E3 2018: 4A Games shows 17 minutes of Metro Exodus

Feel like you wanted more out of Metro Exodus than just a trailer of the protagonist defeating a bellowing Russian cult leader? Turns out 4A Games has also released a long beta video during the chaos of E3 that we nearly missed.

To give you the CliffsNotes rundown on what’s shown if you don’t have 17 minutes: Your player is exploring a rather enormous (but not open world) area near the Volga River. The zone shown is stated to be several times bigger than the largest area in the last game, Metro: Last Last. Gas Mask filters are still needed to explore the surface and resources are again limited. Stealth is key just like the last two entries and all the UI elements cleverly placed on your arm will inform you of their awareness to your location. The AI of mutants and enemies will also interact with each other while attacking you. Enemies can even surrender if you take out most of their allies.

Crafting is a new addition that allows you to make more ammo, gas filters, and other resources at fixed locations. Some items can be crafted ad hoc on the field but time still progresses normally as you do so, putting you at risk if you decide to exercise your handyman skills. Since weapons can degrade from usage and suffer from jamming, overheating, or accuracy dropoff; resources can also be used to repair them. You can also mod weapons from a wide list of add-ons that might look rather goofy, but will pack some major punch.

Your outposts will also allow you to change the time of day which will alter the behavior and timing of the beings roaming the environment. The example they provide is typical fare, in which deciding to attack an enemy base at night will aid your ability to sneak as well as catch them off guard while they’re sleeping. Missions will be added while you’re out exploring and this demo has you saving a female sniper from an irradiated location before both your air supplies deplete. A cute feature is if your mask gets a leak while taking damage, you can cover it up with duct tape, but at the obvious expensive of your visibility. Weather can also be a random concern as you change the time of day. 4A Games reiterates at the end of the video that they want to accurately capture the oppressive gameplay that has made the franchise beloved.

The whole 17 minute romp can be seen below on their official channel (and in 4K). Metro Exodus comes out February 22nd on Xbox One, Playstation 4, and PC.