Metro 2039 marks a deliberate move back toward the tightly constructed environments of Metro 2033 and Metro: Last Light, following the larger sandbox regions introduced in Metro Exodus. It will still feature substantial areas to explore, including the ruins above Moscow, but 4A Games has emphasized handcrafted, story-driven spaces instead of a conventional open world.
4A Games described the environments as “hauntingly beautiful” and entirely handcrafted, stretching from “the realities of daily life in Sevastopolskaya station to the deadly irradiated surface of Moscow.”
The studio is once again developing the game with its proprietary 4A Engine. The Gamescom presentation highlights extremely detailed interiors, dense atmospheric effects, volumetric lighting, expressive character rendering, and the contrast between dim artificial light underground and the desolate natural lighting of the surface.
The engine has always been closely tied to Metro’s design philosophy. Rather than separating its technical features from gameplay, 4A uses lighting, particle effects, audio, animation, and environmental density to influence how players navigate and understand a space. Darkness provides cover but conceals threats, while limited visibility turns even a small room into a source of tension.