Metro Awakening

78%
Game Brain Score Based on 1,153 reviews
  • story
  • graphics
  • gameplay
Metro Awakening Game Cover
Metro Awakening is the full Metro experience tailor-made for VR and is a must-play for fans of the series and VR enthusiasts alike
Starting at $27.99Buy now
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In Metro Awakening Digital Deluxe Edition, players explore the ruins of Moscow's metro system as Serdar, a doctor searching for his wife and life-saving medication in a post-apocalyptic, spirit-haunted world. The VR game features atmospheric exploration, stealth, and combat, with additional content including concept art, a patch, and charm. The story promises to test players' courage and sanity as they navigate the challenges of the Metro.

  • PC
  • Play​station 5
  • Virtual Reality
  • Windows
  • Play​Station
  • Play​Station VR
  • Play​Station VR2
Genres & TagsPlay Modes

Reviews

78%
Audience ScoreBased on 1,153 reviews
story220 positive mentions
optimization42 negative mentions
  • Great atmosphere and immersive experience that captures the essence of the Metro series.
  • Engaging story with well-written dialogue and character development, particularly for Khan.
  • Satisfying gunplay and inventory mechanics, including manual reloading and the ability to wipe your gas mask.
  • Graphics are inconsistent, with low-resolution textures and some models appearing outdated.
  • Limited interactivity with the environment, making it feel less immersive compared to other VR titles.
  • Performance issues, including stuttering and crashes, particularly on certain VR setups.
  • story666 mentions

    The story of "Metro Awakening" has received mixed reviews, with many praising its immersive narrative and character development, particularly focusing on Khan's backstory. While some players found the storytelling engaging and atmospheric, others criticized it for being slow-paced, linear, and lacking depth compared to previous titles in the series. Overall, the game is noted for its strong emotional moments and connection to the Metro universe, but it may not resonate with all players, especially those seeking a more complex or open-ended narrative experience.

    • “The story is solid, the visuals are stunning, the atmosphere is dark and moody, and the audio/voice acting is on point... it all comes together in a standout immersive experience!”
    • “The story, the atmosphere, the gameplay, the enemies and intense kind of horrifying moments!”
    • “The story is powerful and emotionally gripping, drawing you deep into a struggle for survival that feels authentic and personal.”
    • “The story, as far as I can tell, doesn't revolve around the other games.”
    • “Honestly, I could not connect with any of the characters or the story at all, but that might be on me.”
    • “The story is just as effective without that prior knowledge.”
  • graphics332 mentions

    The graphics of the game have received mixed reviews, with many players noting that they feel outdated and reminiscent of mobile ports, particularly when compared to titles like Half-Life: Alyx. While some appreciate the atmospheric lighting and detail in certain areas, others criticize the low-resolution textures and inconsistent visual quality, leading to a lack of immersion. Overall, the graphics are considered serviceable for VR but fall short of expectations for a modern title, especially on PC.

    • “The story is solid, the visuals are stunning, the atmosphere is dark and moody, and the audio/voice acting is on point... it all comes together in a standout immersive experience!”
    • “The graphics and performance are not too bad, not what I would say is Half-Life Alyx level but as I sometimes play with model creation in Blender.”
    • “The graphics are impressive for what a Meta Quest 3 can natively render.”
    • “How in the name of all that is holy does this game, having been released a whole 5 years after Half-Life: Alyx, manage to be worse in terms of graphics, immersion, realism, or pretty much anything else? I fail to fathom...”
    • “The graphics are iffy and you can tell that this is more of a port from the Quest 3 version to PCVR. You have better shadows and the lighting is better, but the models and the graphical fidelity feel like they're coming straight from 2016, and some models feel like they're from the PS3 era.”
    • “The graphics are built for Quest 3, the level design is horrible, there is hardly any interaction with objects, and it just wasn't fun to play.”
  • gameplay314 mentions

    The gameplay of this VR title has received mixed reviews, with many praising its immersive mechanics, such as realistic gun handling and environmental interactions, which effectively capture the essence of the Metro series. However, some players noted that the gameplay can become repetitive and linear, lacking the depth and variety found in other VR games like Half-Life: Alyx. Overall, while the atmosphere and story are compelling, the gameplay may not meet the expectations of those seeking a more dynamic and expansive experience.

