It’s been seven years since we last heard from the Ukrainian studio 4A Games. During this time, a splinter group formed Reburn, releasing the critically panned La Quimera, while GSC Game World, the origin of 4A Games’ founders, successfully revived the S.T.A.L.K.E.R. series.
In the gaming industry, seven years is a significant period. However, 4A Games is finally ready to unveil their latest creation. As you read this, Metro 2039 will have been officially revealed during an in-depth Xbox First Look presentation.
Let’s briefly summarize what Metro 2039 is, what it isn’t, and the ideas and circumstances that have shaped 4A Games as a studio and Metro 2039 as a game.
In essence, Metro 2039 is a new AAA title set three years after the events of Metro Exodus. The game aims to return players ‘to the tunnels,’ suggesting a departure from the open-world environments and freedom-focused level design of Metro Exodus, in favor of a more claustrophobic and intense single-player experience.
Developed using the studio’s proprietary 4A Engine, the game promises visually stunning environments. The brief gameplay preview and the studio’s explanations indicate that players can expect a visually rich experience with a strong emphasis on immersion. This immersion is further enhanced by what the studio calls ‘frozen stories’ – detailed snapshots of life before the catastrophe, allowing environments to tell their own narratives without the need for spoken dialogue.
It appears we will not be playing as the series’ usual protagonist, Artyom, this time. Instead, you will step into the shoes of ‘the Stranger,’ a protagonist forced back into the Moscow Metro system after spending time on the surface. This return is partly necessitated by the consolidation of all previous factions under a single, totalitarian, Nazi-inspired regime known as the Novoreich. This regime is led by the enigmatic Führer Hunter, and the parallels to real-world totalitarianism – from the persecution of dissenting voices to relentless propaganda and indoctrination – are undeniable.
The game is set to feature a darker, more horror-tinged atmosphere, focusing on pure survival within the confines of the tunnels. The studio themselves attribute this shift in tone to real-world events since Metro Exodus’s release in 2019. The Russian invasion of Ukraine in 2020, despite the studio’s relocation of much of its operations to Malta, has profoundly impacted the development. As a studio that remains ‘predominantly Ukrainian,’ the ongoing invasion has cast a long shadow over Metro 2039’s creation.
“War is now a reality,” the developer stated during the presentation, emphasizing that Metro now reflects the consequences of warfare rather than merely warning against its horrors.
The gameplay preview, though brief, showcased the Stranger navigating an incredibly detailed area before being ambushed by what appeared to be a Lurker, a rat-like mutant and recurring enemy in the series. The Stranger is narrowly saved by a team who manage to seal off a safer section of the Metro just as the creatures breach the entrance. This short glimpse is all we have for now, but we do know the game is slated for release this winter on Xbox Series, PC, Steam, the Epic Games Store, and PS5. A December release seems probable, especially given the unlikelihood of major game launches coinciding with the highly anticipated Grand Theft Auto VI.
While Exodus was a success, many felt it strayed too far from the series’ claustrophobic roots. Metro 2039 appears to be a direct response to this sentiment. The game promises a dark, brutal, and kinetic experience that more organically ties into the core of the Metro series. Players have much to look forward to.