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For a first visit, follow the game route from Metro 2033 Redux to Metro: Last Light Redux, Metro Exodus and its two story expansions. Read Metro 2033, Metro 2034 and Metro 2035 as a separate literary route, because the novels and games diverge after the shared premise. Metro Awakening is an optional VR prequel to the game route. Finish both routes, or at least the three main games and Exodus DLC, before starting Metro 2039.
The recommended Metro order at a glance
The cleanest first-time plan is to treat Metro as two connected continuities rather than one long sequence. The games adapt the premise of Metro 2033, then continue with their own versions of the story. The novels form Dmitry Glukhovsky’s separate trilogy.
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| Step | Title | Format | Continuity and placement |
|---|---|---|---|
| Optional prologue | Metro Awakening | VR game | Prequel to Metro 2033; provides Khan backstory |
| 1 | Metro 2033 | Novel | Literary starting point; establishes Artyom and the setting |
| 2 | Metro 2033 Redux | Game | Definitive game version of the opening premise |
| 3 | Metro: Last Light Redux | Game | Game-continuity sequel, set in 2034 |
| 4 | Metro 2034 | Novel | Second novel; continues the literary branch, not Last Light |
| 5 | Metro 2035 | Novel | Third and concluding core novel |
| 6 | Metro Exodus | Game | Game-continuity sequel, set in 2036 |
| 7 | The Two Colonels | Exodus story DLC | Parallel/prequel-style companion to the campaign |
| 8 | Sam’s Story | Exodus story DLC | Follows Sam after the main Exodus ending |
You can read the books first, play the games first, or alternate formats. The important rule is not to treat Metro 2034 as the novelization of Last Light; it is a different branch.
Why Metro has two orders instead of one
Metro 2033 exists as both a novel and a game adaptation. They share the post-apocalyptic Moscow premise and the character of Artyom, but the game series then develops its own storyline. Metro: Last Light follows the game version of events, while Metro 2034 follows the literary route. Deep Silver describes Metro Exodus as continuing the storyline told in the games while interweaving with the wider saga in Glukhovsky’s novels.
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That relationship explains the apparent contradiction in online lists. A chronological list that places Metro 2034 directly after Last Light is mixing continuities. The in-world years overlap neatly enough to make that mistake tempting, but the stories are not interchangeable sequels.
Game route: the best order for players
Optional: Metro Awakening
The chronology guide places Metro Awakening before Metro 2033 as a VR prequel. It is useful if you specifically want more of Khan’s history before meeting him in the main route. It is not required to understand Artyom’s journey, and skipping it does not create a gap in the three mainline games.
Play it first only if you enjoy prequels and have access to the required VR edition. Otherwise, begin with Metro 2033 Redux; you can return to Awakening later without disrupting the main sequence.
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This is the practical starting game. It adapts the opening Metro premise: humanity survives the Last War underground, the stations become isolated communities, and Artyom is drawn into a threat that reaches beyond his home station. Deep Silver calls the Redux release the definitive version of the first two games and presents Metro 2033 Redux as part of its double collection with Last Light Redux.
For a first playthrough, Redux avoids turning the original 2010 release into a separate chronological entry. The original and Redux tell the same opening game story; Redux is a revised edition, not another chapter. If both editions are available to you, choose Redux and continue directly to Last Light Redux.
Metro: Last Light Redux
Last Light is the direct game-continuity follow-up to Metro 2033. Deep Silver’s story descriptions date it to 2034. Continue with the Redux edition when possible so that the first two games are represented by the matching definitive versions.
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Do not insert Metro 2034 here. The similar title and year are the source of most order confusion: the novel is not the book version of Last Light, and reading it at this point changes the branch rather than filling in a missing game chapter.
Metro Exodus
Metro Exodus continues the game storyline and moves Artyom and the Spartan Rangers beyond Moscow. Deep Silver’s story page places its events in 2036, after the 2033 and 2034 game narratives. This shift in geography and structure makes Exodus feel like a new phase, but it remains the next main game after Last Light.
Play the main campaign before either expansion. The campaign establishes the journey and its ending; the DLC then adds stories that assume you know what happened during that journey.
The Two Colonels
The Two Colonels is a parallel, prequel-style companion to the Exodus campaign. Its placement is best understood as an additional perspective around the main game rather than as a numbered sequel. Playing it after the campaign prevents its structure from interrupting the larger journey.
Sam’s Story
Sam’s Story follows Sam after the main Exodus ending. Leave it until the campaign is complete, then play it as the final game-continuity stop before Metro 2039. It is not a replacement for the campaign and does not belong between Last Light and Exodus.
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Book route: read the novels as their own trilogy
Metro 2033
Start the literary route with Glukhovsky’s Metro 2033. It establishes the underground society, Artyom’s role and the novel’s tone. Deep Silver’s books material describes the setting as a world in which only forty thousand people survived the Last War. That figure belongs to the publisher’s description of the novel’s premise, not to a universal population count for every later game scenario.
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Reading the novel before playing is optional. It gives you the literary version of the world first, but the game adaptation still works as a standalone introduction. If you choose the book route first, expect familiar foundations rather than a scene-for-scene walkthrough of the game.
Metro 2034
Metro 2034 is the second core novel and the next step in the literary continuity. It is not the source text for Metro: Last Light. The two works occupy related post-2033 territory but follow different narrative branches, so reading 2034 after the first novel preserves the book trilogy’s intended progression.