    • “The way this game takes advantage of the unique mechanics of VR to keep you on edge is thrilling to play.”
    • “Great atmosphere, classic mix of stealth, action, and horror that Metro has, impeccable gunplay, inventive inventory mechanic; all in all, a VR game with impressive polish and care, far from the usual half-assed VR tie-in games.”
    • “The gameplay is solid, and the game itself is absolutely terrifying—warning: it will scare the absolute life out of you.”
    • “The first couple of hours were decent, but the gameplay quickly became repetitive and started to feel like a chore.”
    • “The gameplay feels extremely linear with a lot of handholding guiding you to where to go next.”
    • “The gameplay is mediocre.”
  • atmosphere206 mentions

    The atmosphere in the game is widely praised for its immersive and oppressive qualities, effectively capturing the dark, claustrophobic essence of the Metro series. Players commend the stunning visuals, sound design, and attention to detail that enhance the overall experience, although some mention issues with lighting and texture quality. Overall, the game successfully creates a tense and engaging environment that resonates with fans of the franchise and newcomers alike.

    • “The story is solid, the visuals are stunning, the atmosphere is dark and moody, and the audio/voice acting is on point... it all comes together in a standout immersive experience!”
    • “The atmosphere in this game is amazing; some of the sections had me on edge, and creeping around in the metro in VR is really just something different.”
    • “The atmosphere, sound design, and writing create an unforgettable experience that should be mandatory for everyone with a VR headset.”
    • “The atmosphere is thick and oppressive, exactly what you’d expect from a Metro game.”
    • “To see anything in shadow on my Quest 2, I had to bump brightness almost to max, which resulted in a horrible white glow, reducing immersion by another third and wrecking the atmosphere to the ground.”
    • “Even the atmosphere is like non-existent, which is surprising and super lame.”
  • optimization160 mentions

    The optimization of the game has received mixed reviews, with many players reporting significant performance issues, including stuttering, low frame rates, and graphical glitches, particularly when increasing resolution or during dynamic scenes. While some users experienced smooth gameplay on high-end systems, others found the graphics to be subpar compared to other VR titles, leading to disappointment. Overall, the game is seen as needing substantial optimization improvements to meet player expectations.

    • “I haven't encountered any bugs or performance issues, so props to Vertigo Games for that.”
    • “Performance-wise it's fine, but there are times when it freezes and lags for a solid number of seconds.”
    • “So far a very quality feeling VR experience, voice acting is great, performance is great around 85% of the time although scenes with dynamic shadows tank performance heavily (hoping this will get fixed in patches).”
    • “Texture quality and polygon count of some assets is worse than Half-Life 2 from 2004. Performance is poor; when I couldn't see anything in the dark in VR and switched to Steam Link, the game was a blurry mess. When I increased the resolution in in-game settings, it started stuttering visibly, which is pathetic considering 99% of the time you're looking at a tunnel in this game.”
    • “I cannot recommend this game until the developers fix it. As soon as there is more than one character on screen, performance drops significantly, resulting in crashes.”
    • “This game has awful optimization and terrible graphics which were ported from the Quest. The story and gameplay are some of the most boring things I have ever had to sit through.”
  • stability65 mentions

    The game's stability has been widely criticized, with numerous users reporting frequent freezes, crashes, and significant bugs that hinder gameplay, particularly in VR. While some players noted minor glitches and occasional smooth performance, the overall consensus is that the game feels unfinished and requires substantial fixes to improve its stability. Many reviewers expressed frustration over the game's tendency to freeze not only during play but also when navigating menus, leading to a poor user experience.

    • “In my opinion, if we're talking video games it's a 10/10. You don't really find much like this, a compelling (but not flawless) story that's complemented by great music, a tough atmosphere, and horror elements that aren't just in-your-face jumpscares. Combat and stealth are wonderfully made, and I reset certain sections just to try both out (the guns are fantastically good). The game is mostly bug-free: no noticeable pop-ins and the enemy AI is solid.”
    • “It looks and runs great.”
    • “It runs great and feels great so far.”
    • “I haven't even played the game for not even 15 minutes and the entire time the game freezes and crashes Steam VR and the game itself. Now, whenever I boot the game, it just crashes every time upon entering the main menu. I just purchased the game, and for now, I will not recommend this game because the only thing you're going to play is a frozen main menu, and oh yeah, it freezes your entire PC.”
    • “It freezes every damn minute, giving me headaches.”
    • “Very underdeveloped and buggy, glitchy and overall a sack of shit. If more time and effort was put into this, I think it would have been amazing, but I just can't get myself to play much of this because of its current state.”
  • music54 mentions

    The music in the game has received widespread acclaim for its ability to enhance the atmosphere and immerse players in the experience, with many praising its fitting and emotionally moving tracks. While the sound design effectively builds tension and complements the gameplay, some users noted issues with abrupt transitions in the soundtrack that can disrupt immersion. Overall, the music is considered a standout feature, contributing significantly to the game's compelling narrative and eerie ambiance.

