Caspian Sea (Metro Exodus)
The Caspian Sea is the level where Metro Exodus clicked for me. Upon reaching the desert, your team of train-bound survivors encounter an evil slave-owning society run by the tyrranical Baron. If only the Baron’s army of armed men were your only problem. The desert itself is populated by roving mutants — including frightening human monsters that hide in the sand. It all leads to an explosive confrontation with the Baron, but the greatness is all in the details.
The crummy van you acquire early in the level makes this a delight. You’ll be able to easily travel around and pick your targets — and each location has a story to tell. You can kill the slavers at a derelict ship, rescuing the slaves. You can camp out on a high ridge, and carefully clear a massive crane, removing the sniper that watches the entire area from his perch. Or you can search for powerful upgrades in the abandoned locations all around the map. There’s a wonderful freedom to this stage, and it’s a sensation none of the other maps quite match.
Oriental Sorcery Lab (Bloodstained: Ritual of the Night)
The most surprising location in Bloodstained: Ritual of the Night is the Oriental Sorcery Lab — a hidden floating area found directly above the entrance to the metroidvania castle you start in. Its packed with totally unique Japanese-themed enemies and architecture you won’t find anywhere else in the castle. It’s also where you’ll find the hidden artifact required to unlock the true ending.
This entire area is just bizarre. There are floating Japanese gardens, and paper walls that splash with the blood of lurking ninjas. It all ends with a challenging boss against Zangetsu — a former ally that wields a powerful sword. It’s the first location where you realize there’s a lot more to find in Bloodstained: Ritual of the Night.
Explore more amazing levels on the next page of our best-of 2019 list.
