In the bleak and grimy wasteland of Metro Exodus, it’s easy to forget how to be altruistic and retain that which makes you a human being. Often, in such a setting, everyone becomes a cynic out to look for themselves with nary a consideration for other souls. In short, it’s easier to get the “bad ending.”
However, you usually don’t play Metro games because they’re easy. They are games about hardships in the harshest of human conditions. Might as well pile in another layer of challenge on top of all that post-apocalyptic suffering and gun for Metro Exodus’ good ending. There seems to be a hidden point system that tracks all your good deeds to be eligible for a good ending. Getting there is quite a monumental feat, so you’ll have to be careful with your actions. Being a do-gooder isn’t easy, but it’s worth it!
Updated August 18, 2022 by Dan Christmann: Metro Exodus keeps on giving, so why shouldn’t you? Though the game has been out for several years now, new DLCs like Sam’s Story and The Two Colonels might entice you back, or give the game another shot. You might even give yourself an extra challenge and go for a pacifist run, trying to get Metro Exodus’ good ending.
Though it can be frustrating, in the end saving Artyom’s life is by far the most satisfying way to end Metro Exodus. Fortunately, we’ve updated this list with additional strategies and tips to help you save yourself and your friends from the harsh realities of this radioactive Siberian hellscape.
12 Sneaking Around Is Your Best Option
Post-apocalyptic Siberia isn’t exactly a nice place, even on the best of days. There’s radiation everywhere, mutant spiders constantly try to gnaw your face off, and oh yeah: it’s Siberia. Even the environment wants you dead. Unfortunately, if you want the Metro Exodus good ending, you can’t fight back against every one of these threats. Killing certain enemies counts against your morality counter, even if they’re trying to fill you with bullets.
Sneaking around is one of the best ways to avoid conflict with these problematic antagonists. You can still knock them out without penalty, too. Taking this strategy means fewer exciting firefights, but it will ensure Karma won’t come by later to bite you in the rear.
11 Check NPCs With Your Reticle
In the gritty, often dark landscapes of Metro Exodus, it can be difficult to tell friend from foe. And, if you’re jumpy, or have an itchy trigger finger, it’s fairly easy to accidentally gun down a friendly.
Fortunately, the game gives you a handy way of distinguishing between those who like you and those who want you dead. If you look at an NPC down scope, you’ll see that the reticle color changes depending on a character’s attitude towards you. Red means hostile. Green means you’re safe to put your gun away.
10 Try To Kill Only Evil Enemies
What constitutes “evil” enemies? That would be these guys:
It might be hard to see who is which, especially in the darker areas of the game but the “evil” enemies of the game, such as those mentioned above, attack on sight and usually use guns. Killing them is safe and doesn’t typically have any demerits to your good ending points.
Bandits and slavers also have their distinct appearance in the game. They tend to be ill-equipped or unkempt. If you’re still having trouble trying to differentiate the enemies in the game, then it might be best to just sneak around, knocking everyone out.
9 Try Not To Kill Anyone Who Surrenders
There might be some exceptions to killing the “evil” enemies in the game and that would be if you see them raise their hands and drop their weapons. This can happen quite a lot especially if the enemy in question notices he has no friends left.
Instead of shooting them, simply walk up to them and knock them out. If you do manage to kill anyone in the heat of the moment or before you see them surrendering, then it’s not the end of the world as the deduction or loss of moral points won’t be that severe. Still, it’s important to try if you want to get the Metro Exodus’ good ending.
8 Don’t Kill The Traders, Pirates, Pioneers, Slaves, And Fanatics
Now here’s the tricky part in tip-toeing toward the good ending. The first exploration section in the Volga is a morality check especially when you face the Tsar-fish cultists. Even though they’re hostile to you, avoid killing them as it might cause a problem for other crewmates. Do take good care in also not killing the traders near the end of the level.
Avoiding some slave collateral damage is easy enough at the Caspian level. Meanwhile, The Taiga level also has its own set of fanatics called the Children of the Forest. Pirates and pioneers are also to be left alone. Try not to kill them either as it might upset another crewmate, and it might lead to their demise.
7 Free Any Oppressed People
The slaves at the Caspian level are quite abundant thanks to the Munai-bailer and this is a great opportunity for Artyom to make amends in case he gets a little too murderous in The Volga. Freeing any slaves you see while roaming around is a good way to inch closer to the good ending.
Additionally, Anna will point out a ship or two that houses some slaves. Go there and give them a taste of freedom. All in all, try to visit these spots with slaves and free them:
6 Try To Keep Duke Alive
To try and get Metro Exodus’ good ending, you should try to keep your Spartin crew together as much as possible. Duke is an important character in this regard as he can die at The Volga level if you’re too bloodthirsty as Artyom.
If you want to keep Duke alive, you’ll have to be careful with all the cultists inside the church (or even outside). You’ll also want to keep the traders alive (most of them). If you did it right and didn’t upset Duke, he’ll live past the end of the Volga level.
5 Try To Make Damir Stay
The Caspian level is an important place for Damir since his people live there. So do right by him by freeing all the slaves in the aforementioned camps. Avoid hitting them in the crossfire or killing them.
For additional points in making Damir stay with you, try to also fulfill these side objectives in the Caspian:
4 Try To Keep Alyosha Healthy
Alyosha is set to be wounded badly in the Taiga if Artyom also isn’t careful with his actions, making Metro Exodus’ good ending less feasible. The list of enemies you must avoid killing to keep Alyosha safe is:
Also, in the first Children of the Forest camp, look for a cave; there’s a hostage there waiting to be saved, and he’ll be thankful enough to raise your morality points.
3 Feel Free To Skip Or Finish Any Side Quest
With so many restrictions in place for trying to achieve a good ending, it might be nerve-wracking trying to find something to do that’s carefree and doesn’t hold many penalties.
Well, side quests or objectives would be lovely respites in that regard. Most of them (minus those that hold trinkets or enemies that can affect the moral points) don’t hold sway over the good ending. You can even skip them if you want.
2 At Least Two Of Artyom’s Friends Must Survive
The trick to getting Metro Exodus’ good ending is saving the Spartan crew members that are set to be killed or stripped away from the group. That would be Duke, Damir, and Alyosha. If you do make some important mistakes, then you can afford to lose at most, one of them.
You will need at least two of them for a rather pivotal development near the end of the game. If only one or none of them lived, then there goes Artyom’s backup by the end of the game.
1 [SPOILER] Don’t Get Attached To A Certain Character
Now the hard part. Regardless of whether you kept the three aforementioned Spartans alive or not, someone will die. Who dies will determine what kind of ending you’ll get. In the bad ending, Artyom gets killed.
Whoever you think it is in the good ending, it’s best to not get attached to them because they’re a dear character. If you want to at least be ready for their death, then it’s best not to get attached to any Spartan character, maybe not even Anna, your in-game wife. Stay stoic, Spartan.
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