Metro Awakening

76%
Game Brain Score Based on 927 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
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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
Genres & TagsPlay Modes

Reviews

76%
Audience ScoreBased on 927 reviews
story179 positive mentions
optimization39 negative mentions
  • The game captures the atmosphere and essence of the Metro series, providing an immersive experience.
  • Gunplay and mechanics are satisfying, with intuitive interactions like reloading and using the gas mask.
  • The story is engaging, with well-written dialogue and character development, particularly for Khan.
  • Graphics are inconsistent, with low-resolution textures and some models appearing outdated.
  • The game is overly linear, with repetitive level design and limited interactivity with the environment.
  • Performance issues are common, including stuttering and crashes, especially on certain hardware setups.
  • story563 mentions

    The story of the game has received mixed reviews, with many players appreciating its immersive and emotional narrative that expands on the Metro universe, particularly through the character of Khan. However, some found the pacing slow, especially in the beginning, and criticized repetitive gameplay and environments that detracted from the overall experience. While the narrative is engaging for fans of the series, others felt it lacked depth and coherence, leading to a less captivating experience compared to previous titles in the franchise.

    • “The story really picks up after chapter 2-3 and only gets better and better.”
    • “The story is powerful and emotionally gripping, drawing you deep into a struggle for survival that feels authentic and personal.”
    • “Metro awakening fills a gap in VR by delivering a truly immersive single-player story, something the platform is sorely lacking.”
    • “The story at first seems like it could hold rather impressive depth and meaning beyond the surface level of the narrative, but it doesn't ever really go anywhere. The performances by the actors are serviceable at best, and overall I found myself giving zero cares about any of it. When I was forced to watch and listen to characters yammer on in a VR game, it just didn't give me that amazing wow feeling ever.”
    • “The story is honestly a bit too complex for me; I would have liked a clearer, more 'down to earth' story. It feels like they made the Quest 3 version first and then rushed the PC version.”
    • “The plot was plain boring, the scary parts were not scary, just annoying because of the darkness all the time, or stupid spiders that were the most annoying thing in the game.”
  • graphics310 mentions

    The graphics of the game have received mixed reviews, with many players noting that they are underwhelming compared to expectations set by previous titles in the Metro series and other VR games like Half-Life: Alyx. While some appreciate the atmospheric lighting and overall design, others criticize the textures and repetitive environments, suggesting that the game feels more like a port from lower-end hardware rather than a fully optimized PC experience. Overall, the visuals are seen as decent for a VR title but lacking the polish and detail expected from a modern AAA game.

    • “The overall story was great, with the graphics and animations to match.”
    • “This game has amazing graphics down to the small details that keep you immersed in the headset.”
    • “The graphics are impressive for what a meta quest 3 can natively render.”
    • “The negative up front: no, the graphics, particularly the textures on PCVR, are not really current state of the art anymore, though the animations are great, and the lighting is very serviceable and moody.”
    • “It feels like a metro game; it has okay graphics, but the graphics are clearly not up to par with other VR titles, making it feel dated.”
    • “The graphics are lacking at some points, but it's nothing game-breaking. However, the visuals are not great, especially when I see floating geometry.”
  • gameplay258 mentions

    The gameplay of this title has received mixed reviews, with many praising its engaging gun mechanics, immersive atmosphere, and the incorporation of classic Metro elements like gas mask management and resource scarcity. However, some players found the gameplay to be repetitive and linear, with limited interactivity and a lack of weapon customization, which detracted from the overall experience. While the VR mechanics are generally well-implemented, there are criticisms regarding clunky movement and AI behavior, leading to a consensus that, despite its strengths, the gameplay could benefit from further refinement and depth.

    • “Great story, animations, the gunplay and stealth are much like Metro 2033, but with good VR mechanics.”
    • “The gameplay was a lot of fun; the only thing I'd say it lacked was a better melee system because the gunplay was phenomenal (especially with my beloved shotgun).”
    • “The immersion, gun mechanics, game mechanics, physical interaction, even being able to wipe the condensation off your mask with your own hand is all great!”
    • “The core aspects of the gameplay loop of this franchise are not present here!”
    • “Some mechanics in the game feel a little janky at times, and the inconsistent interactivity is immersion-breaking when you are constantly searching the environment for supplies.”
    • “The gameplay feels extremely linear with a lot of handholding guiding you to where to go next.”
  • atmosphere167 mentions

    The atmosphere of the game is widely praised for its immersive and oppressive qualities, effectively capturing the dark, foreboding essence of the Metro series. Players commend the exceptional sound design, music, and environmental details that enhance the feeling of tension and fear, making every moment feel impactful. While some areas may lack detail or feel less populated, the overall atmosphere is described as thick, engaging, and true to the franchise, providing a compelling experience for fans and newcomers alike.

