The long-awaited third entry in a beloved cult franchise aiming for the mainstream finally launches today with the release of Metro Exodus for PC, PS4, and Xbox One. If you’ve never played a Metro game before, don’t forget you can get the Redux bundle for very cheap before jumping into Exodus. Following a global catastrophe, humanity is forced to live in the confines of underground rail systems with unbreathable air and mutated beasts lurking on the surface just a couple of the lovely problems awaiting survivors. Continuing the story of Artyom, Exodus brings the series mainstay to the surface of post-apocalyptic Russia after spending the majority of his first two games deep underground. With a far more open approach to gameplay and a higher budget to play with, it’s looking like the most ambitious Metro game to date. And that’s been reflected in some of its early reviews with Metro Exodus on PC getting a not too shabby 84 Metacritic score for its PC version, though its PS4 version is lagging slightly behind with a 79. The positives appreciate that Exodus retains the horror elements of its predecessors despite going less linear, while the negatives are mainly pointed at spotty performance and the story sputtering out towards it end. We are fashionably late with our review, so watch this space. Will you be picking up Metro Exodus? Glad to see the franchise finally fully gunning for the primetime? Or annoyed by its move over to Epic? Drop us a comment down below and we will happily trade bullets. Buy on Amazon: PS4 | Xbox One Buy on Humble: PC<doc-sep>Players should be able to begin killing mutants in the Russian post-apocalypse of Metro Exodus at midnight local time, early Friday morning, but there is some variance in possible download times and preload unlock times for the new title from 4A Games. 'Metro Exodus' Release Time: When Can You Download on PS4? While it's not always the case with DLC and smaller game releases, the PlayStation Store has marquee releases like Metro Exodus available for download right at midnight. Typically, games are released for download to the PS4 at 12 a.m. EST, which means sometimes West Coast players get a head-start. But that may not be the case with Metro Exodus—Amazon lists the game's availability as 12 a.m. PST. Still, the official Metro Exodus Twitter account is saying 12 a.m. EST, so West Coast players should probably keep an eye out around 9 p.m. PST. 12am EST — Metro Exodus (@MetroVideoGame) February 13, 2019 'Metro Exodus' Release Time: When Can You Download on Xbox One? Unlike the PlayStation Store, an exact download time is already listed on the Xbox One preorder page for Metro Exodus. For anyone playing on Xbox, Metro Exodus will be available for download at midnight across all time zones. What About a 'Metro Exodus' Preload Unlock Time? It's also possible to preload Metro Exodus on PS4 and Xbox One. Preloading is not available in the Epic Game Store. While preloading is automatic on Xbox One, you'll need to activate the download yourself on PS4: Go to Library, then Purchased. Highlight and select Metro Exodus. Click the countdown timer. You should now see the automatic download details. console pre-load is on now for Xbox - PlayStation will be live today (48 hours before launch in your country) — Metro Exodus (@MetroVideoGame) February 13, 2019 'Metro Exodus' Gameplay and Review: Is It Worth the Preorder? If you've played Fallout 4, then you already have a decent sense of what gameplay is like in Metro Exodus. It's not an RPG, so Metro Exodus excises all the leveling, stats and conversation trees, but it captures a powerful post-apocalyptic atmosphere with a similar balance of exploration and gunplay as more recent Fallout entries. Metro Exodus is a fantastic distillation of all the best wasteland exploration vibes, with the addition of survival horror and verisimilitudinous touches like replacing gas mask filters, wiping off your mask and charging batteries with a hand crank. Metro Exodus isn't quite an open world game or a linear, mission-based shooter. After the initial chapters in Moscow, Exodus visits several large, open world-esque maps, where players will shoot up bandit camps and monster nests while completing a handful of story missions. The maps aren't Fallout, or even Metal Gear Solid V, jumbo, but they're big enough. It's a unique blend of open world and tailored narrative mechanics, which means chapters in the Exodus campaign often feel very different from one another. My favorite map was somewhere between open and linear, following a shoreline for miles through post-apocalyptic villages and encounters with the local wildlife. Metro Exodus has all of the gameplay advantages of open-world mechanics, just without the sprawl. 