AC thVRsday
In his weekly column, Android Central Senior Content Producer Nick Sutrich delves into all issues VR, from new {hardware} to new video games, upcoming applied sciences, and a lot extra.
Metro Awakening is the horror recreation I did not know I wanted. I say that as a result of, first off, I’m not precisely a fan of the horror style. I’ve loved the occasional scary film or recreation once in a while, however these are exceptions quite than the rule. I’ve additionally by no means actually gotten into the Metro collection regardless of having fun with the theme and the unique launch of Metro 2033.
But Metro Awakening is one thing particular. It’s a narrative-heavy, linear first-person shooter — identical to the remainder of the collection — that had me hooked from the second its intelligent intro started. It’s additionally the primary made-for-VR entry into the storied collection, developed totally by veteran VR developer Vertigo Games, the identical firm behind VR classics like Arizona Sunshine and After the Fall.
Despite being from a distinct developer, Metro Awakening feels extremely just like Metro 2033 in all the proper methods. As the story goes, it takes place primarily within the metro practice tunnels below a as soon as nice metropolis, the place you will end up uncovering the horrors that each radioactivity and determined people created. It’s simply probably the greatest Meta Quest video games I’ve ever performed.
Feeling Vertigo
If you’ve got performed the Arizona Sunshine video games or After the Fall, you will instantly really feel aware of the mechanics in Metro Awakening. That’s to not say issues are equivalent — the twin backpack-based stock system is a intelligent new design I have not seen but — however every part that is good in regards to the firm’s earlier apocalyptic shooters sits on show for gamers to expertise in Metro Awakening.
Intuitive on-body stock methods, the place you may constantly rely on grabbing the identical merchandise each time you attain for it, make them really feel nearly as good as a sizzling bar in a flat-screen recreation.
This is especially essential given the extent of worry the sport constantly holds you in, as you can make higher split-second selections since you will not be fumbling with an unreliable stock system. Healing is at all times in your left hip, a pistol at all times in your proper, and reaching into the pocket in your chest at all times delivers the right ammo or refill for the weapon you are holding.
That is, in fact, as long as you’ve got been in a position to maintain on to sufficient ammo to get you thru the following part. One of Metro Awakening’s greatest strengths is its constant issue degree, which is immediately relative to how a lot ammo you are given between any of the sport’s encounters.
Watch On
Metro Awakening’s fight encounters are as usually about taking the stealthy method as they’re about blindly taking pictures at unseen enemies like a personality in certainly one of Ridley Scott’s Alien films. Most encounters with people provide the choice to be stealthy — which I’ll encourage you to make use of — so as to save up as a lot ammo for the following encounter as attainable.
But each single encounter — even those that very clearly suggest a stealthy method is finest — could be run by way of Rambo type. Enemies’ weapons could be taken after they’re downed, and whereas ammo in these weapons is at all times severely restricted, they permit expert gamers to hop from enemy to enemy and piggyback in inventive methods. Cans and bottles could be introduced from place to put and used to distract enemies, so you should use a stealthy melee assault to take them out.
Despite the sport’s linear nature, these moments considerably improve the extent design and total recreation mechanics.
Variety and a little bit of half life
There was by no means a time in Metro Awakening’s 12-hour marketing campaign the place I felt like I used to be repeating the identical previous scenario again and again. Each hallway, air vent, metro tunnel, or different area you stroll by way of feels distinctive in a method that is hardly ever achieved exterior of one thing nearly as good as Metroid Prime. While this is not a Metroidvania by any stretch of the creativeness, the number of locales and the compelling story stored me coming again to the sport for extra every day.
Metro Awakening has you taking part in the group’s physician whose eccentric spouse appears to at all times trigger issues. When she begins listening to the voice of your long-dead son within the steam pipes, you already know one thing unhealthy’s about to occur. The remainder of the journey can have you questioning if she’s sane, prophetic, or perhaps someplace in between the 2. Either method, you will be venturing additional than your character’s arduous previous has ever gone earlier than.
Since many elements of the world you will discover are radioactive, you will want to often placed on a gasoline masks and maintain monitor of how efficient its filter is working. Finding and swapping out filters will allow you to discover these areas extra, usually serving to you discover survival provides and some collectible gadgets. If there’s any replayability within the recreation, it is for folk who like to re-experience particular occasions or to search out all three postcards hidden in every chapter.
Despite not being a giant fan of the horror style, the macabre scenes depicted always all through the sport have been fascinating in a method I did not count on. Likewise, the horrifying creatures that had me leaping and blindly taking pictures have been at all times fascinating to come across, and I usually tried to search out inventive methods to dispatch them earlier than they acquired too shut.
While I would not put Metro Awakening in the identical normal class as a horror recreation like Wraith: The Oblivion – Afterlife, there is no denying the significance of horror to the story and the general environment of the sport. Even in the event you’re not a fan of horror like me, I’d encourage you to attempt it. The Meta Quest retailer has a 2-hour return window, anyway, and you will positively get the sensation of the sport within the first half-hour, not to mention two hours.
If I needed to title one particular critique of the Quest model of the sport, it might be that I anticipated to see the sport operating at a better decision than it does. I used Quest Games Optimizer to spice up the decision to 130%, and it seemed downright breathtaking at occasions, all with none noticeable efficiency hitches. Hopefully, Vertigo Games can patch in one thing like this quickly.
The VR group has had its share of ups and downs with massive releases this 12 months, however this final quarter has confirmed to pack a severe punch that offers me excessive hopes for the way forward for big-name VR video games. Batman Arkham Shadow sits firmly on the high as recreation of the 12 months, though Metro Awakening has already making me query which title will get the crown on the finish of the 12 months.
Get the ability of a Meta Quest 3 in a extra inexpensive package deal with the Meta Quest 3S, the brand new VR headset from Meta. Plus, get Batman Arkham Shadow and three months of Meta Quest Plus once you purchase one earlier than April 2025.
