Metro Awakening Review – The Remarkably Immersive Reincarnation of Khan (Meta Quest)

The Metro franchise is back in the hands of gamers with Metro Awakening, allowing us to step into the shoes of Sedar, a mysterious character better known as Khan. Although in previous installments Khan shows up to lend a hand to the main protagonist (Artyom), and walk a line between the living and the dead, this time around the post-apocalyptic doctor takes center stage in a narrative detailing his origins. 

What will likely make Metro Awakening the most divisive installment among fans is not the story or gameplay, which are both quite good, but the fact that it has been made exclusively for virtual reality. The franchise, which started as a novel in 2002, has grown into a substantial IP, however, this is the first time one of its video game entries will not be released on PC or console. Instead, Metro has found new life with developer, Vertigo Games, where the cold and empty horrors of the Russian underground can truly be felt.

Vertigo Games has proven to be a commendable force, with titles such as Arizona Sunshine 2 and The 7th Guest acting as recent examples of the studio’s success. Metro Awakening is no different, and it shows the strength of this company when it comes to developing sizable narrative-based VR games that actually have a story to tell. Dmitry Glukhovsky, the creator of this universe, and 4A Games, the developer of previous Metro games, both collaborated on the project to ensure this title was true to the world. Vertigo absolutely understood the assignment for this one, with twists and trials that will make you want to continue long after reaching the end of the line. 

A Cold and Calculated Metro Awakening 

There’s nothing like a proper setting, and the environment in Metro Awakening is a monumental success primarily because it feels true to the established universe. The player is often placed in situations where they are surrounded by darkness, in claustrophobic conditions, where radioactive dangers lurk and minimal light can be found.

As I journeyed through this game, I enjoyed every minute of its haunting atmosphere and the remnants of ordinary life that remain. Even in instances where the environment feels repetitive, it still works. In the unvaried moments, Metro Awakening reminds the player that disorientation and endless pathways represent an even greater danger that exists in the metro. 

While the environment is gripping, it is bolstered by an intriguing story that touches on themes of death, loss, mental illness, and isolation. Khan begins his mission searching for his wife and the medication needed to treat her, but in true Metro fashion, this tale quickly evolves into something much bigger than our protagonist anticipated. Along the way, Khan begins to question his reality and ponder the essence of his very existence, while traveling the lonely tunnels. 

One aspect of this game where Vertigo Games really deserves credit is the way the devs changed the POV to tell a better story. There are a couple of memorable scenes in Metro Awakening where the player is separated from Khan and put in a third-person perspective to fully appreciate what is happening in the moment.

It only comes up a few times, but it’s a unique visual that really stands out. When Khan is knocked down, there is another POV that requires the player to look down with the headset to look up in the game. It is a perspective that actually makes the situation feel more real, whether that was an intended result or not. 

The character and creature models in the game are also well crafted and act to make Metro Awakening even more immersive. The Nosalis are intimidatingly large, and there’s nothing like having a huge spider jump on your face in a room that’s pitch black.

The humans feel real for the most part, although I sometimes think their physical proportions are a bit too similar. Pretty much every character I came across was skinny and shorter than me, but I’m willing to chalk that up to malnutrition in the metro. Ultimately, everything you come across, whether creature or human, feels like it fits in the world. 

Inspired Gameplay in the Metro 

Metro Awakening does an incredible job of introducing gameplay that feels familiar, but not overdone. The way the player accesses their inventory is by reaching over their shoulder and using a backpack, which holds a variety of items you pick up along the way. It carries an electrical charger, lighter, grenades, gas mask, filters, and eventually bigger firearms like the shotgun and assault rifle.

The front of the backpack provides a basic objective and shows you postcard collectibles gathered in a given chapter. Aside from the backpack, players can reach down to one side for their pistol and the other side for their health injection gun. And, a headlamp can be activated by clicking near your forehead, of course. 

