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Three individuals were relaxing in the Den in Metro Exodus.
Image via Deep Silver

Best Metro Game, All Metro Games Ranked

Metro franchise has been a part of the gaming world since its debut in 2010. After several great sequels, we'll rank the games from worst to best.

Artyom’s journey in the Metro series, adapted from a novel, is known for its excellent gameplay and story. With three critically acclaimed releases since 2010, we celebrate twenty-three years by ranking the games from good to great. Are you ready to find out which is the best Metro game?

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What’s the Order of the Metro Games?

The Metro game series has four games, and they released in this order: Metro 2033, Metro: Last Light, Metro Redux, and Metro Exodus. Metro: Last Light is a direct sequel to Metro 2033, and Metro Exodus is the third installment in the Metro Game trilogy. On the other hand, Metro Redux is basically a remastered version of the first two games.

best metro game
Image via 4A Games

The first downloadable content (DLC), known as The Two Colonels, paid tribute to the Metro franchise’s roots by presenting a more confined and guided gaming experience. On the other hand, the latest DLC, Sam’s Story, honors the success of Metro Exodus’s new direction by returning players to a nonlinear environment that is unique in its ambiance and yet familiar in its structure.

 

Game TitleRelease DateDeveloperPlatform
Metro 203320104A GamesPC, Xbox 360
Metro: Last Light20134A GamesXbox 360, Xbox One, PS3, PS4, Windows PC, MacOS, Linux, SteamOS
Metro Redux20144A GamesXbox 360, Xbox One, PS3, PS4, Nintendo Switch, Windows PC, MacOS, Linux, SteamOS
Metro Exodus20194A GamesXbox One, Xbox Series X/S, PS4, Windows PC, Google Stadia, Amazon Luna
Metro Exodus: The Two Colonels DLC20194A GamesXbox One, PS4, Windows PC
Metro Exodus: Sam’s Story DLC20204A GamesPS4, Xbox One, Windows PC

So, there are three “unique” Metro games in total, with the last game having two DLCs. The first two have been remastered and merged into a game called Metro: Redux. Metro: Last Light is the sequel to Metro’s 2033 title. Metro Exodus is the third one in the series, and it presents the grand ending of the Metro trilogy. We must remember that there are also two bonus DLCs available for Metro Exodus, namely The Two Colonels DLC and Sam’s Story DLC.

5. Metro 2033

Activating the sensor on the bracelet in Metro 2023
Image via 4A Games

Despite being the grandmommy of it all, the classic makes it first on the list. Despite the nostalgia, the game is still well-made, even by today’s standards. The pacing is excellent overall, and the intro throws you into action while giving you a good look into the world and characters. Graphically, the game was amazing for the time, and Redux did a fantastic job updating everything to look better.

The gameplay was solid, and the combat pacing lent itself well to the desperation of surviving against the mutant abominations in the setting. The dialogue was generic overall but entertaining. Some players came into the game not knowing what to expect, but Metro 2033 did a great job introducing players to the world.

4. Metro Exodus

Miller sits at the table with his arms crossed in Metro Exodus.
Image via 4A Games

Metro Exodus is the number two game on our list and the most divergent in the series. With this entry, 4A Games attempted to use more “emergent” gameplay to spice up the formula. Some players’ main problem was the need for more straightforward objectives and unskippable dialogue. The physics was also a problem, and particular objects were a pain to navigate around. The Enemies could be very tricky to overcome.

With all that said, Metro Exodus was beautiful, and unsurprisingly, the world design was at the series’ apex. Like many games at the time, the developers opted to move into several more miniature open worlds instead of the linear design of past games. Overall, it was a worthwhile sequel to the next game.

3. Metro Exodus – The Two Colonels DLC

Colonel in Metro Exodus - The Two Colonels DLC
Image via 4A Games

One of two DLCs for Metro: Exodus, The Two Colonels is an excellent continuation of the story from a different point of view. Instead of playing as Artyom, we take on the viewpoint of Colonel Khlebnikov, whose role is more complex than what we’re used to. The story is told over time and ends with the Aurora arriving at Novosibirsk. As for everything else, it’s the same gameplay as its parent title.

2. Metro Exodus: Sam’s Story (DLC)

Speedboat driving in Metro Exodus: Sam's Story (DLC)
Image via 4A Games

Sam’s Story takes a more emotional approach to post-apocalyptic storytelling. Poor Sam wants to have his family back and return home to the USA, but like most action-oriented settings, the pathway home is a challenge. Luckily, the gameplay found in the main game is still fully intact, and the graphics still look phenomenal. The game features new weapons and multiple endings and is a great sendoff for the Metro: Exodus trilogy.

1. Metro: Last Light

Three characters in  Metro: Last Light
Image via 4A Games

The title that took the series to a new level, Metro: Last Light, the best Metro game ever made, took everything in the first game and improved it exponentially. From graphics to gameplay, everything carries a lot of attention to detail. Some of the combat sequences are some of the best action sequences in gaming.

Even more impressive is how the development team at 4A Games inserted more eerie elements into the overall atmosphere. It also had its weird elements, such as unexplained nudity and some lackluster boss fights, but that’s relatively minor compared to the good stuff.

Metro Books That Inspired the Metro Games

The Metro franchise is a collection of post-apocalyptic fiction novels and video games that first began with Dmitry Glukhovsky’s novel Metro 2033 in 2005. The Metro franchise includes Glukhovsky’s sequels, Metro 2034 and Metro 2035, as well as other books by various authors such as Tullio Avoledo, Pierre Bordage, Robert J. Szmidt, and Shimun Vrochek.

The first video game adaptation of Metro 2033‘s novel was made by A4 Games, a Ukrainian game studio. All of the Metro stories share the same fictional world from Glukhovsky’s novels. While the original novels focused on a ruined Moscow and its subway system, the extended universe explores different regions of Russia and other parts of the world that were devastated by global nuclear and biological warfare.


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Author
Image of Raymond Dyer
Raymond Dyer
Raymond Dyer is a longtime gamer and writer, not necessarily in that order. Whenever he's not writing, he's playing video games alone or with his buddies online. Like many in his home state of Texas, he's trying to avoid melting in the hot summer sun.