Metro Awakening might just be one of the best PSVR2 games to release in 2024. It utilises VR technology with the PlayStation 5 console by offering the most solid title that has been launched since the release of the peripherals. The game marks a considerable departure for Vertigo Games, the best-known developer for the Arizona Sunshine series.
While the chaotic and visceral zombie-slaying antics of Arizona Sunshine align naturally with the VR format, the Metro series demands a different approach. It thrives on stealth, resource scarcity, and an atmosphere thick with dread. Despite initial scepticism about whether Vertigo could faithfully adapt these elements for VR, Metro Awakening exceeds expectations and delivers the best gaming experience available on PSVR2.
Familiar Story & Environments
The story is smartly set a few years before the events of the mainline Metro series, Metro Awakening casts players as Serdar, a survivor navigating the treacherous confines of Russia’s metro system. Serdar resides in a small, struggling community, burdened by the dire health of his wife, Yana, who is tormented by auditory hallucinations of their deceased son. With a pistol at your side and a gas mask as your lifeline, you venture into the hazardous, decaying underground world in search of medicine and survival.
From the outset, Vertigo Games has impeccably captured the essence of the Metro series. The environments exude a grim and mesmerising authenticity, with makeshift shelters illuminated by the amber glow of barrel fires. Exploring the metro reveals harrowing sights, from camps strewn with skeletal remains to mutant lairs pulsating with radioactive fungi. While the visuals may not rival the fidelity of Horizon Call of the Mountain, Metro Awakening compensates this with its masterful use of lighting and atmosphere.
The green luminescence of mushrooms, flickering bulbs, and the stark beam of your flashlight evoke the gritty, oppressive world of Metro, immersing you as you stealthily navigate past monstrous creatures and hostile survivors.
Getting the Mechanics Just Right
The game’s innovative VR mechanics further enhances this immersive atmosphere. Simple yet memorable actions, such as wiping condensation from your gas mask visor or using a lighter to burn away cobwebs, contribute significantly to the sense of realism. These tactile interactions shine during tense moments, such as traversing a spider-infested area while scanning your surroundings, only for a spider to leap onto your face. The sensation of its legs skittering across the back of your head, amplified by headset haptics, creates a level of immersion unique to VR.
The game’s arsenal, though limited, is gratifying to use, bolstered by refined shooting mechanics from Arizona Sunshine 2. Reloading weapons feels visceral, with actions like manually slotting shells into a shotgun or replacing magazines becoming second nature. PSVR2’s Sense Controller haptics add a tangible sense of power to each shot. Improvements over previous titles include holding weapons by the barrel, allowing for dynamic interactions with your off-hand, whether firing a secondary weapon or managing inventory.
Feel the Experience
The intuitive controls reinforce immersion, as nearly every action is executed in the game world. Flashlights are activated by pressing the controller to your head, rifles are stored over your shoulder, and backpacks are retrieved from your back. Even checking ammunition requires physically inspecting magazines or partially drawing the chamber. While minor instances of input misfires—such as grabbing the wrong item—occur occasionally, they rarely disrupt the experience. This is the most I have felt immersed in a VR game without it feeling like a gimmick.
Stealth and combat are equally engaging, with the scarcity of ammunition amplifying tension. Retrieving bolts from fallen enemies or scavenging magazines from discarded weapons adds a physical layer to resource management. The stealth mechanics, from tossing bottles to distract enemies to ensuring your flashlight remains off to avoid detection, are thoroughly satisfying. Combat, meanwhile, is exhilarating, whether landing a precise headshot or frantically scavenging a dropped weapon mid-fight.
The campaign is filled with heart-pounding moments, thanks to its exceptional blend of mechanics, atmospheric lighting, and unnerving music. However, while the narrative begins with compelling characters and impressive motion capture for a VR title, it does lose a bit of momentum as the supernatural elements—staples of the Metro series—take precedence.
Though mechanically fresh, these moments lack the engagement of more grounded encounters with bandits and mutants. Additionally, the lack of variety in settings and a somewhat underwhelming emotional conclusion detract slightly from the overall experience.
Technically, Metro Awakening performs nearly perfectly on the PSVR2 but is not without some minor issues. Crashes during loading screens and brief frame rate drops occurred sporadically but were infrequent enough to avoid detracting significantly from the game.
Final Thoughts
Metro Awakening is a triumph for Vertigo Games, seamlessly translating the Metro series’ signature qualities into the VR format while introducing a host of immersive mechanics unique to the medium.
Despite minor narrative and technical shortcomings, the game’s compelling visuals, atmospheric depth, and meticulously crafted gameplay make it one of the most engaging VR experiences to date. Vertigo Games has not only honoured the legacy of the Metro series but elevated it, delivering an unforgettable adventure that stands as a testament to the potential of virtual reality gaming.
FOUR STARS (OUT OF FIVE)
Highlights: Most immersive PSVR2 game to date, Familiar IP with a great story
Lowlights: Game crashes can take away from the experience
Developer: Vertigo Games
Publisher: Vertigo Games and Deep Silver
Platforms: PSVR2, Meta Quest, Steam VR, Vive Port
Available: Now
Review conducted on the PlayStation 5 with PSVR2 with a release code provided by the publisher.
