METRO EXODUS

Developer 4A Games Publisher Deep Silver Format PC, PS4, Xbox One Release 2018

You can normally name a new game within seconds of the start of its E3 trailer, but Metro Exodus had us stumped. The hints were there, of course – the camera lingering on an abandoned gas mask certainly suggested its heritage – but it was outdoors. The Metro games take place almost entirely below ground. We’re told to expect plenty of similar sections in Metro Exodus, though it appears the focus this time is on the surface. 4A Games intends to mix Metro’s signature linear action with more open, explorable environments as returning protagonist Artyom embarks on a train journey across post-apocalyptic Russia. The demo, with its suspiciously well-timed attacks from persistent mutants, was worryingly tightly scripted; 4A prefers the term ‘choreographed’, and insists the final game will feel more dynamic. We’re looking forward to finding out.