Metro 2039 Hands-On: Back-to-Roots Tunnels Deliver Heavier Survival Pressure

A first hands-on look at Metro 2039 is positioning the next entry in the series as a deliberate “back to the roots” reset—trading the openness of recent Metro outings for tighter spaces, heavier survival pressure, and an immersion-first design that leans into the claustrophobic feel players expect.

Back in the tunnels: a chase that hooks immediately

The preview begins in an older, lived-in metro station, where the player takes up a pursuit of a character referred to as “Hunter.” Even without clear time or place context, the session quickly establishes immersion through detailed environmental presentation—down to character modeling, clothing, and the look of the spaces themselves. The early sequence is described as maintaining that same level of environmental storytelling and craft throughout the roughly three-hour preview, with exploration framed not just as a way to collect useful supplies, but also as a chance to uncover stories “frozen” into the world.

That focus on environment, level design, art direction, and environmental narration is presented as the core reason the game feels like a true return to what made earlier Metro entries distinctive.

Surface danger, tighter exploration, and survival under pressure

While the underground is portrayed as lively and even oddly comforting, the surface is characterized as cold, lethal, and eerily quiet. The preview area is said to be limited in size, but the limitation is treated as a feature rather than a flaw—keeping the claustrophobic, enclosed rhythm that Metro players associate with the series, even when the game allows open-air movement.

The gameplay loop is also described as intentionally slower and heavier than before, with moment-to-moment actions feeling like they demand attention. Opening the map, checking objectives, and managing inventory are all framed as “tests” that trade convenience for immersion.

• Surface traversal requires a gas mask, with filters providing only temporary protection
• Radiation risk is tracked via a Geiger counter on the player’s watch
• Outdoors includes environmental hazards and hostile wildlife-style threats

Enemies that play smarter, plus a familiar stealth-to-stand-your-ground balance

Hostility isn’t limited to the air or the terrain—combat is presented as intense and survival-focused. Creatures include troglodyte-style mutants, and the preview suggests the roster may still be uneven in confirmed variety, but that what’s been shown already feels dangerous. Enemies often work in groups, and the monster AI is singled out as a pleasant surprise, including behaviors like flanking, dispersing to get around the player, and evasive movement from mutants.

Human opponents are described as capable of using cover and attempting to outmaneuver the player, including reactions that shift when stealth is used. The preview notes that they may investigate when a teammate disappears, and can also show awareness when an opponent is killed during a conversation—hinting at more reactive behavior than a purely scripted threat.

Progression and pacing: stealth is encouraged, but the frontal option stays loaded

The preview repeatedly steers the player toward stealth, citing both resource constraints and level layouts that offer multiple routes to objectives. At the same time, it notes that the frontal approach appears more developed during this early segment—so the game isn’t only “silence or die,” even if stealth is the recommended baseline.

Weapons can be improved at a crafting workbench, and players are expected to maintain them to preserve performance. The preview also mentions switching ammunition types depending on the weapon equipped. Most gathered resources are expected to feed into upgrades spanning arms, gear, and even protective equipment like the gas mask and suit.

The overall design intent is to build tension rather than convert the player into an unstoppable killing machine—suggesting progression will increase effectiveness without removing the survival pressure that defines the series.

What to watch next

With nearly three hours of play, Metro 2039 is presented as a strong success in atmosphere and immediate immersion, combining flexible exploration with claustrophobic sequences where the environment itself “takes hold.” The preview acknowledges that combat movement still feels sluggish, but argues the game may still win over players who previously bounced off Metro’s pace. The key open question is whether the same quality level holds for the rest of the game—because if it does, the preview frames Metro 2039 as a serious contender for the best releases of 2027.