underground, if not train cars?.
"Aurora" on the Volga
“Aurora” is a full-fledged member of the team, a real fortress, a living organism in which every cog is in its place. Stages on board exist so that players can take a breath and relax after all sorts of troubles that happened to them at the locations. It serves as a kind of island of calm among the ruins of a crazy world.
The atmosphere at Aurora is warm and family-like. Largely due to the fact that finally in the “Metro” series, the characters, as they say, came to life. Each has its own, albeit rather formulaic, but memorable character and type. Intellectual Idiot, womanizer Alyosha, “hot young blood” Prince, American Sam, who ended up in the wrong place where he was supposed to and many others, including characters who appear during the plot, are memorable. Moreover, they can be distinguished even behind gas masks. Yes, there is no need to look for any profound research in the relationship between them, the interaction and their personalities remain at a very simple level, but “simple” does not always mean “bad”. And in this case that’s exactly the case.
Aurora interiors
“Aurora”, as a gameplay element, allows the player to be more involved in the story, to better experience the whole journey through personal experience. A similar effect is achieved through an obvious solution – adding a couple of optional and simple everyday activities to the gameplay. Smoking in the vestibule with mechanic Krest, sitting at the table while the team discussed the events of yesterday, drinking tea, adding coal to the stove, looking at diary entries, listening to Tsoi’s songs on the radio, listening to the experiences and dreams of Anya, this time our wife, all this has an extremely positive effect on the atmosphere and the feeling of a real journey with loved ones. It’s no joke, at one point, for twenty minutes in a row, I just sat in place and listened to guitar music performed by myself in the company of soldiers from the squad. I’m already silent that you can spend a good ten hours listening to third-party dialogues in the game.
A very atmospheric moment of warm gatherings with loved ones
The fly in the ointment, however, in this barrel of honey is Artyom, who has never learned to speak. Not that this is very critical, but still the hero is mute in the dialogues, but ranting during loading screens, this is at least incomprehensible. I’m not saying that Artyom should rant incessantly at every little sound in his direction, but a rare answer or comment about what is happening, I think, would hardly spoil the overall picture, but would rather improve it. Apparently this is the principled position of the developers – not to give the main character a word, and judging them strictly for this hardly makes any sense.
Artyom’s wife – Anna
But what is strictly worth reproaching is the unrealized potential of animation. At times (this is a legacy of previous parts of the series) it simply does not lend itself to any criticism. As in the case of sound, a project that claims to be one of the best games of this year must reach the heights of modern quality, and not remain at the level of previous games in the trilogy. Don’t get me wrong, the animation isn’t horrifying, but it does leave you feeling sad that it could have been better, but unfortunately it wasn’t. The characters were observed to have clumsy movements in their actions in 2010, so they still slip through. Although facial animation has improved noticeably.
We go, we go, we go to distant lands.
Or rather to Novosibirsk.
I would also like to mention the last level in the game. About Novosibirsk. Without plot points and spoilers, there’s not much to say about it. But it’s worth conveying the main idea – this is perhaps one of the best, if not the best, that has happened in the game series "Metro". It’s doubly nice that such a thoughtful and, most importantly, incredibly atmospheric level completes both the story of the game and the entire story of Artyom.
Novosibirsk plays amazingly on the player’s expectations, hitting him head-on with the harsh reality. Those plot twists, what Artyom will have to face in this city, you just need to experience through personal experience. To say I was amazed by this episode would be an understatement. Total uncertainty, permafrost, prohibitive levels of radiation and the metro. The Novosibirsk metro, the history of Novosibirsk, how and with what we are leaving Novosibirsk – this is the crowning achievement of the game series.
A little about mechanics.
"Metro Exodus" develops the developments of the previous parts of the series, eliminating some aspects of the gameplay, raising some to the Absolute, and completely reinventing some or adding them to the series for the first time. One of these first-time gameplay elements was the ability to craft. Craft came to replace gun shops at metro stations, with its appearance completely eliminating the need for “cartridge” currency.
