Last Update on December 27, 2025
More than a year after its release in November 2024, Metro Awakening VR stands out in 2025 as one of the essential references for virtual reality survival horror. This immersive prequel to the Metro saga by Dmitry Glukhovsky continues to haunt VR headsets with its suffocating atmosphere and physical survival mechanics. But after the 2025 patches, PS5 Pro optimizations, and the arrival of new headsets on the market, is it still worth diving into this journey through the irradiated tunnels of Moscow? Here is our complete, technical, and uncompromising verdict.
Metro Awakening in 2025: The Final Verdict
In 2025, Metro Awakening VR benefits from undeniable technical maturity. The successive patches deployed between January and March 2025 have significantly improved framerate stability on PlayStation VR2, reduced the Mura effect (that unpleasant grain in dark areas), and optimized foveated rendering on Meta Quest 3. The game now runs at a stable 90 FPS on PSVR2 (120 FPS in Performance mode on PS5 Pro) and at native 72 FPS on Quest 3 without asynchronous reprojection.
Our overall score: 8.5/10
- Immersion and Atmosphere: 9.5/10 – One of the most oppressive VR games on the market
- Gameplay and Mechanics: 8/10 – Physical and demanding, but sometimes repetitive
- Story: 8.5/10 – A true narrative prequel that enriches the Metro universe
- Technical (2025): 8/10 – Significantly improved since launch, but still room for perfection
- Longevity: 7.5/10 – 10-12h in normal mode, limited replayability
- Value for Money: 8/10 – €39.99 in 2025, a justified price for this AAA experience
Vertigo Games has kept its promise: Metro Awakening is not a glorified technical demo, but a genuine narrative episode that deserves its place alongside Metro 2033, Last Light, and Exodus. For VR headset owners seeking a mature and physically engaging narrative experience, it is a must-play in 2025.
Immersion and Gameplay: VR at its Peak?
If Metro Awakening excels anywhere, it is in its ability to make you forget you are in your living room. Every game mechanism relies on manual physical interaction that turns every gesture into a source of tension.
Physical Survival Mechanics
Unlike classic VR shooters, here no interface pollutes your field of vision. Everything happens through your virtual hands:
- Gas Mask Filter Change: You must physically remove the old filter from your mask and clip in a new one, all while monitoring your oxygen gauge which decreases in real-time
- Weapon Reloading: Eject the magazine, insert a new one, rack the slide – every gesture counts, especially when mutants are charging at you
- Dynamo Flashlight: You literally have to pump the handle to recharge the battery, a gesture that has become iconic to the series
- Environmental Looting: Opening drawers, lifting boards, searching corpses – everything is manual
h3 class=”wp-block-heading”>VR Comfort and Motion Sickness
A crucial question in 2025: Does Metro Awakening make you sick? The answer depends on your tolerance. The game offers three movement modes:
- Teleportation: For sensitive stomachs, but it completely breaks immersion
- Smooth Movement with Vignetting: An acceptable compromise, where the field of vision narrows during movement
- Full Free Movement: For VR veterans only – the lack of stable visual cues in the tunnels can cause nausea
The 2025 patches added a finer smooth turning adjustment, with increments of 15°, 30°, or 45°, which greatly improves comfort. Our recommendation: start in vignetting mode, then gradually switch to free mode after a few sessions.
Inventory and Ammo Management
Ammunition is your new currency in this underground world. Every bullet counts, and the physical inventory system – where you must literally rummage through your virtual backpack – adds a welcome layer of stress. In 2025, Vertigo Games added an optional automatic sorting system that categorizes your resources by type, reducing frustration without sacrificing realism.
The game also forces constant tactical choices: use your military-grade ammo (rare, powerful) or keep your dirty rounds (less reliable)? Turn on your light and reveal your position, or move forward in absolute darkness? It is this constant tension that makes Metro Awakening so compelling.
Story: A True Entry in the Metro Saga?
Yes, without hesitation. Metro Awakening is not an anecdotal spin-off: it is an essential narrative prequel that explores the origins of Khan, a cult character who appeared in Metro 2033.
Who is Serdar, and why should you care?
You play as Serdar, a Moscow doctor thrust into the depths of the metro after the nuclear apocalypse of 2028. His quest? To find his wife Anya, who disappeared in the chaos of the tunnels. But this journey quickly turns into a mystical nightmare.
Unlike Artyom (the protagonist of the other games), Serdar is not a seasoned fighter. He is a traumatized civilian, which strengthens player identification. His hands shake, his breathing quickens, and his hallucinations multiply as he sinks deeper into the darkness. This narrative vulnerability is perfectly exploited in VR: you physically feel his fear.
