Dmitry Glukhovsky's Metro series takes place in the dark, apocalyptic setting of post-nuclear Russia, telling the story of Artyom as he goes from a mere tunnel-dwelling resident of his station to a fearsome Ranger. Throughout the series, players can expect a blend of intense FPS action along with elements of survival and psychological horror. The games are known for being especially immersive in the FPS genre, combining stealth and strategy with insane set-piece moments and battles against supernatural mutants.
For fans of the original novels or realistic first-person shooters in general, the series is sure to provide its fair share of memorable experiences, along with a compelling story and a wide range of themes spanning philosophy, religion, politics, and more. Most of the games can be enjoyed by both casual and hardcore gamers alike, which has earned the series something of a cult following over the past decade since its inception.
Updated on April 17, 2026, by Mark Sammut: Metro 2039 has been revealed, and it should be out later this year. We added a section at the end of the article discussing the upcoming FPS game.
Metro Awakening
A Highly Immersive & Terrifying VR Experience
Metro Awakening is the latest entry into the series, and is unique in the sense that it is the only game in the series which requires VR. On top of being an exceptional technological achievement, the game does an incredible job at replicating the environments, creatures, and atmosphere of the original games. The story itself is a prequel to Metro 2033 and was written by the series' original author, Dimitry Glukhovsky. Unlike the other games, though, it does not follow the journey of Artyom, and instead follows a station doctor named Serdar.
In addition to being an excellent VR experience, and arguably the most sophisticated VR game since Half Life: Alyx, it also expands on the game world in a meaningful way, exploring more themes of occultism and the supernatural, which are prevalent in the original novels. The only downside to Metro Awakening is the constraints it faces as a result of VR technology itself. Nonetheless, it still pushes the boundaries and is a worthy entry in the series.
Metro Last Light
A Perfect Sequel Expanding On The First Game
Metro Last Light improved upon Metro 2033 in most ways. For some players, it is even considered the best game in the series, but as a standalone title, it is unlikely to make much sense to first-time players. Taking place between the events of Metro 2033 and Metro Exodus, the story follows Artyom as he is a more mature and established character and a member of the SPARTA Rangers.
Metro Last Light contains its fair share of memorable moments and has a more intuitive game design than almost any other title in the series. Most of the story takes place on the surface rather than in the tunnels, so the game has more of an action-oriented theme than the psychological survival-horror elements found in other titles. Metro Last Light is a great bridge between the more confined stealth gameplay of Metro 2033 and the surface-level exploration that features more heavily in Metro Exodus.
Note
If you prefer action-horror over survival-horror, Last Light will be better than Metro 2033; however, it is arguably a bit less unique than its predecessor.
Metro Exodus
A Successful Pivot Into An Open-World Format
Shifting into more of an open-world format, Metro Exodus took a huge gamble by expanding beyond the confined environments and narrative-heavy focus of the original games. However, it was pulled off extremely well and retained the atmosphere of the original games while adding new elements, characters, and mechanics, all of which enhanced the experience. The game's pacing does slow somewhat during the second act, but aside from that, it produces some of the most memorable moments in the entire series.
With Artyom in more of a senior leadership role by the time of Metro Exodus, it is arguably the best game in the series when it comes to the development of its characters and Artyom's relationship with them. The varied environments keep gameplay dynamic, as players can use cars, boats, and even ziplines to make their way around the map. Metro Exodus still retains many of the survival elements present in other games, such as the need for gas mask filters and charging Artyom's meager electrical light.
Note
Metro Exodus isn't fully open-world, as only two segments really qualify.
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This article originally appeared on GameRant and is republished here with permission.
