This review contains spoilers
I first played this game two years ago and it was the first game I covered in my YouTubing video all about the Xbox Game Pass. Despite loving Metro Last Light (which on replay went down for me) and generally enjoying Metro 2033 (which grew on me), Metro Exodus was a bit of a disappointment. I was none too pleased with the more open world approach, and so when playing the game I kind of ruined it for myself by just not engaging on that level at all.
I think this is the sort of game where you really get out of it what you put into it, and I think with Exodus initially I had trouble meeting the game halfway on what it was trying to actually accomplish, instead of just dismissing it because that's not what *I* wanted. So with replaying Metro Exodus, I kind of anticipated it to become my favourite of the three since Last Light really didn't hit me the same way. And so naturally, Metro Exodus is probably my favourite of the three now, being by far the most dynamic and interesting. Unlike my initial playthrough, I really managed to get involved with the world and I tried my best to explore each location, which predictably made me enjoy the game far more since I was actually doing what the game wanted me to be doing, fancy that.
Despite that, the main draw of these games for me is still the story, though I suppose Metro 2033 has the advantage there since it is a strictly linear game that can pace itself a lot better, where in Exodus you may find yourself running around and doing nothing for like 30 minutes before getting on with it. The characters and the overall story is so great here, Red Dead Redemption 2 for good reason is mentioned when it comes to great ensemble casts, but I think Metro Exodus outdoes even that game. Again due to my unwillingness to play along, I found it hard to care when Artyom died at the end, I wasn't sure why it happened and didn't really care about anyone. Here, I gave the game a chance to do its thing and I ended up enjoying every character, because I actually spent time with them and allowed the game to showcase the people in your crew and also the people inhabiting the world.
One of my favourite interactions was during the idyllic but warring forest area of the game, where after coming across an abandoned lumber mill you go up to the rooftop and find a crazy guy in a wheelchair, comforted by a bird in a cage and two rotting corpses that he parades around as if they're alive and talking to him. It goes on for almost ten minutes and it's quite depressing, before the man falls asleep to you playing guitar after sharing a drink, but it's such a simple and considered moment that adds so much authenticity and emotion to the world.
Also, the train is great and I was smoking crack before. In fact, most of my favourite moments initially didn't really hit me the same this time, so if anyone watches that Game Pass video, just imagine the opposite of everything I say about Metro Exodus lol. Long.
I think this is the sort of game where you really get out of it what you put into it, and I think with Exodus initially I had trouble meeting the game halfway on what it was trying to actually accomplish, instead of just dismissing it because that's not what *I* wanted. So with replaying Metro Exodus, I kind of anticipated it to become my favourite of the three since Last Light really didn't hit me the same way. And so naturally, Metro Exodus is probably my favourite of the three now, being by far the most dynamic and interesting. Unlike my initial playthrough, I really managed to get involved with the world and I tried my best to explore each location, which predictably made me enjoy the game far more since I was actually doing what the game wanted me to be doing, fancy that.
Despite that, the main draw of these games for me is still the story, though I suppose Metro 2033 has the advantage there since it is a strictly linear game that can pace itself a lot better, where in Exodus you may find yourself running around and doing nothing for like 30 minutes before getting on with it. The characters and the overall story is so great here, Red Dead Redemption 2 for good reason is mentioned when it comes to great ensemble casts, but I think Metro Exodus outdoes even that game. Again due to my unwillingness to play along, I found it hard to care when Artyom died at the end, I wasn't sure why it happened and didn't really care about anyone. Here, I gave the game a chance to do its thing and I ended up enjoying every character, because I actually spent time with them and allowed the game to showcase the people in your crew and also the people inhabiting the world.
One of my favourite interactions was during the idyllic but warring forest area of the game, where after coming across an abandoned lumber mill you go up to the rooftop and find a crazy guy in a wheelchair, comforted by a bird in a cage and two rotting corpses that he parades around as if they're alive and talking to him. It goes on for almost ten minutes and it's quite depressing, before the man falls asleep to you playing guitar after sharing a drink, but it's such a simple and considered moment that adds so much authenticity and emotion to the world.
Also, the train is great and I was smoking crack before. In fact, most of my favourite moments initially didn't really hit me the same this time, so if anyone watches that Game Pass video, just imagine the opposite of everything I say about Metro Exodus lol. Long.