Editorials
[Review] ‘Metro Exodus’ Takes You On a Thrilling Road Trip Without Really Going Anywhere New
Should you get aboard the Metro hype train? Read why we thought you may hesitate to buy a ticket in our Metro Exodus review.
Carefully I approach the shore, makeshift oars breaking apart a thin crust of ice bobbing atop these irradiated waters. I’m careful to avoid the ripples as I go – a telltale sign of something lurking beneath the surface, waiting to turn my rickety boat into a splintery supper. On foot now, I approach the small shanty town ahead, a church bell tolling from across this blighted wasteland. I can hear two men talking; wiping the dirt, rain, and blood from my gas mark, I ready my pneumatic rifle. I’ve got a clutch of freshly-crafted steel balls, more than enough to quietly take off the pair of watchmen. The gun’s jammed, however, and I take a knee for a few seconds to fix it, having forgotten to do so when ambushed by a pack of hound-like mutants back near the railway, swapping out the useless weapon for my personally modified shotgun. It may only hold two shells but if it wasn’t for those two shots having found their mark, I’d be dead right now.
Then I realize something – these two men, they’re unarmed: looking out over the lake, two long fishing poles hungrily hovering above its murky waters. This land belongs to a cult, its zealous, technophobic followers having almost killed me during our last encounter. Still, these two look friendly enough. Holstering my rifle, I approach…
Metro Exodus has plenty of these moments and while not completely unscripted they add a layer to the game’s story and atmosphere that wasn’t there before. Both Metro 2033 and its sequel, Last Light, were incredibly linear shooters that had you scouring a subterranean network of tunnels in their grim depiction of a nuclear apocalypse. Occasionally, you’d brave the surface, gas mark in hand, exploring wider areas overrun by mutants but there was that same feeling of being led from one beat to the next instead of being able to fully soak in this world, inspired by the best-selling novels of Russian author Dmitry Glukhovsky.
In the past, Metro has been mistakenly labeled as a spiritual successor to the severely underrated Stalker series. I say this because part of what made those games so unique wasn’t their hazardous wastelands and occasional quirkiness, it was the sense that you had some actual freedom in approaching your objectives instead of hurtling down a single path, taking the odd breather when the story felt like indulging itself.
Metro Exodus definitely leans closer to its Stalker roots this time around though it’s still, for the most part, a linear experience. This isn’t Fallout – you won’t be setting off, charting a course for a chosen landmark, then experiencing a series of emergent stories in between. Sadly, Exodus isn’t equipped to feel like a fully open-world game, instead finding a middle ground that should appease series fans and those wanting something more than a mere cookie-cutter sequel.
Whether or not you’ve played previous entries or read Glukhovsky’s books isn’t hugely important. There are references to certain characters and events that may go over your head but, for the most part, Exodus is newcomer-friendly. Once again you play as silent protagonist Artyom who, since the events of Last Light, has tried to settle down. However, convinced that he and his fellow metro-dwelling survivors aren’t alone in the world, he continues to take risky excursions above the surface, endangering himself while eating into the settlement’s dwindling resources.
We won’t spoil what happens but if you’ve seen any pre-release media for Metro Exodus then you know about the Aurora – the train that carries Artyom and a ragtag band of survivors beyond Moscow, giving Exodus a distinct road trip feel flavor, unlike its more confined predecessors. It’s tempting to make the joke that Metro has become an on-rails shooter though you won’t be spending too much time on the tracks. Exodus settles into a rhythm of taking you from one large hub area to the next where you will complete story missions and a string of side tasks.
Compared to previous games, it’s more open by design, though the minute-to-minute gameplay hasn’t really evolved. There’s something about the shooting and the way Artyom awkwardly shambles around that feels clumsy and archaic, Metro sits somewhere between the snappy responsiveness of games like Call of Duty and the deliberate heft of Killzone, though never finding a comfortable sweet spot.
It’s more than serviceable, however, and there’ll be plenty of satisfying moments when cranking far off headshots or just managing to fend off a mutant swarm. You can avoid most confrontations altogether, of course, though Metro’s flimsy stealth mechanics remain largely unchanged since previous games.