The Link with Khan and the Metro Universe
Without spoiling anything, the story reveals how Serdar becomes Khan – and why the latter possesses those quasi-supernatural abilities in the subsequent games. Fans of the Metro saga will find answers they’ve been waiting for since 2010, particularly regarding the nature of the Dark Ones, those mystical creatures that haunt the tunnels.
The game also integrates subtle moral choices (sparing or killing certain characters, helping or ignoring survivors), which subtly influence the ending. Nothing revolutionary, but consistent with the franchise’s philosophy.
Do you need to have played other Metro games before?
No, Awakening works perfectly as a standalone. But if you have already played Metro 2033 or Last Light, the experience gains emotional depth. You will understand the references, the revisited iconic locations, and the scale of the sacrifice made by certain characters.
Technical: Quest 3 vs PSVR2 vs PCVR Comparison
In 2025, Metro Awakening runs on an expanded range of headsets, with specific optimizations. Here is our detailed technical comparison.
PlayStation VR2 (PS5 / PS5 Pro)
Strengths:
- Vibrant OLED resolution: the (many) dark areas benefit from exceptional contrast
- Headset haptic feedback: vibrates during explosions, reinforcing immersion
- Native foveated rendering: stable 90 FPS without graphical compromise
- PS5 Pro Mode (March 2025 patch): 120 FPS or Quality mode in native 4K
Weaknesses:
- Mura effect still slightly present in very dark tunnels
- Cable: limits freedom of movement during intense action phases
- High overall price (PS5 + PSVR2 = €1000+)
Verdict: The best console version, especially on PS5 Pro. The OLED makes all the difference in Metro‘s claustrophobic atmospheres.
Meta Quest 3 (standalone)
Strengths:
- Wireless: total freedom of movement, crucial for combat phases
- Pancake lenses: exceptional clarity, even at the edges
- Accessible price: €549 for the headset alone, game included in some 2025 promos
- Optimized foveated rendering (February 2025 patch): stable 72 FPS
Weaknesses:
- Visible graphical downgrade: less detailed textures, simplified lighting effects
- Battery life: 2.5h max during intense play, requires an external battery for long sessions
- LCD contrast lower than the PSVR2’s OLED
Verdict: The best compromise between accessibility and performance. Perfect for discovering the game without investing in a PC setup or a PS5.
PCVR (Steam / Viveport)
Recommended 2025 Configuration:
- GPU: RTX 4070 / RX 7800 XT minimum
- CPU: Intel i5-13600K / Ryzen 7 7700X
- RAM: 16 GB
- Tested Headsets: Valve Index, HTC Vive Pro 2, Varjo Aero
Strengths:
- Ultimate graphics: all options maxed out (ray-tracing, dynamic shadows, maximum draw distance)
- Unlocked framerate: up to 144 FPS on Valve Index with an RTX 4080
- Modding: already a small mod community (custom weapons, graphical filters)
Weaknesses:
- Colossal investment: PC (€1500+) + headset (€500-1500) + game (€40)
- VR cable often mandatory (except with Quest 3 via Link)
- Complex technical setup for newcomers
Verdict: The definitive version, but reserved for purists with the budget to match.
Visual Comparison Table (2025)
| Criteria | PSVR2 (PS5 Pro) | Quest 3 | PCVR (High-End) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Resolution | 2000×2040 per eye | 2064×2208 per eye | Variable (up to 2880×2720) |
| Framerate | 90-120 FPS | 72 FPS | 90-144 FPS |
| Graphics Quality | High | Medium | Ultra |
| Comfort | Good (cable) | Excellent (wireless) | Variable |
| Total Price | €1000-1200 | €549 | €2000-3500 |
Longevity and Replayability
Pragmatic question: how many hours will you spend in the tunnels?
Main Campaign
In normal difficulty mode, expect 10 to 12 hours to complete the story. Players who explore every corner, search every corpse, and listen to all optional dialogue can reach 14-15 hours. This is in the high average for a AAA narrative VR game.
Difficulty Modes
Four levels offered:
- Easy: Abundant ammo, weak enemies – to discover the story
- Normal: Balanced experience, recommended for the first playthrough
- Hard: Rare resources, realistic damage – for Metro veterans
- Ranger Hardcore (unlocked after the first ending): No visual aids, one bullet = death, pure survival – reserved for masochists
Limited Replayability
Let’s be honest: once the story is finished, replayability is low. No multiplayer mode, no procedural generation, no endgame content. The two alternative endings (based on your moral choices) justify a second playthrough, but not much more.
In 2025, the community is hoping for a DLC or a Horde mode, but Vertigo Games has not officially announced anything. The game remains a premium one-shot narrative experience, much like Half-Life: Alyx.