Everything I just described comes together for a fluid gameplay experience that is perfect for survival horror. There’s also a great blend of action and survival. You can consistently check the backpack with ease to see your ammo count or switch weapons, which is something you’ll do often since the game is pretty stingy when it comes to bullets and shells.

The survival element is done so well, and the only times you’ll be loaded up with resources is when you’re about to deplete them in a massive fight. Between the irradiated creatures and armed raiders along the way, taking good stock of your inventory is essential. I personally loved the backpack, because it’s rare for a VR game to provide so many different weapon options in a way that feels realistic. 

The actual combat can be as fast or as slow as you want. While there may be a few times you have to run due to lack of ammo, most of the time you should be well prepared. It took some time for me to get the hang of aiming, but it’s fairly accurate once you have it down, and then it’s easier to preserve resources. 

There are a few options for stealth, if you’re someone who likes to pick off your enemies one at a time, however, I do wish the silencer had been introduced sooner. That said, I’m partial to a good stealth mission, so I may be slightly biased when it comes to silenced weapons. 

The gas mask is pretty straightforward, as the player is given three minutes per filter to walk through an area filled with radiation. It’s such an essential and basic mechanic for any Metro game, but Metro Awakening makes it feel real. There’s something about putting on that mask while wearing a headset that just sets the vibe. It’s truly like you’re actually wearing it, and I loved the details on the glass when exposed to the environment. 

Minor Marks for An Otherwise Exceptional Game

There’s not much to criticize when it comes to Metro Awakening, aside from a few minor issues that aren’t out of the ordinary for VR titles. My biggest problems were gameplay bugs, where I had to restart the game, and in one instance my Quest. 

There were two memorable moments when I had to reset the game. The first time, I was unable to grab my rifle from behind my shoulder. Given the fact that I was completely out of bullets for my pistol when it started, I thought for sure I was going to be Nosalis food, but I evaded detection and it was a quick fix when I eventually reset it. The second time, the game just wouldn’t let me climb up a ladder. I won’t lie, I definitely thought this was a puzzle for a solid couple of minutes before realizing it was just a bug. 

In the one instance where I had to reset my headset, the game had replaced all menu options with the word “button” and wouldn’t let me click on anything. When I reset the game, the problem continued, so I went for a full reboot and thankfully it worked, so I didn’t have the face the full wrath of Khan (Vertigo support…probably). It wasn’t a big issue in my book, but it happened, so it’s worth noting. 

Aside from the bugs, I only have one gameplay complaint that I think is worth mentioning. While I’m glad Metro Awakening gives you the option to run, it doesn’t last long enough. It’s a bit of a pet peeve of mine when the main character exhausts their energy 10 seconds after starting to run. That’s me…not post-apocalyptic adventurer Khan…we have to preserve the suspension of reality people! I can appreciate doing it out of realism, but really, these guns have no ammo, pick up the pace. 

Concluding Thoughts on Metro Awakening 

Metro Awakening is a phenomenal experience that shows the true potential of virtual reality. When I finished playing this game, I kept thinking this may have been more fun than Metro Exodus, because I felt so invested. While there were some points in the story that maybe didn’t hit as well as they could have, I still had a great time being in the world. 

Vertigo was an excellent studio for the Metro franchise to choose, and I can’t wait to see what the developers work on next.  Perhaps we will see even more of these games in VR and it will get new gamers into the growing medium. 

For those of you who have been considering jumping on the Metro Awakening train, you should absolutely check it out. As of this writing, you can get the game on Meta for $44.99 or Steam for $39.99, which is pretty reasonable in the VR market. If you’re a fan of the Metro series and want to feel what it’s like to be in the underground, then step into the darkness and embrace your inner Khan. 

9/10 – Metro Awakening is a bold new direction for the franchise that shows it might just be better in VR. 

Metro Awakening Review – The Remarkably Immersive Reincarnation of Khan (Meta Quest)

For those of you who have been considering jumping on the Metro Awakening train, you should absolutely check it out.