The solution is simple, but no less effective. Now Artyom, at any time convenient for him and in any place convenient for him, can take off his backpack from his shoulders, and with the help of resources (this is also a new element for the series) craft for himself a first aid kit, a filter for a gas mask, cartridges, explosives, or change the sight on the good old Kalash. In addition to the backpack, for crafting, workbenches are used, which are conveniently scattered throughout the explored area. They allow you to open up additional features that are not available in the backpack alone. The resources with which the crafting process is carried out are divided into two types, relatively speaking: Chemical and Physical. The former serve more for cleaning weapons and creating first aid kits, while the latter are used for cartridges, filters, etc. Although they are spent simultaneously on all created things, just in different proportions. Basically, resources are located on the map and are raised from killed enemies. Naturally, their number will depend on the difficulty level of the game.
Crafting first aid kits
The idea of crafting allowed the developers to increase the realism of the game world. Agree that it looks much more natural when Artyom himself creates “consumables” for himself than when he constantly finds entire gas masks and first aid kits neatly laid out in all corners of post-apocalyptic Russia. And it will be quite problematic to find a magazine with cartridges somewhere in the middle of Taiga. Crafting adds a survival element to the game, or at least strives for it.
Modifications for Artyom’s costume
Many people complain about the clumsiness of shooting. They say the weapon is not felt, pulling the trigger is not interesting and does not give any pleasure. They say that the shooting "Metro", as fresh as it was, it remains. However, I wouldn’t say that. Perhaps the mechanics of shooting in "Exodus" and does not reach the heights of some “Battlefield”, but it definitely does not cause any inconvenience and, moreover, it feels quite pleasant.
The game has enough types and modifications of weapons to find a “comrade” to your liking
As usual, there are several endings in the game. Specifically, two. Good and bad respectively. The conditions for obtaining them are obvious to people who are at least somewhat familiar with the gaming industry. We don’t touch the good or innocent guys, we just try to “turn off” the guards, go through some moments “stealth” and that’s it – the good ending is in our pocket. By the way, this approach to obtaining it fits more into the banal rules of logic than it was in the first two games, where in order to get a good ending you had to find most of the musical instruments on the level and vaguely hit their strings a couple of times. True, before particularly important moments, which actually determine the ending of the game, we are told openly, straight to the forehead: “These are good ones, don’t kill them, they are not to blame.”. And those over there can". Game convention, nothing more.
A new type of enemy has appeared in the game – “almost ghouls from Fallout”
Secret passage (“stealth”), nothing new has been acquired over the years of development. Opponents see us in the light, but not in the shadows. A small light on Artyom’s “miracle clock” helps us determine exactly where we are. The only thing that can be considered changes in the mechanics of “stealth” is an increase in its variability due to the expansion of the locations themselves – the appearance of an open world. This, of course, does not apply to “stealth” in narrow rooms. In addition to the light bulb, you can now also attach an enemy movement indicator, a compass indicating the target, or a metal detector for searching for resources to Artyom’s watch, or rather to his bracer.
When near a light source, the light bulb does not light up
Pitch darkness – the light is on
Of the visible changes, this is probably all. Well, and the change of time of day, as noted earlier. It is easier to pass checkpoints at night, since most people are asleep, but hordes of monsters come out to hunt, which can also cause a lot of problems. During the day, everything is exactly the opposite. Now that’s it for sure.
Even less about politics.
I don’t want to dive headlong into this issue, but it’s still worth paying attention to. This is also part of the game and its history. We are talking about politics as such and about the publisher’s policy towards players.
In the first case, it’s worth immediately indicating that for me there is no importance in whether it raises "Exodus" some topics related to humiliation, ridicule of Russia or not, first of all, it is important for me that the game copes with its main task – tells an interesting story and entertains, and the rest is tinsel. And this ill-fated achievement “Decommunization”, associated with the shooting off of the head of the Lenin monument, and various unambiguous inscriptions on the walls, and the general outline of the plot, based on the fact that Moscow does not take part in the life of the rest of the country, that it is fenced off, that there are only enemies around, is it “NATO” or someone else, that Melnik is a stubborn quilted jacket, etc. None of this matters in the face of the fact that "Metro Exodus" – a work of art. And in a work of art, coincidences or indirect and even direct allegories are acceptable. Even if in "Exodus" and there is some kind of political subtext, and it really can be seen there, as Glukhovsky himself said, then why should we, the players, care about it?? Who may be offended or enraged by this??