Achievements and Trophies
For completionists, Metro Awakening offers 38 PlayStation trophies (including 1 Platinum) and 45 Steam achievements. Most are tied to narrative progression, but some require specific actions:
- “Survivor”: Finish the game on Ranger Hardcore without dying
- “Collector”: Find all hidden audio diaries (28 total)
- “Pacifist”: Complete certain levels without killing humans
- “Thrifty”: Finish the game with fewer than 50 bullets fired
Expect 20-25 hours to unlock the platinum if you play methodically with a guide.
What Makes Metro Awakening Shine (and What Still Creaks)
Indisputable Strengths
- Stunning Sound Design: The 3D sound design is one of the best in the VR market. Every drop of water, every metallic creak, every distant whisper adds to the tension
- Fidelity to the Metro Universe: Fans will find the DNA of the franchise, with its factions (Spartans, Red Line, Hanza), its iconic mutants (Nosalis, Demons, Dark Ones), and its unique blend of survival and Slavic mysticism
- Mature Narration: No blind moralizing or predictable twists. The story deals with grief, madness, and sacrifice with a sensitivity rare in video games
- Exemplary 2025 Optimization: Vertigo Games has continued post-launch support, which is rare in VR
Persistent Weaknesses
- Repetitive Environments: Tunnels, tunnels, and more tunnels. Despite some variations (abandoned stations, irradiated caves, military bunkers), you eventually feel like you’re going in circles visually
- Basic Enemy AI: Mutants charge blindly, humans hide behind crates. Nothing catastrophic, but it’s far from the tactical intelligence of Half-Life: Alyx
- Simplistic Puzzle Phases: Finding a fuse, pulling a lever, moving an object – nothing that really challenges your brain
- No Cooperative Mode: A shame, as exploring the metro in pairs would have greatly increased the appeal
Value for Money in 2025
At €39.99 standard price (and regularly on sale for €29.99), Metro Awakening VR positions itself at the high end of the VR catalog. Is it justified? Yes, absolutely.
For this price, you get:
- A 10-15h solo campaign (vs 6-8h for most VR games)
- A AAA production with art direction, voice acting (English, Russian, French), and an orchestral soundtrack
- A rich and coherent universe, backed by a cult franchise
- Post-launch support with regular patches
Compared to competitors like Resident Evil Village VR (€59.99), Vertigo 2 (€29.99), or Arizona Sunshine 2 (€49.99), the value for money is excellent in 2025.
FAQ: Your Questions, Our Answers
Is Metro Awakening compatible with Quest 2 in 2025?
Yes, the game still runs on Quest 2, but with a significant graphical downgrade compared to Quest 3 (low-resolution textures, reduced draw distance, sometimes unstable 60 FPS framerate). If you have the choice, prioritize Quest 3 or PSVR2.
What is the actual length of Metro Awakening?
Between 10 and 15 hours depending on your playstyle. Add 5-10h if you’re aiming for the platinum or all Steam achievements. There is no endgame content; replayability relies on higher difficulty modes.
Is the game actually scary?
Yes, especially in VR. Metro Awakening is not a survival horror with cheap jumpscares, but a gradual build-up of anxiety. The darkness, environmental noises, and the inability to pause the game during tense phases create constant tension. Not recommended for players sensitive to stress.
Do you need to have played other Metro games before?
No, Awakening is an accessible prequel. However, knowing Metro 2033 and Last Light considerably enriches the experience, especially for understanding the narrative stakes surrounding Khan and the Dark Ones.
Is there a multiplayer or cooperative mode?
No, Metro Awakening is single-player only. No PvP, no co-op. It is a solitary narrative experience, like the other games in the saga.
Is the game optimized for the PS5 Pro?
Yes, since the March 2025 patch. The PS5 Pro allows for two modes: Performance (120 FPS) or Quality (90 FPS in native 4K with ray-tracing). Standard PS5 owners remain locked at 90 FPS.
Conclusion and Final Score
Metro Awakening VR in 2025 is proof that a VR game can rival major flatscreen productions in terms of storytelling, atmosphere, and longevity. Vertigo Games has succeeded in its gamble: creating a prequel worthy of the Metro saga while intelligently exploiting the strengths of virtual reality.
Admittedly, the game suffers from a few flaws (visual repetitiveness, imperfect AI, limited replayability), but these are largely offset by an immersion rarely achieved in the VR medium. Every session in the Moscow tunnels is a nervous, physical, and visceral ordeal.
If you own a VR headset in 2025 and are looking for a mature, frightening, and technically mastered narrative experience, Metro Awakening fully deserves its place in your Steam VR library or PlayStation collection.
Recommended for: Survival horror fans, Metro saga veterans, VR players seeking narrative immersion
Avoid if: You are sensitive to motion sickness, looking for a multiplayer or pure action VR game, or dislike claustrophobic atmospheres
Our 2025 verdict: 8.5/10 – A must-have in the VR catalog that confirms virtual reality can carry stories as powerful as traditional games. A must-discover, gas mask firmly strapped on.