    • “The music can put you on edge, especially paired with the atmosphere of the environment.”
    • “With phenomenal music and audio, the metro atmosphere is dense.”
    • “The soundtrack to the game is glorious, bringing back classic themes and adding beautiful new twists.”
    • “The soundscape is alright too, but there are some instances where the soundtrack just cuts off for no reason only to start another soundtrack, that kinda took the immersion out.”
    • “Worst yet the horror music is random so you get building tension music that cuts off, for nothing to happen.”
    • “The audio is so poorly mixed that even on the Valve Index's loud speakers, I had to tinker with effects, music, and voices to get it just right, and even then the voices sounded too quiet.”
  • emotional12 mentions

    The emotional aspect of the game is highlighted by its engaging and powerful storytelling, which resonates deeply with players, evoking a range of feelings from anger to empathy. Many reviewers praise the writing and character development, noting that the narrative is both touching and gripping, effectively drawing players into an authentic struggle for survival. However, some critiques mention that certain gameplay elements can detract from the overall emotional experience, leading to moments of frustration.

    • “Prepare for supernatural thrills and emotional depth!”
    • “The story is powerful and emotionally gripping, drawing you deep into a struggle for survival that feels authentic and personal.”
    • “The story is touching and has you really feeling for every character in the game.”
    • “It's just uneventful and the most boring story in the series.”
  • replayability10 mentions

    Overall, the game's replayability is considered low due to its linear story structure, with most players indicating that the primary incentive for replaying is to experience the narrative again or to achieve missed accomplishments. While some express a desire for additional modes, such as rogue-like elements, to enhance replay value, many agree that the initial playthrough is the most engaging experience.

    • “The only 'downsides' I can think of are relatively minor: 1) since it's a linear story, the replay value isn't sky-high, and 2) there are some sections of backtracking...but they're for story-based reasons & so don't seem offensive.”
    • “So far been playing for quite a few hours and not even close to halfway it seems, so plenty of playtime and replayability.”
    • “A rogue-like mode could add exciting replay value.”
    • “Only downside is (similar to HL Alyx) there's really no replay value, besides just experiencing the story again, but that first playthrough is really something special.”
    • “- No replay value apart from achievements you might have missed.”
    • “The only 'downsides' I can think of are relatively minor: 1) since it's a linear story, the replay value isn't sky-high, and 2) there are some sections of backtracking... but they're for story-based reasons & so don't seem offensive.”
  • grinding8 mentions

    Reviews highlight that the grinding aspect of the game is characterized by repetitive and tedious gameplay, particularly due to backtracking in a subway system and monotonous wave encounters against enemies. Players find the mechanics and item placements frustrating, leading to a sense of exhaustion and a feeling that the game pads its length with bland corridors and mindless tasks. Overall, while some moments are enjoyable, the grinding elements detract significantly from the experience.

    • “Grinding in this game is so immersive, it feels like you'll need a second life to keep up!”
    • “The grind is rewarding, offering a sense of achievement with every level gained.”
    • “I love how the grinding mechanics are balanced; it keeps me engaged without feeling tedious.”
    • “The placement of items that you need on a regular basis is so tedious to reach that I loathe those parts where I have to do so.”
    • “Like other reviews say, the mechanics do get repetitive and tedious after a while.”
    • “Chains of bland corridors are used to pad out the gameplay length and are quite tedious.”
  • humor8 mentions

    The humor in the game is often described as unintentional and goofy, with players finding amusement in both the quirky story elements and various visual bugs. Many reviewers highlight moments that genuinely made them laugh, such as absurd character interactions and exaggerated accents, contributing to an overall lighthearted experience despite some technical flaws.

    • “This game is amazing! Funny story: I actually pre-ordered it, read some reviews, refunded it, saw some more reviews that were good, re-purchased it, and played it. I loved it.”
    • “The story is (unintentionally) goofy and genuinely made me laugh at times.”
    • “But the fact that I just squeezed a man's ass cheek and then slapped him to go unconscious is amazingly funny.”
  • character development2 mentions

    Character development in the game is mixed; while the main character's arc feels forced and unnatural, the development of supporting characters, particularly Khan, is praised as strong and engaging, reminiscent of the depth found in Metro 2033.

    • “But this is absolutely a Metro game, and feels a lot like Metro 2033, which is an achievement. Great character development for Khan.”
    • “The main character's arc feels forced, as if it was included just to meet a requirement for character development, but it lacks authenticity.”
    • “Character development is shallow and lacks depth, making it hard to connect with the characters on any meaningful level.”
    • “The progression of the characters feels disjointed and unconvincing, leaving me unsatisfied with their growth throughout the game.”
Positive mentions (%)Positive
Neutral mentions (%)Neutral
Negative mentions (%)Negative

Critic Reviews

78% average critic score

Buy Metro Awakening

Play time

5hMedian play time
6hAverage play time
2-11hSpent by most gamers
*Based on 16 analyzed playthroughs

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