Metro Awakening VR (referred to as MAVR going forward) serves as a prequel in the Metro video game series. It tells the story of Serdar as he ventures into the tunnels of Moscow in search of his wife.
MAVR is a first person shooter at it’s core, just like the rest of the Metro games. Where the game differs from the previous entries is in it’s pacing, exploration, and overall environment.
The game offers a mix of stealth and action. Players can choose to sneak past enemies or engage in intense firefights. The combat, while satisfying, can sometimes feel repetitive.
At the start of the game, you have a community village of sorts. This acts as a hub area where you can gather information, new objectives are given to you here, and in some cases equipment. This village acts as a safe space where the tunnel inhabitants that you share these tunnels with can’t get to you, though they do make their presence known.
Once you venture into the tunnel system, the game gives you environmental puzzles to solve. These are a means to progress through the story, move onto the next area, and act as interactive environmental elements. As you progress through the tunnels, you will find equipment to collect like ammunition, collectibles, and sometimes weapons.
Speaking of weapons, ammunition is very scarce as it was with the previous games, so using a weapon may not be the best thing to use against the mutated beasts that lurk in the darkened depths.
This is where the stealth elements come into play. You will need to use stealth to sneak past enemies when you can. If you try and go into every situation with guns blazing, you may find yourself either forced to use your fists, or overwhelmed by nearby mutants coming to the aid of those that you are fighting against. Besides the mutated beasts you come across, there is the radiation factor to deal with. The game provides you with a gas mask to protect you from the radiation, though it’s not forever and if you don’t have protection, you will be afflicted by the radiation and eventually parish as a result.
The VR experience enhances the game play, allowing players to feel the weight of their weapons and the tension of a stealthy encounter.
MAVR is a visual masterpiece faithfully recreating the series signature dark, oppressive aesthetic. The dimly lit tunnels, flickering gas lamps, and grotesque mutant creatures are brought to life in stunning detail. The VR experience enhances the sense of scale and claustrophobia, making every encounter with a monstrous creature or a hostile faction all the more terrifying.
There is something about walking down a dark and dim corridor in VR that you can’t really replicate well with any other type of platform. The lighting effects are top notch with this entry. You have the light that plays along the walls and casts long dark shadows that make every step feel like it might be your last. Pair this with the fact it’s in VR just adds to the feel of being confined to a small dark space.
The steam, snow, water, and the dust all provide some lovely detail to the world around you. Not only does it make the VR space come alive, but it adds some real world feel to it. When rocks fall or you stumble, there are dust that gets churned up and into the air. Not only do these things add depth, but also contribute to a rather robust particle system that works really well in VR. It really makes you feel like you could choke on the visible dust particles or feel the moist water vapor that float on the air from water sources.
Performance-wise, the game runs surprisingly smooth on the Meta Quest 2. While I’ve heard of there being performance issues with frame drops, there wasn’t any that I noticed in my time with this game. It is entirely possible that there were, but I hadn’t noticed due to being as immersed into the world as I was.
MAVR features top-notch sound design. With the haunting ambiance of the metro tunnels and the eerie silence punctuated by sudden outbursts of violence, it’s unlike anything you’ve experienced in the series. When guns fall toe the ground, they do so with a loud clatter, that is so deafening in the silence, that you’re silently screaming for the sound to stop, before you’re tracked down and taken out.
Every sound, from the distant echo of footsteps to the roar of a mutant, contributes to the game’s oppressive atmosphere. MAVR is one of the only games I’ve played where every sound I heard felt so loud that I would be ambushed at any moment.
While MAVR may not be the definitive VR experience, for me, it comes very close. It’s definitely a solid entry in the series that offers a unique perspective on the post-apocalyptic world.
Fans of the Metro series and VR enthusiasts alike will find plenty to enjoy in this dark and atmospheric adventure. The game’s immersive visuals, haunting sound design, and intense game play make it a must-play for anyone looking for a truly terrifying VR experience. If you have a means to play this game you should!
Disclaimer: A review key was provided
In addition to writing articles, Ryan Byers also creates content for his YouTube channel called "Obscure Games and Consoles", collects video games, and dabbles in video game development.