Metro 2035
Metro 2035 completes Glukhovsky’s core novel trilogy. Read it after 2034, even if you have already played both early games. The novel route reaches its own conclusion and should not be treated as a set of background notes for the game campaign.
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| Question | Novel continuity | Game continuity |
|---|---|---|
| Opening work | Metro 2033 novel | Metro 2033 game, preferably Redux |
| Next major story | Metro 2034 | Metro: Last Light, preferably Redux |
| Following chapter | Metro 2035 | Metro Exodus |
| Later additions | The core trilogy ends with 2035 | The Two Colonels and Sam’s Story |
| Primary format | Novels by Dmitry Glukhovsky | Games developed by 4A Games |
| Primary spoiler risk | Book revelations can change how you read the game premise | Game endings and DLC can reveal later game-continuity developments |
The crossover is intentional rather than accidental. Deep Silver says Metro Exodus interweaves with the wider novel saga, but that does not collapse the branches into a single literal timeline. Shared concepts, names and themes can recur while specific events and continuations differ.
Which route should you choose?
Choose the game route first if you want a playable story
- Begin with Metro 2033 Redux and stay with the games through Sam’s Story.
- Add Metro Awakening beforehand only if Khan’s backstory and VR presentation are priorities.
- Read the three novels afterward as an alternate interpretation, not as mandatory pre-game homework.
Choose the book route first if you prefer prose and world-building
- Read Metro 2033, Metro 2034 and Metro 2035 consecutively.
- Start the games with Metro 2033 Redux once you are ready for the adaptation’s different emphasis.
- Expect Last Light and Exodus to develop the game branch rather than reproduce the later novels.
Alternate only with a clear branch marker
Alternating can work, but label the branch every time you switch. A safe pattern is novel 2033, game 2033 Redux, game Last Light Redux, novel 2034, novel 2035, then Exodus and its DLC. This lets you compare the shared starting point without assuming that the second novel explains the second game.
Timeline and release context
The game years provide a useful spine, but they are not a reason to merge the books and games:
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| In-world year | Work | What the year tells you |
|---|---|---|
| Before 2033 | Metro Awakening | Optional VR prequel placement in the chronology guide |
| 2033 | Metro 2033 novel and game | Shared starting premise, expressed in separate formats |
| 2034 | Metro: Last Light and Metro 2034 | Same broad era, different continuities |
| 2035 | Metro 2035 | Conclusion of the core novel trilogy |
| 2036 | Metro Exodus | Game-continuity journey beyond Moscow |
Xbox Wire’s 2026 description identifies Metro 2033 (2010), Metro: Last Light (2013) and Metro Exodus (2019), and calls Metro 2039 the fourth mainline entry from 4A Games. The release years describe the games’ publication sequence; the 2033–2036 labels describe their fictional chronology.
Redux, originals and edition choices
There are two different questions here: whether a release is a new story and whether it is a revised edition. Metro 2033 Redux and Metro: Last Light Redux are the latter. They represent the first two game chapters in definitive-edition form, so switching from an original release to Redux does not move you backward or forward in the narrative.
Availability depends on your platform and the edition sold in your region. When a Redux edition is offered, it is the simplest first-time choice because it keeps both opening games in the collection Deep Silver describes as its definitive double package. Do not buy or play both versions merely to complete the chronology.
Spoiler control for a first playthrough
The safest spoiler strategy is to finish one branch before consulting detailed explanations of the other. The novel route can reveal thematic and character information that changes how the game adaptation feels, while the game route can expose outcomes that are not part of the literary trilogy.
- Choose whether your first full experience is prose or game-based.
- Complete the first work in that format before comparing versions of Metro 2033.
- Keep Metro 2034 with the books and Last Light with the games.
- Finish the Exodus campaign before its two expansions.
- Only then read cross-continuity analyses if you want to map similarities and differences.
What to complete before Metro 2039
If your goal is to be ready for the next numbered 4A Games entry, the essential game checklist is:
- Metro 2033 Redux
- Metro: Last Light Redux
- Metro Exodus
- The Two Colonels
- Sam’s Story
The books are not prerequisites for following that game sequence. Add Metro 2033, Metro 2034 and Metro 2035 if you want the literary context and a second version of the Metro world. Add Metro Awakening only for its optional prequel perspective and Khan-focused backstory.
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This stopping point follows Xbox Wire’s 2026 identification of Metro 2039 as the fourth mainline 4A Games entry. No release date or additional required prequel is established by that description, so there is no reason to insert an unnumbered work ahead of it.
Common order mistakes
Treating every title as one chronology
The years 2033, 2034 and 2035 appear in both the naming and the fiction, but the medium determines the branch. Keep a book label and a game label beside each title in your personal list.
Playing Last Light before Metro 2033
Last Light is designed as the continuation of the game version of Metro 2033. Starting there removes the game’s introduction to Artyom and the Metro’s rules.
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The second novel is not a missing chapter between the games. Read it after the first novel or as part of the complete literary trilogy.
Starting with the DLC
Both Exodus expansions assume familiarity with the main campaign. The Two Colonels is companion material, and Sam’s Story takes place after the campaign ending; neither is an opening tutorial for the series.
Restarting the series because of the Redux label
Redux indicates a revised edition of an existing game chapter, not a remake sequel that must be played in addition to the original. Pick one edition of each opening game and continue.
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