Obtaining the "Decommunization" achievement
Only the plot of the TV channel “Russia-24” can infuriate. A plot that, as usual, blew a molehill out of a molehill and rolled out a real “exposure of the game from Ukrainian developers who were so carried away by their Maidan realities”. It’s disgusting to even comment on this, it’s idiotic. Total nonsense at your fingertips.
To justify the developers, we can say that all these are just plot conventions that can easily be explained by the peculiarities of the world "Metro" generally. Yes, and the composition of the train crew of different nationalities, and even more so the American in the person of Sam, has not been canceled. Everyone lives in peace and harmony, showing by example that in times of general devastation, death and other consequences of hostility between the powers of the past, people must stick together, value lives and take care of each other despite any prejudices.
Speaking about the publisher’s policy towards players. Of course, the decision is quite controversial, especially considering that it was very unexpected. The publisher considered it right to move the distribution of its product from the digital distribution store "Steam" in a game that is gaining momentum and devouring all kinds of games "Epic Games Store". The last benefit was that in this way they lure new players to their store who want to play "Metro", the publisher received much more revenue from sales than if the game was sold through Gabe Newell’s store. Everyone who managed to pre-order the game before it was removed from "Steam" (including me) were notified that nothing would change for them: the game will be available on the release day, and all additions and updates will be regularly released when they should. Moreover, "Metro Exodus" was withdrawn from "Steam" not forever, but only for one year.
The situation is unpleasant and even stupid; few people want to download another “launcher” for the sake of one game, in addition to depriving themselves of the opportunity to add to their favorite library "Steam" such an anticipated project. However, the game itself doesn’t get any worse. Children shouldn’t have to suffer because of their parents’ disagreements. I understand that the situation did not affect me as much as it could have, but still, I do not share the sentiments of those people who called for a boycott of the purchase of the game. They are depriving themselves of pleasure!
Where did the railway lead in the end?.
I confess, to sum up the phenomenon "Exodus" quite difficult. I hope with all my heart that I was able to fully convey my thoughts about the game. I don’t rule out that I might have missed something or not fully disclosed it.
"Metro Exodus" – this is a very complex and large-scale game. A true example of a competent attitude and, most importantly, the developers’ love for their project. Correct development of the series, if not in depth, then in breadth. Although in depth, of course, too. This is an excellent multi-hour adventure with drama, gunplay, unique events, quiet pauses and action sequences, with an amazing, living world and a gripping story. An adventure that can be recommended to anyone who loves the books in the series "Metro", games in the series, who love the post-apocalyptic setting and who appreciate the atmosphere of the latter.
For all its few shortcomings, "Exodus" looks like a real breakthrough for the team "4A Games". A small studio, along with the mastodons of the industry, was able to create a worthy project capable of competing in the market with confidence in its abilities. The developer gave players the opportunity to experience the most valuable gaming experience. Proved once again to the world that in the CIS they also know how to make cool games. Though rare, but accurate.
This game is worth loving, at a minimum, because there is simply nothing to hate about it. Avoiding it, boycotting it, perhaps even banning it (we wouldn’t live to see that) is not impossible. But this doesn’t make any sense, unless, of course, you want to deprive yourself of the pleasant feeling of being completely immersed in the world of a video game. Few games can achieve this level of player involvement in the process. "Metro Exodus", just one of those.
So where did the railway lead the long-distance train called “EXODUS”??
This path was long and thorny. The weather was not always favorable for safe travel. Periodic attacks by bandits almost tore the entire train apart. Moments of sadness, pain, fear and despair mixed with moments of love, happiness, joy and fun. Vain attempts to justify someone’s hopes ended in failure, and unexpected victories brought indescribable delight. Not every breath was equal to an exhalation, but every look found the same look in response. It’s all over now. Through barely noticeable glimpses of thick gray clouds, a ray of sun begins to be visible, foreshadowing that life is just beginning. Get ready. We are approaching the final.