Those survival elements the series has featured in the past come to the fore, however. With the option to freely explore Metro’s wasteland, Exodus gives you an expanded toolset to do so while having a more robust crafting system. Where previous installments had you exchanging currency for ammunition, weapons, and equipment, everything here is either found in abandoned caches or crafted by hand.
Extra tools such as ziplines, binoculars, and workbenches all come in handy while adding texture to the game world. If there’s one thing Exodus does extremely well, it’s making you feel truly immersed as a survivor looking for hope in its alluringly oppressive world. With two games under the belt, expect to see some similar design tropes when it comes to Metro’s characters, enemies, and environments, though developer 4A Games also pushes for some diversity, too.
Despite a predominant sludge of browns and greys topped with a dusting of snow, Exodus can be quite the looker. Not all of its locales are brimming with a picturesque sense of character, though the game benefits from some fantastically detailed character work and lighting effects.
If you loved both 2033 and Last Light then you’ve likely boarded the hype train already and won’t be disappointed. Many will appreciate the continuation of Artyom’s story and 4A’s shift towards a freer, more immersive experience though Metro is still a couple of pegs below that top tier of first-person shooters. It feels rough around the edges and is let down by occasional bugs, sloppy AI, and a flimsy stealth system. That said, innovations elsewhere make some of these shortfalls easier to overlook.
Metro Exodus review code for PS4 provided by the publisher.
Metro Exodus is out February 15 on PS4, Xbox One, and PC via the Epic Games Store.
Editorials
‘Immaculate’ – A Companion Watch Guide to the Religious Horror Movie and Its Cinematic Influences
The religious horror movie Immaculate, starring Sydney Sweeney and directed by Michael Mohan, wears its horror influences on its sleeves. NEON’s new horror movie is now available on Digital and PVOD, making it easier to catch up with the buzzy title. If you’ve already seen Immaculate, this companion watch guide highlights horror movies to pair with it.
Sweeney stars in Immaculate as Cecilia, a woman of devout faith who is offered a fulfilling new role at an illustrious Italian convent. Cecilia’s warm welcome to the picture-perfect Italian countryside gets derailed soon enough when she discovers she’s become pregnant and realizes the convent harbors disturbing secrets.
From Will Bates’ gothic score to the filming locations and even shot compositions, Immaculate owes a lot to its cinematic influences. Mohan pulls from more than just religious horror, though. While Immaculate pays tribute to the classics, the horror movie surprises for the way it leans so heavily into Italian horror and New French Extremity. Let’s dig into many of the film’s most prominent horror influences with a companion watch guide.
Warning: Immaculate spoilers ahead.
Rosemary’s Baby
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The mother of all pregnancy horror movies introduces Rosemary Woodhouse (Mia Farrow), an eager-to-please housewife who’s supportive of her husband, Guy, and thrilled he landed them a spot in the coveted Bramford apartment building. Guy proposes a romantic evening, which gives way to a hallucinogenic nightmare scenario that leaves Rosemary confused and pregnant. Rosemary’s suspicions and paranoia mount as she’s gaslit by everyone around her, all attempting to distract her from her deeply abnormal pregnancy. While Cecilia follows a similar emotional journey to Rosemary, from the confusion over her baby’s conception to being gaslit by those who claim to have her best interests in mind, Immaculate inverts the iconic final frame of Rosemary’s Baby to great effect.
The Exorcist
William Friedkin’s horror classic shook audiences to their core upon release in the ’70s, largely for its shocking imagery. A grim battle over faith is waged between demon Pazuzu and priests Damien Karras (Jason Miller) and Lankester Merrin (Max von Sydow). The battleground happens to be a 12-year-old, Regan MacNeil (Linda Blair), whose possessed form commits blasphemy often, including violently masturbating with a crucifix. Yet Friedkin captures the horrifying events with stunning cinematography; the emotional complexity and shot composition lend elegance to a film that counterbalances the horror. That balance between transgressive imagery and artful form permeates Immaculate as well.
