Metro: Exodus [2019]

[Ciaran]

 

Wow

[Stormingz]

Nothing really new in that trailer, but the game still looks great none the less, and still looking forward to this.

[chronic lumbago]

I need this in my life.

[Ciaran]

Metro Exodus will be gameinformers March cover.

 

http://www.gameinformer.com/b/news/archive/2018/02/06/march-2018-cover-revealed-metro-exodus-4a-games.aspx

[OurJud]

A new Metro game always sparks my interest, but I've learned to take pre-release 'official gameplay' footage (like the videos in the OP) with a very large pinch of salt. While the actual graphics may be what we can expect from real gameplay, the action is clearly heavily directed pre-rendered stuff, meaning its only ever a representation of actual gameplay, despite the claims.

 

And those lovely clear screens we see... void of any HUD and pop-up prompts.... well forget that. By the time the game gets released we'll have all the obligatory crap on the screen.

Edited February 8, 2018 by OurJud

[Fireman]

Got to have that obligatory crap on my screen, how else do I know I'm dying from radiation?

[Dacelo]

A new Metro game always sparks my interest, but I've learned to take pre-release 'official gameplay' footage (like the videos in the OP) with a very large pinch of salt. While the actual graphics may be what we can expect from real gameplay, the action is clearly heavily directed pre-rendered stuff, meaning its only ever a representation of actual gameplay, despite the claims.

 

And those lovely clear screens we see... void of any HUD and pop-up prompts.... well forget that. By the time the game gets released we'll have all the obligatory crap on the screen.

The metro games have incredibly sparse huds, reloading is one of the very few times any elements show up on screen.

[Mr. Scratch]

Got to have that obligatory crap on my screen, how else do I know I'm dying from radiation?

 

By tasting your own piss, duh!

[OurJud]

 

A new Metro game always sparks my interest, but I've learned to take pre-release 'official gameplay' footage (like the videos in the OP) with a very large pinch of salt. While the actual graphics may be what we can expect from real gameplay, the action is clearly heavily directed pre-rendered stuff, meaning its only ever a representation of actual gameplay, despite the claims.

 

And those lovely clear screens we see... void of any HUD and pop-up prompts.... well forget that. By the time the game gets released we'll have all the obligatory crap on the screen.

The metro games have incredibly sparse huds, reloading is one of the very few times any elements show up on screen.

 

They're better than most, I'll grant you that, but you're still not able to turn everything off (with the exception of Redux). I remember the developers of this series, maybe three games back, making a big thing about a game with no HUD, but sure enough when it came to release time they announced it wasn't really viable.

 

Let me make it clear, I would never support a game which forces HUD-less gameplay on players, but just give us the option, that's all I ask for.

 

GTAV, the Killzone series, Far Cry Primal (nearly). They're all perfectly playable with no HUD and/or pop-ups, so there's really no excuse for other developers not to do the same.

Edited February 9, 2018 by OurJud

[Leftist Bastard]

I still think Dead Space has the absolute best HUD design i'v ever seen because it was all into integrated into the universe and the player's character rather than screen clutter.

[sivispacem]

Prey has a nicely unobtrusive HUD.

[OurJud]

I still think Dead Space has the absolute best HUD design i'v ever seen because it was all into integrated into the universe and the player's character rather than screen clutter.

When the HUD is supposed to be part of the character's visor or some kind of headset they're wearing, I can just about tolerate it.

 

Prey has a nicely unobtrusive HUD.

See, this is where I differ from most. When the subject of games with no HUD are discussed, people always mention titles that have a minimal HUD. A minimal HUD is just as bad as a cluttered HUD for me.

 

Any element of a HUD - be that a permanent fixture or the ones that pop-up as prompts - ruin any immersion that might be there otherwise.

Edited February 13, 2018 by OurJud

[Mr. Scratch]

No offense but you're missing out on a lot of great games just because you can't stand any HUD on the screen.

[chronic lumbago]

Some HUD popups are necessary. But for the love of god, games like Fallout, AC Origins or Skyrim should let me disable that goddamn compass. Where's the fun in exploration when I'm directed to the nearest locations anyways? This should be optional in every single game with a map/compass.

 

Yes, you can fade the HUD entirely, but I don't want everything gone.. just the compass mostly. Minimalistic AC Origins HUD was a great option, but it still has that dumb compass showing me everything.

Edited February 13, 2018 by fashion

[OurJud]

No offense but you're missing out on a lot of great games just because you can't stand any HUD on the screen.