'Metro Exodus' Download Size and System Requirements Metro Exodus isn't a small game, so you'll want to clear some hard drive space. Here are the download sizes for each system: Metro Exodus PS4 Download Size: 53 GB Metro Exodus Xbox One Download Size: 53.45 GB Metro Exodus PC Download Size: 59 GB Metro Exodus has several graphical features that high-end PCs can take advantage, particularly real-time ray tracing, which improves lighting to give a better sense of volume and space. So while the minimum system requirements will do, Metro Exodus can look spectacular with the right specs. Minimum Intel Core i5-4440 or better 8GB RAM GeForce GTX 670, GeForce GTX 1050, AMD Radeon HD 7870 or better graphics card 2 GB VRAM Recommended Intel Core i7-4770K or better 8 GB RAM GPU: GeForce GTX 1070, GeForce RTX 2060, AMD RX Vega 56 8 GB VRAM If that sounds like the game for you, then check out Metro Exodus when it becomes available for download Friday, February 15.<doc-sep>Metro Exodus isn't your standard first-person shooter. Run in all guns blazing and the third entry in the acclaimed Metro series will chew you up and spit you out. No, Exodus is a 'thinking person's' FPS, which blends RPG elements and sandbox style level design (think Crysis) with the tight shooting mechanics of the previous, more linear games. The result? A unique and hugely rewarding playground of destruction - with just enough freedom to draw you into the world. 7 The summer season has a Mad Max feel to it - and we loved it So, what's it about? Set in 2036, the story takes place in Moscow - two years after the events of Metro: Last Light (well worth a play if you're new to the series). The world was ravaged by nuclear war 23 years ago, causing whatever life that remained to morph into terrifying creatures. Families escaped the radiation by fleeing to the metro system - where they built communities. But it wasn't long before rival factions formed - looking to capitalise on the chaos and bring about a new world order. In Exodus, you once again play Artyom, who's part of a team called the Spartan Rangers. At the start of the game, you - along with a small squad of brave wariors, are forced to flee Moscow on a train called the Aurora in search of a new life. 7 Along your journey you'll meet small groups of survivors - but can you trust them? Now here's where it gets interesting The story takes place over the course of one year - as you continue your travels across Russia. For the first time in the series, there are different seasons - starting with a harsh nuclear winter. Each of these seasons serves up a distinct gameplay experience. During the winter season, which plays like a miniature sandbox, the Aurora breaks down near a bridge on a huge lake. 7 Metro Exodus runs at 30FPS on Xbox One X but is rendered in native 4K You're sent to explore the nearby area in search of an engineer who could fix the train. Sounds easy enough, but add hordes of deranged mutants and the scariest lobsters you've ever seen, and it gets incredibly tense. There are human foes, too - which pose a very different challenge. The game has an active day / night cycle - so you can choose to take the stealthy option or run in all guns blazing. Summer, meanwhile, feels very different - more than a bit reminiscent of Mad Max. Scorching heat and sandstorms help add a new dimension to the gameplay - with the latter providing cover should you want to evade mutants or violent scavengers. 7 The autumn level we played was the most linear of the lot - but still offered plenty of freedom Riding shotgun There's also a vehicle you can drive - a rusty old van. It proved a welcome addition, given the size of the sandbox. It's not dauntingly big but it's large enough to encourage exploration. Venturing off the beaten track isn't as rewarding as it should be, but search hard enough and you'll uncover powerful weapons - not to mention the odd Easter Egg. Spring is slightly more scripted and plays much more like the previous games, while autumn seems to find a middle ground between linearity and open world. 7 The game's 4A Engine provides some breathtaking visuals on all platforms Combat wise and Exodus plays very much how you'd expect. There are tons of weapons at your disposal, all of which can be customised and tweaked with items you salvage from the environment or fallen enemies. Weapons range from the trusty crossbow, which is perfect to take down enemies silently - to an air-pressure powered rifle that needs to be pumped up before firing. One thing you cannot do is run in - ammo is scarce and weapons need to be maintained in order to retain their stopping power. You'll constantly need to manage your inventory (don't worry, it's easy to use), creating bullets and upgrading gear. Thankfully, you're encouraged from the off to think and search for alternative routes - after all, developers AAA Games admitted they were heavily influenced by Half Life 2, and it really shows. 