Suspiria
Jessica Harper stars as Suzy Bannion, an American newcomer at a prestigious dance academy in Germany who uncovers a supernatural conspiracy amid a series of grisly murders. It’s a dance academy so disciplined in its art form that its students and faculty live their full time, spending nearly every waking hour there, including built-in meals and scheduled bedtimes. Like Suzy Bannion, Cecilia is a novitiate committed to learning her chosen trade, so much so that she travels to a foreign country to continue her training. Also, like Suzy, Cecilia quickly realizes the pristine façade of her new setting belies sinister secrets that mean her harm.
What Have You Done to Solange?
This 1972 Italian horror film follows a college professor who gets embroiled in a bizarre series of murders when his mistress, a student, witnesses one taking place. The professor starts his own investigation to discover what happened to the young woman, Solange. Sex, murder, and religion course through this Giallo’s veins, which features I Spit on Your Grave’s Camille Keaton as Solange. Immaculate director Michael Mohan revealed to The Wrap that he emulated director Massimo Dallamano’s techniques, particularly in a key scene that sees Cecilia alone in a crowded room of male superiors, all interrogating her on her immaculate status.
The Red Queen Kills Seven Times
In this Giallo, two sisters inherit their family’s castle that’s also cursed. When a dark-haired, red-robed woman begins killing people around them, the sisters begin to wonder if the castle’s mysterious curse has resurfaced. Director Emilio Miraglia infuses his Giallo with vibrant style, with the titular Red Queen instantly eye-catching in design. While the killer’s design and use of red no doubt played an influential role in some of Immaculate’s nightmare imagery, its biggest inspiration in Mohan’s film is its score. Immaculate pays tribute to The Red Queen Kills Seven Times through specific music cues.
The Vanishing
Rex’s life is irrevocably changed when the love of his life is abducted from a rest stop. Three years later, he begins receiving letters from his girlfriend’s abductor. Director George Sluizer infuses his simple premise with bone-chilling dread and psychological terror as the kidnapper toys with Red. It builds to a harrowing finale you won’t forget; and neither did Mohan, who cited The Vanishing as an influence on Immaculate. Likely for its surprise closing moments, but mostly for the way Sluizer filmed from inside a coffin.
The Other Hell
This nunsploitation film begins where Immaculate ends: in the catacombs of a convent that leads to an underground laboratory. The Other Hell sees a priest investigating the seemingly paranormal activity surrounding the convent as possessed nuns get violent toward others. But is this a case of the Devil or simply nuns run amok? Immaculate opts to ground its horrors in reality, where The Other Hell leans into the supernatural, but the surprise lab setting beneath the holy grounds evokes the same sense of blasphemous shock.
Inside
During Immaculate‘s freakout climax, Cecilia sets the underground lab on fire with Father Sal Tedeschi (Álvaro Morte) locked inside. He manages to escape, though badly burned, and chases Cecilia through the catacombs. When Father Tedeschi catches Cecilia, he attempts to cut her baby out of her womb, and the stark imagery instantly calls Alexandre Bustillo and Julien Maury’s seminal French horror movie to mind. Like Tedeschi, Inside’s La Femme (Béatrice Dalle) will stop at nothing to get the baby, badly burned and all.
Burial Ground
At first glance, this Italian zombie movie bears little resemblance to Immaculate. The plot sees an eclectic group forced to band together against a wave of undead, offering no shortage of zombie gore and wild character quirks. What connects them is the setting; both employed the Villa Parisi as a filming location. The Villa Parisi happens to be a prominent filming spot for Italian horror; also pair the new horror movie with Mario Bava’s A Bay of Blood or Blood for Dracula for additional boundary-pushing horror titles shot at the Villa Parisi.
The Devils
The Devils was always intended to be incendiary. Horror, at its most depraved and sadistic, tends to make casual viewers uncomfortable. Ken Russell’s 1971 epic takes it to a whole new squeamish level with its nightmarish visuals steeped in some historical accuracy. There are the horror classics, like The Exorcist, and there are definitive transgressive horror cult classics. The Devils falls squarely in the latter, and Russell’s fearlessness in exploring taboos and wielding unholy imagery inspired Mohan’s approach to the escalating horror in Immaculate.
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