Metro 2039, 4A Games’ follow-up to 2019’s fantastic Metro Exodus, is still six months away from launching; however, I was given the opportunity to spend some time with an early build of the game to see what it was all about and share my thoughts.

As with all previous games in the Metro series, 4A is once again working with Dmitry Glukhovsky, author of the novels that kicked the franchise off. Unlike previous titles, though, 2039 has made a few changes. 

Firstly and perhaps most importantly, Artyom, protagonist of the previous Metro games, is no longer the main character. This time around, that role falls to a resident of the metro tunnels, clad in Spartan armour and known only as the Stranger, and follows his journey to confront the Novoreich, a fascist organisation that seeks to control all.

The tone in general in 2039 feels darker than in previous games, which were never especially light to begin with. Understandable when you consider that 4A Games is still mostly based in Ukraine; the events of the past few years would naturally influence their writing and shape the direction their games move in.

The second major change is that the player character now has a voice! In previous games, Artyom only voiced his thoughts on loading screens, with gameplay being spent in silence. 

Gameplay in the preview lined up with that seen in prior games, a mixture of open-world environments first encountered in Metro Exodus, and more linear, confined spaces, including the ubiquitous metro tunnels seen in all entries of the series. Exploration of these areas has always been a core part of Metro, especially in Exodus, and that doesn’t feel like it’s changing anytime soon. 

The open world sections, while not massive by any stretch (at least in the preview!), are crammed full of buildings to explore, most of which have multiple levels, basements, and hidden tunnels; if not for the ever-present threat of radiation (and limited supply of gas masks), it would be easy to spend hours checking every nook and cranny for materials and secrets. Routes circle back around to other, previously explored areas and, once successfully traversed, unlock shortcuts back through to and from earlier areas.

It doesn’t feel like it strays far (if at all) from the formula that has, so far, made the series great. A familiar combination of stealth, exploration, and visceral combat, where every shot fired is a choice. The weapons themselves sound particularly fearsome this time around; a shotgun I found on the corpse of a fallen comrade sounded like a volcano erupting whenever it was fired.

Despite the final release being nearly half a year away, the segment I played was extremely polished. Visually, this is the densest, most beautiful Metro game to date, and given a few more months of work, it is only likely to get better. As soon as the Stranger emerges from the tunnels, into the light of a radiation-bathed, post-apocalyptic Russia, it’s immediately obvious that a lot of care and attention has gone into the placement of everything in the world.

Audio also stands out; even when nothing much is going on, the game sits in the middle of a rich, yet often subtle soundscape, with distant noises bringing everything to life and keeping the player constantly aware of their surroundings. As mentioned before, weapons sound suitably impactful, even the quieter, silenced firearms have a suitable punch to them. Voice acting is up to the usual, high, 4A standard and sets the scene effectively.

Metro 2039 is due to be released in February of 2027, and if the small preview I experienced is anything to go by, it looks as though it’s going to be one of the best in the series.