Before I started to really dig into Stalker 2, I committed to finishing Metro Awakening VR. It nails the feeling and atmosphere of the Metro series with the added perspective of virtual reality. All the tension over bullet counting really hits harder in VR.
That’s why it was disappointing to hear that it didn’t sell as well as expected. I realized I was part of the problem. It’s taken me this long to write about Metro Awakening even though I loved playing it. VR is still rather niche and we all need to champion games this good.
I ended up playing it via Steam Link on my Quest 3 with great results.
Metro Awakening is a Proper Entry in the Series
Right from the start, it felt like Metro. Waking up in the room of a run down shelter in the underground. It seemed very familiar compared to previous games, but it’s wild to see it all in VR. There was plenty of interactable items in the room.
I messed with the water, played the guitar, threw some chess pieces around and played the piano. It’s not essential for the story or anything, but it’s always nice to have those little interactions in VR. Interaction is always the strength of virtual reality, but not the story or game length.
I’m happy to report that I enjoyed the story of Metro Awakening and it clocked in at 10ish hours. It’s exciting that more proper length VR games with actual stories like this are coming. The beginning of my playthrough had interesting NPCs with decent voice acting.
The character models are a bit dated, but it’s forgivable when it feels like you are in the room with them. Metro Awakening has a story that’s definitely a bit different from previous games in the series, but I liked it for that reason.
Serdar, the main character, is a doctor dealing with the loss of his son and strained relationship with his wife. Along the journey, I dealt with mutants, other factions, cult members and bits of supernatural. There’s plenty of NPC interactions, but a lot of the story banter is done through the radio along the way.
That said, it helps combat some of the loneliness of the journey. Many Metro games involved long sections of silence other than the sound of mutants. Having someone’s voice keeping me company was a welcome addition.
The Survival Mechanics of the Metro Series are Better in VR
One of the most stressful things in ever Metro game is ammo scarcity. In VR, counting ammo is so much more immersive. The ammo clips have an exposed stripe so I could see exactly how many bullets are in the clip. I could also physically pull the slide back to see if there’s a bullet in the chamber.
It’s actually comical to think how many times I checked in my clip and the chamber in the quiet moments. That almost became a source of comfort. It’s one of those great bits of immersion you just can’t get in a flat game.
Reloading is realistic like many other VR games, but the ammo scarcity in this game makes that even more stressful. Had me scrounging every drawer and cabinet for loose bullets, then refill my clip.
There was also the stealth takedown option of sneaking up behind an enemy soldier and knocking them out with the butt of my gun. Sometimes I crept a little to close and things went south, but it was a great feeling when it worked.
Great Gunplay in Metro Awakening VR
The actual firing of the guns felt great. Metro’s pistol was the go to until I found an AK47. I’d place the pistol at my side and rifle on my back. It’s faster to grab another gun rather than reload many times. My favorite gun for most of the game was the shotgun revolver.
It’s pump action like most shotguns, but I could load new shells into the side of the barrel on the go. The power and easy reload made it an obvious choice. I did also like the makeshift revolver crossbow in stealthy bits later on. The bolts glow in the dark, so I could shoot an enemy in silence and go pick up the bolt in the dark.
The lever pull back was a long, so it wasn’t meant for running and gunning. There was also a blow dart gun in the late game for some additional stealth sections. It was fun to play with, but the awkward aiming made that my least favorite.
I could only store one active long weapon over my shoulder, but there was a special backpack to store the rest. I could reach over that shoulder with my other arm to pull it out and select another primary weapon. I love the immersion of the physical inventory.
Physical Inventories are Key in Virtual Reality
The main backpack was even more useful as it carried my grenades, map, objective chart, gas mask, mask refills, lighter and hand crank generator. The generator works like the flat Metro games. It charges the headlamp and door switches or other electronics.
In Metro Awakening though, it’s a real workout to physically crank it. I was quick to use it too. If my headlamp flickered, I’d pull it off the pack and start cranking. Not trying to get caught in the dark. For powering switches there was an extra step of connecting the lead wires. The whole generator process was great immersion.
Even the gas mask had great immersive details. When venturing into radioactive areas, I’d pull out my backpack, grab the mask and put it onto my face. When the filter ran low, I could unscrew it from the mask and grab a replacement from my backpack.
What’s really cool is when water droplets collect on the outside of the mask, I can wipe them away with my hand. It’s a minor detail that the developers could have easily left it out, but it’s a such a memorable piece of immersion.
The lighter was basically there to burn some cobwebs and provide another light source. Not used often, but a nice little addition. Even the watch serves immersion. The LED light signals how well concealed I was and it would count down the time a gas mask filter will be effective.
Metro Awakening is a Worthy Entry to the Series
Metro Awakening really captures the soul of the series with such a great level of immersion. This is both good and bad (if you scare easy). The sounds, low light and game mechanics heighten the tension so much in VR. It’s definitely not a game for those with arachnophobia. Spiders crawled on walls, on my hands and across my face.
For any fan of the Metro series this is a must play game. This is not, however, a game for anyone that scares easily. There are absolutely jump scares and that frightful anticipation of something bad about to happen. If you brave enough though, it’s such a great feeling to be in the world of the Metro series.