Oh, I know it's like cutting off my nose to spite my face, but the desire to disable the HUD entirely has become a bit of an obsession for me. It used to be the same with driving sims, where the ability to disable the HUD was rare, but now you're hard pressed to find a driving sim where the option to disable the HUD isn't there. I'm just hoping first-person games go the same way, where a 'HUD off' option becomes standard.

 

I hasten to add this obsession for disabling the HUD only applies to first-person games.

 

 

Apart from FC2 (autofade) allowing 0 HUD, I don't recall any game that allows the latter. Even in GTA V playing FP with no HUD, the weapon wheel will show up.

KIllzone 2,3,4 allowed you to disable the HUD and all interactive pop-up prompts. As does Fallout 4.

 

And don't get me started on this new weapon wheel all games seem to have adopted. It was so much easier when we could just cycle through our weapons by tapping triangle. And it was quicker. And less confusing. And less cumbersome.

 

 

Some HUD popups are necessary.

Wouldn't necessarily agree with that. I played Killzone 2,3 and 4 right through with HUD and interactive prompts disabled.

 

If pop-up prompts are needed, then it's because of bad game design.

Edited February 14, 2018 by OurJud

[chronic lumbago]

I picked up Metro Last Light remastered from the PSN store today. It's just 5 euros. I don't own the game on last gen anymore but I already owned 2033 and it was a great looking, smooth remaster so the sequel can only look even better.

 

5 euros is worth it for another playthrough. I don't remember much about the story in fact. I'm also going to play on a harder difficulty. I read on the description page that there's a survival mode, which makes the game tougher and horror-like? I admit, I played the metro games on the easier difficulty levels. Can't wait to try survival tomorrow.

[OurJud]

I'm also going to play on a harder difficulty. I read on the description page that there's a survival mode, which makes the game tougher and horror-like?

If Last Light Remastered in the same game as Redux, then it's as hard as nails, but then I'm not very good at these games. In fact it was game-breakingly hard in my opinion because I finished a level with hardly any ammo, which made it virtually impossible for me to get through the next level as there was no ammo supplies anywhere. I tried to get through the level for weeks, without success, and eventually gave up.

[chronic lumbago]

Yes, I've meant Redux. I've started playing today and already made some good progress. Got to the point where I escaped with Pavel. I decided to play on survival - hard. It's tough. The first few encounters were easy but I did have some trouble with the last battle in the Facility level. Mainly because my game autosaved wrong, just in the very moment I got detected. All out battles are hard as hell.

 

No ammo problems so far. I thought it would be very scarce.

[OurJud]

Yes, I've meant Redux. I've started playing today and already made some good progress. Got to the point where I escaped with Pavel. I decided to play on survival - hard. It's tough. The first few encounters were easy but I did have some trouble with the last battle in the Facility level. Mainly because my game autosaved wrong, just in the very moment I got detected. All out battles are hard as hell.

 

No ammo problems so far. I thought it would be very scarce.

I actually only played on survival / hard because as far as I remember it was the only way of removing the HUD.

 

Kind of annoys me when the only option for hiding HUD is to play on hardcore. I want to play on easy, but with no HUD.

[chronic lumbago]

Just finished the game. Maybe I rushed it a tiny bit on some parts but enjoyed it a lot overall. One things for sure, I'm starting the 3rd game on a harder difficulty as well. I enjoyed the challenge of the "hard" difficulty level.

 

However, there was nothing "survival" about it. I can't tell any difference from the standard playthrough. Ammo was everywhere. To not confuse anyone, you choose two difficulty levels. Normal/hard/very hard AND Spartan/Survival. Just in case you don't remember.

 

f*ck the catacombs. That's the one spot that gave me real problems.

[OurJud]

Metro Last Light Redux / 2033 Redux currently £3.99 on the PS Store - till midnight tomorrow only.

[OurJud]

.

Edited March 7, 2018 by OurJud

[Ciaran]

Delayed to early 2019.

 

http://www.gameinformer.com/b/news/archive/2018/05/16/metro-exodus-delayed-to-early-2019.aspx

[Ciaran]

February 22nd 2019!

 

 

 

 

 

[OurJud]

Mmm, like the Battlefield V gameplay, this bears little resemblance to the teaser from a couple of months ago. Seriously, when are developers going to admit these teasers don't feature actual gameplay?? Just compare this latest one with the teaser. When a first-person game plays as nicely as we see in this, then I'll be a very happy chap.

