![]() If it isn’t terrifying mutants hunting you in packs or swooping from above, the humans left above ground may try and eat you, shoot you, or feed you to a giant fish. The world of Metro Exodus is unceasingly hostile. A small, tarnished tricycle tucked in the corner of a private quarter says infinitely more about the characters, their relationships and the life they wish to provide than five minutes of incessant chatter. Postcards, clippings from magazines and children’s drawings adorn the walls. The details show the sentimentality of the crew - it is not a harsh utilitarian space. Every space is utilised clothes hang from the ceiling, shelves brim with scrap and tools, treasured items that could be mistaken for junk are lying on bunks. ![]() It emphasises that everything is repurposed and not performing optimally. But their endless talking seems particularly unnecessary when the train they are travelling on tells you more about the world than they do. The crew of action movie cut-outs that join you on your journey are the main culprits. They love to talk so much that they keep going when you tire of it and walk away - even a disappearing audience cannot dampen their spirit for chatter as they break through your comms system. People love to talk in Metro Exodus - at you, over each other, to no one in particular. Despite their isolation, this enemy very kindly described exactly how they were wounded, how the cave they were in had explosive materials, and wasn’t it frustrating that the character I was currently seeking was just up ahead? Even the dying are dedicated to overwrought exposition in the world of Metro. At one point I observed an enemy from afar, dying on the ground, totally alone. I’m not sure if it’s a problem with translation, but the words spilling out of characters are plentiful and often pointless - the exposition dumps are painfully transparent and cripplingly slow. While I relish the environments and their details, unfortunately the character writing holds the story back. Playing as seasoned Ranger Artyom, you explore irradiated wastelands, from wide open deserts to dank underground corridors - all wonderfully-crafted and getting across the grittiness of survival. I do not love Metro Exodus as a game as much as I love its train. It is a train, and it is the best character. It is the thing connecting the patchwork regions of Metro Exodus, the site of its most tender moments, and product of the world and people inhabiting it. It's called the Aurora: a lumbering mass of rusted metal, quick fixes and alterations, spewing out steam and chugging its way across a post-apocalyptic Russia.
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. ArchivesCategories |