    • “The game’s atmosphere is unparalleled, drawing you deeper into the dark, foreboding tunnels where every step feels like a gamble.”
    • “This game captures the atmosphere of metro perfectly.”
    • “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.”
  • optimization150 mentions

    The game's optimization has received mixed reviews, with many players reporting significant performance issues, including freezing, lag, and low frame rates, especially in scenes with multiple characters. While some users experienced smooth gameplay on high-end systems, others found the graphics underwhelming and poorly optimized, leading to a frustrating experience. Overall, many reviewers recommend waiting for patches to address these technical shortcomings before purchasing.

    • “The character models are distinct, feel incredibly lifelike, the acting is phenomenal, the lighting and atmosphere is top-notch, and this is all while playing on max settings with no stuttering or hitching.”
    • “Know ahead of time that you'll likely have to tweak your settings on PC to get solid performance, but it's well worth the effort.”
    • “Despite that, it’s still an enjoyable experience and runs smoothly on my setup (Ryzen 7800X3D, RTX 4070, and 32GB of RAM).”
    • “I cannot recommend this game until the devs fix it - as soon as there is more than 1 character on screen, performance drops significantly, resulting in a crash.”
    • “This game has awful optimization and terrible graphics which were ported from the Quest, and the story and gameplay are some of the most boring things I have ever had to sit through.”
    • “Game is unoptimized - 6800xt oc & 5800x3d undervolted and struggling to run even when turning down graphics.”
  • stability59 mentions

    The stability of the game has received mixed reviews, with many players reporting frequent freezes, crashes, and various visual glitches that detract from the overall experience. While some users noted that the game runs smoothly at times, others experienced significant issues that led to frustration and requests for refunds. Overall, the game appears to be in a somewhat unfinished state, requiring further patches and optimizations to address the numerous bugs and improve stability.

    • “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 up 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.”
    • “Looks great, runs great.”
    • “It generally runs smoothly, but there are times when it freezes and lags for a solid number of seconds.”
    • “Horrible stutters, total freezes at random.”
    • “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.”
  • music48 mentions

    The music in the game is widely praised for its ability to enhance the immersive metro atmosphere, with many reviewers highlighting its emotional depth and tension-building qualities. While the soundtrack features a mix of classic themes and new compositions that fit seamlessly into the game's narrative, some players noted issues with audio mixing, particularly regarding voice clarity. Overall, the music significantly contributes to the game's horror elements and storytelling, making it a standout feature despite minor criticisms.

    • “With phenomenal music and audio, the metro atmosphere is dense.”
    • “The atmosphere, music, and aesthetic match the mainline games perfectly.”
    • “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 a personal struggle for survival. The atmospheric music further enhances the emotional experience, making it a standout feature of the game.

    • “✅ engaging, emotional story”
    • “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.”
  • 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.”
  • replayability8 mentions

    Overall, the game's replayability is considered low due to its linear story structure, with most players indicating that there is little incentive to replay it beyond achieving missed accomplishments. While some express that additional modes, like a rogue-like option, could enhance replay value, many feel that the current experience lacks sufficient variety to warrant multiple playthroughs.

    • “So far been playing for quite a few hours and not even close to halfway, it seems there is plenty of playtime and replayability.”
    • “A rogue-like mode could add exciting replay value.”
    • “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 and don't seem offensive.”
    • “No replay value apart from achievements you might have missed.”
    • “Since it's a linear story, the replay value isn't sky-high.”
    • “I just can't swallow this storyline, and I don't see any replay value in it.”
  • grinding6 mentions

    Players find the grinding aspect of the game to be tedious and repetitive, often feeling that it detracts from the overall enjoyment. Many reviews highlight the frustration of navigating through bland corridors and enduring numerous enemy encounters, which can lead to a sense of exhaustion rather than engagement.

    • “You'll need a second life for grinding.”
    • “The placement of items that you need on a regular basis is so tedious to reach for; I loathe those parts where I have to do so.”
    • “Like other reviews say, the mechanics do get repetitive and tedious after a while.”
    • “There are multiple tedious encounters where you simply have to endure waves of enemies.”
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
3-11hSpent by most gamers
*Based on 12 analyzed playthroughs

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