 

 

 

Anyway rant over. Back to the real gameplay. A few worries jump out. The way he holds the rifles (with more of the left arm in view than we normally see) makes him look like he's holding it forward and away from his body, rather than tucked in tight against his chest.

 

The blood around the edge of the screen when injured is far too obvious and the wrong shade of red (too bright)

 

Other than that it's definitely one I'll be trying to purchase. I'm just praying to God they'll have extensive HUD options so we can play it clean and without any of those annoying interactive prompts popping up every time we want to open a door / loot a body / etc.

Edited June 10, 2018 by OurJud

[Richard Power Colt]

3 hours ago, OurJud said:

Mmm, like the Battlefield V gameplay, this bears little resemblance to the teaser from a couple of months ago. Seriously, when are developers going to admit these teasers don't feature actual gameplay?? Just compare this latest one with the teaser. When a first-person game plays as nicely as we see in this, then I'll be a very happy chap.

 

 

 

Anyway rant over. Back to the real gameplay. A few worries jump out. The way he holds the rifles (with more of the left arm in view than we normally see) makes him look like he's holding it forward and away from his body, rather than tucked in tight against his chest.

 

The blood around the edge of the screen when injured is far too obvious and the wrong shade of red (too bright)

 

Other than that it's definitely one I'll be trying to purchase. I'm just praying to God they'll have extensive HUD options so we can play it clean and without any of those annoying interactive prompts popping up every time we want to open a door / loot a body / etc.

I've only played Metro 2033 Redux, but if you played ranger mode in that game it turned off the HUD entirely. It didn't even show you any tutorials so I was pretty confused initially, because that's how I started on my first playthrough.

Edited June 11, 2018 by Richard Power Colt

[OurJud]

29 minutes ago, Richard Power Colt said:

I've only played Metro 2033 Redux, but if you played ranger mode in that game it turned off the HUD entirely. It didn't even show you any tutorials so I was pretty confused initially, because that's how I started on my first playthrough.

Yeah, I loved that game. There's no reason to think they won't provide the same options again, but there's just as much chance some market research or other since then suggests not many people bothered playing without HUD, so they'll ditch the idea for the modern trend of littering the screen with all manner of prompts and such. Press X for this, Hold O for that...

 

I feel pretty alone with my views on HUD options - at least no one seems to feel as passionately about being able to disable everything as I do - so I always fear the worse when a new first-person game is due out.

 

On the positive side a lot of the more recent releases seem to see the value in providing such options. Fallout 4, GTA V, Battlefield 1, and Far Cry 5 all have the options to disable all HUD, including interactive prompts, so here's hoping.

Edited June 11, 2018 by OurJud

[Stormingz]

Excited for this.

 

 

I like how the prisoner you capture around the 6 minute mark, starts praying to his ‘God’ thinking he’s about to die. That’s what I love about these Metro games, little details in the world, there aren’t many games that immerse me into a world that’s so bleak and hopeless, quite like Metro does. Dare I say, even surpassing Fallout?

 

Granted Fallout has always been open world, and this is the first time for Metro, so we’ll see how the devs have handled it, but so far it’s looking good.

Edited June 14, 2018 by Stormingz
More to say

[OurJud]

On 6/14/2018 at 12:33 PM, Stormingz said:

Excited for this.

Was just about to post this video.

 

Anyway, I too am excited, but my excitement is laced with a couple of concerns. A minor quibble is the 'injured' effects on the screen. It's a horribly bright red and far too intrusive. The blood to indicate near-death should be darker and more subtle.

 

But my biggest concern is that they won't include the Ranger Mode out of the box. I loath all these on-screen indicators and prompts, because once all the button combos are learned, they serve as nothing more than immersion breakers. The biggest worry is that things like ammo pick-ups and such, show up briefly to the right of the screen. Please PLEASE give us the option to disable all this crap from the word go. I don't need a little graphic of a f*cking hand showing me that a door can be opened!

 

Another thing I'd have liked, but don't think we'll get, would be the option to hold weapons in a lowered position. When the gameplay in first-person shooters allows for exploration, as this one reportedly does, I get a little tired of seeing my gun hovering under my chin the whole time.

Edited June 26, 2018 by OurJud

[Stormingz]

Regarding your immersion concerns, I’m pretty sure I heard in an interview that Metro: Exodus will allow you to use the native Russian language, instead of English, with added subtitles for more immersion, so I won’t be surprised if they added a difficulty level, or an option in the settings menu, where you can remove said HUD’s.