The enhanced version of Metro Exodus was just released for the next generation of consoles. The game has been optimized for better frames, resolution, and a number of other features. Thousands of new players will be introduced to the series in the coming weeks, and there are a lot of returning players as well.
Before finishing the game, there are a few things players might want to check out as they progress from map to map. Keep an eye out for these things while exploring the tattered former Republic of Kazakhstan.
7 Grandfather Mazai And The Hares
Very close to the starting point in Volga, gamers can spot two hares using a raft to get across the river. They will drift across the screen until they are eventually eaten by a mutant from below.
These hares are a reference to a Russian fairy tale bearing the title above. Enter the river on the rowboat near the location marked in the image, and there the sentient rabbits can be seen just casually floating on the river.
6 Hallucinate In Caspian
On the north end of the Caspian map, where the mountains look over the large bay, there is a small camp set up. Gamers can find it if they approach the cliffs from the souths and follow the path to the north. They will run into two lounge chairs, a TV, and a Hookah.
If Artyom smokes the hookah, he immediately gets dazed. Let's just say that Artyom does not have a very good trip. Gamers will want to experience it for themselves.
5 Baby Carriage In The Dead City
While in the tunnels, gamers should look out for a baby carriage. Inside of it is what looks like the corpse of a baby. However, if it is inspected closely, whatever is in that carriage is still breathing. It is these kinds of details that make exploring the maps in Exodus so rewarding.
The creepy baby is but one of likely hundreds of things we have still yet to discover in the game. Perhaps the baby was actually the offspring of a Dark One. It makes sense that a Dark One would be in the Dead City, one of the most radioactive places in Exodus.
4 Photobombed By The Developers
Many of the photos, drawings, and paintings on the maps are actually of developers that helped bring Exodus to life. Some are hilarious photoshop jobs that were clearly included as a joke. Flags that appear to be cult leaders or political figures are really just the profiles of developers that worked on the game.
There are dozens of these throughout the story, and gamers should try to spot them as they explore the vast reaches of the maps. Some of the artwork was even in prior Metro games as well.
3 The Dark Ones
The infamous Dark One can be spotted during the Dead City Mission. Right after crouch walking through the icy tunnel, the Dark One will make a brief appearance on the rooftop in the distance. As soon as the binoculars come out, he will disappear after a split second.
This could mean that the Dark Ones have been watching over Artyom as the events of Exodus played out. All of his hallucinations and the scene with Miller insinuate that they are actually silent protectors. At the very end of the story, as the light approaches, players should look up. They may be surprised by what they see.
2 Dmitry Glukhovsky
The Metro series is based on several novels written by a man named Dmitry Glukhovsky. His novels were the inspiration for the video game series. Metro 2033, the first game in the series, was released in 2010. Glukhovsky was only 23 years old when his first novel was published in 2005.
As an homage to his writing, the developers have his three Metro novels scattered across the various maps. The cover art of each novel looks exactly like the physical copy of his original works.
1 Archives Room In The Caspian
In the archives room, there are several different secrets to uncover. The first is a toy plane sitting on the shelf aligned with the year 2001. This is a reference to the attacks on September 11, 2001. There is also a bottle that corresponds to the year 1991, which is most likely a reference to Boris Yeltsin, who was a known alcoholic.
Yeltsin and his supporters helped to prevent a coup by the Kremlin to overthrow the Russian Republic. It is possible that the developers intended for the vodka bottle to represent the end of the Soviet Union in 1991 as well. In addition, players can find copies of the Metro novels, each of which is placed on the shelf according to the year it was released.