7 Playing through the summer season level reminded us of Half Life 2 - which can only be a good thing If looks could kill Obviously, none of this would matter if the game didn't look the part - and thankfully, as per the two titles, developer 4A Games has pushed the visuals to the next level. If you're lucky enough to own a Nvidia GTX2080 graphics card, then you're in for a treat. Exodus supports Real Time Ray Tracing (which will think will soon become standard across most big titles) - making for truly breathtaking presentation. Even with RTX 'off', Exodus was still one of the best-looking games we've seen. Ever. The sheer level of detail is astounding - from pin-sharp textures to sprawling vistas stretching as far as the eye can see. If you can spare the graphics memory, be sure to switch on Advance PhysX - which allows for more realistic gunshot reactions on objects, not to mention jazzed-up muzzle flashes. Nvidia's HairWorks technology is also an optional feature that, if your hardware allows it, adds for more realistic fur and hair (obviously) on creatures and humans. 7 Stay away from the windows! You don't know what's outside Console owners don't fret - Exodus looks amazing on here too. We had a quick look at the game running on an Xbox One X and even though it seemed to be running at 30FPS (PCs were hitting 60), it still looked wonderful in native 4K. Detail has obviously been scaled down slightly, and there's an absence of real-time ray tracing, but Exodus is still one of the best looking games on console. Metro Exodus is out now on Xbox One, PS4 and PC. *Sorry Nintendo Switch owners but this would probably melt your console. **The first two Metro games are available on Xbox Games Pass - so be sure to check them out.<doc-sep>
Metro Exodus is finally out today, and the game is a real beast on PC, but what about on consoles? Which machine provides the best post-apocalyptic experience? The tech heads at Digital Foundry have taken the game for a spin on all the available consoles, and the results are somewhat surprising! Contrary to how these comparisons usually go, it turns out the Xbox One S actually offers the smoothest Metro Exodus performance. Not the X, the Xbox One S. Of course, getting that smoother framerate requires some sacrifice. You can check out the full analysis, below. New Metro Exodus Enhanced Edition PC Patch Adds PS5 DualSense Controller Support, Complete With Adaptive Triggers and Haptics So, starting with resolution, the Xbox One X runs at native 4K, while the PS4 Pro offers up 1440p. Meanwhile, the base PS4 offers native 1080p, while the Xbox One S features dynamic resolution that can drop as low as 900p. About what you’d expect so far. Ah, but there’s a twist – it turns out that dynamic resolution on the Xbox One S allows for better performance, with Metro Exodus running at a pretty much rock-solid 30fps on the console. The Xbox One X does pretty well too, although it suffers the occasional small dip. Unfortunately, Sony’s consoles don’t fare as well – the PS4 Pro can drop into the low-20fps range, and the base PS4 can plunge to near 15fps. Ouch! Ultimately, Xbox One X is still your best bet, but if you’re choosing between the two base consoles, this is one of the relatively rare instances where the Xbox One S beats out the PS4. That said, whatever platform you’re playing Metro Exodus on, you’re probably in for a good time. Wccftech’s Chris Wray found it be an impressive, challenging experience in his full review… “Metro Exodus is an incredibly atmospheric, engaging and compelling shooter that places an onus on the player to think on their feet. Enhancing this is a world that is almost dead set against you. From other survivors who are more likely to kill you than talk to you, mutant creatures and ghouls that want nothing more than to feast on you and the hazards of the environment, it's a game that wants you on the edge of your seat. It masters this with ease. From tight gunplay to well-developed stealth mechanics, the game offers variety within the confines of its own rules. The only downsides are average-at-best voice acting and the game ignoring its own stealth leanings to force combat with incredibly difficult bosses. All in all, Metro Exodus is a fantastic game that you'd be worse off for missing out.” Metro Exodus is available now on PC, Xbox One, and PS4.