Metro VR Weapons — Articles — Reality Remake: VR Is the Future

There are a ton of fantastic weapons to find and use in Metro Awakening: VR, and they’re pretty unique as far as Virtual Reality shooter weapons go. Despite Metro VR having about a fifth as many weapon options as any flatscreen Metro title, there are still some very fun guns and other gadgets to use in the game.

Here I’ll show you all of the Metro Awakening weapons including the order you find them in, how they function, and what each is good at.

As a side note if you’re trying to replace a weapon you currently have with a new one (for instance a different looking variant of the Kalash rifle) then just put your current weapon in off (left) hand, pick up the new one you want in your dominant (right) hand and store it in the storage slot for that weapon (i.e. over your shoulder for a Kalash or by your right hip for a Tokarev.)

The Tokarev (Pistol)

The Tokarev is the one and only pistol available to you in Metro Awakening, and it is the least powerful weapon in the game. It is also the first weapon that you receive.

The Tokarev pistol is a classic World War 2 Soviet sidearm, and Metro Awakening: VR is the first Metro game to include this weapon. Though unfortunately, this comes at the expense of Metro classics such as the Revolver.

The Tokarev doesn’t do much damage per shot, and you’ll have to hit almost all of your shots to take down even weaker enemies without having to reload. This is also because the magazine only holds eight rounds.

Ammunition for the Tokarev Pistol in Metro Awakening: VR

Curiously, you can only carry 28 rounds in reserve for the Tokarev. So if you don’t use it regularly you might find yourself constantly not being able to pick up ammunition that you find for it once you have access to better and more powerful weapons.

Unlike these other weapons the Tokarev is the only one to be stored on the hip of your dominant hand, which is the right side by default. Simply press the grab button with the controller of your dominant hand while it is at your waist and that hand will grab the pistol, seemingly out of thin air.

If the Tokarev is empty press the magazine ejection button on the controller carrying it and the mag will slide out of the bottom. Grab another magazine and slide it in before gripping the slide on the top of the pistol and pull it back to load a round into the chamber.

There is also a silenced variant of the Tokarev that can be found later on in the game. It has no noticeable reduction in power or accuracy, but is quiet and can be used from stealth.

The silenced variant of the Tokarev pistol in Metro Awakening: VR

There are a few different cosmetic variants of the base Tokarev that appear throughout the game, though there are no enemies that use it.

As the only sidearm available in the game, the Tokarev is always quickly available if you run out of ammunition for one of the more powerful two handed weapons. That’s really what it is best used as, a backup that can be used to take down an already injured enemy, or a weapon that can be quickly drawn and used with one hand if you are surprised by an ambush.

The Kalash (AK)

The Kalash is Metro slang for an AK-74 assault rifle, commonly known as an “AK.” You will find a Kalash pretty early on in the game after you acquire the Tokarev, and it will be a reliable companion all the way until the end.

Since the invention and adoption of the AK-47 by the Soviet union, the Kalashnikov series of assault rifles have dominated the small arms market in Russia, abroad, and of course in the post apocalyptic world of the Metro games.

The AK does fairly weak damage per shot, however its strength is in its rate of fire. Being the only automatic weapon in Metro VR that you can carry with you, and having a thirty round magazine makes the Kalash powerful if you stay on target. However, it is easy to waste a lot of ammunition if you simply hold down the trigger and spray, despite the fairly low recoil the AK has even while firing fully automatic.

Ammo for the Kalash aka the AK in Metro Awakening: VR

Rounds for the AK are common throughout the game, but one of the greatest sources of them are human enemies, which predominantly carry the AK as their only weapon through most of the game.

If you’re low on ammunition for this weapon then you can get a lot more by taking down a group of human enemies stealthily, and then taking the magazines out of their guns for yourself.

The AK, like most weapons in Metro Awakening: VR, is stored over your right shoulder. If it is empty take out the old magazine by gripping it with your off hand and pulling it away from the rifle. Then take a new magazine and insert it into the magazine well right in front of the trigger guard. Once the magazine is inserted pull back the charging handle on the side of the AK to load a round into the chamber.

There are quite a few variants of the Kalash that can be found throughout the game with slightly different parts, and even a version with no stock at all. Though they are all functionally the same and have the same sights.

The Kalash is a weapon that is reliable in any situation you find yourself in in Metro Awakening, so make sure you don’t waste all of your ammo for it by shooting up a wall. Despite being fully automatic it is much more economical to fire it in bursts at any opponent that is not directly in front of you. Still, the Kalash is capable of taking down any opponent in the game very quickly if you don’t miss.

DShK (Mounted Machinegun)

The DShK aka Dushka machine gun in Metro Awakening: VR

The DShK, also known as the “Dushka”, is a stationary heavy machine gun that has made an appearance in every Metro game, and sees a lot of action in Metro Awakening.

Your first chance to use the DShK is in the Prologue of the game, and it appears periodically throughout. Unlike other weapons in Metro VR you cannot put it behind your shoulder and take it with you, and most commonly you’ll find the DShK attached to rail carts.

So the DShK makes a lot of appearances in rail chase sequences, where you use it to mow down enemies as your rail cart passes through.

Unlike other Metro Awakening weapons, the Dushka doesn’t need to be reloaded and doesn’t have ammunition that you can find. Every DShK has seemingly infinite ammunition and will only stop firing when the heat dial on top of it goes all the way to the right. You can also tell how hot the gun is getting by the color of the barrel. To cool it down simply stop shooting.

The DShK has two handles, and you can fire it by holding down the trigger while grabbing either one. Though attempting to fire this machinegun with only a single hand will cause massive recoil, so make sure to hold it with both. Each round from the DShK is roughly as powerful as a Kalash round.

Since the DShK has infinite ammunition and makes appearances mostly in on the rails cart sections make sure to utilize it as much as possible to conserve ammunition for your portable weapons. Though it is better to fire bursts from the Dushka to prevent it rapidly overheating, and to make sure you stay on target.

The rapid rate of fire and infinite ammo makes the Dushka immensely powerful in Metro Awakening, and when you get the chance to use it make sure to abuse it as much as possible.

Grenade

The grenade is a crude hand made explosive device that can be found fairly early on in Metro VR after you find the Kalash. It appears to be a stick of explosive with a fuse lit by a small battery once the pin is pulled.

Despite its primitive construction, however, the grenade does fantastic damage when it explodes near an enemy. Despite a fairly long fuse time of about 4 or 5 seconds, the grenade has excellent damage potential if used well.

Grenades are also fairly common throughout the game once you start to find them, usually found scattered throughout levels one at a time.

You can carry three grenades, and you can access them by taking out your backpack by grabbing over your left shoulder with your right hand, and then pulling the grenade off of the backpack with your left hand.

Pulling the pin on the Grenade in Metro Awakening: VR

To light the fuse simply pull the pin and then throw the grenade as far away from you as possible. Getting caught by your own grenade is very deadly, and can unfortunately be common when fighting mutants if you aren’t careful. This is because the grenade will still bounce around once you throw it, and a mutant that walks into the grenade may incidentally kick it back towards you.

Grenades are more useful against human opponents, since they will keep their distance and stand in one place while trying to shoot you. Though human opponents will run once they see a lit grenade next to them, so for maximum effectiveness you can “cook” a grenade by pulling the pin and waiting a few seconds before throwing it. This means the fuse won’t burn for very long before detonating on target.

Grenades can be as much a danger to you as to your enemies in Metro Awakening, but are very effective against groups of enemies or enemies without much room to maneuver. If you don’t trust yourself to be fast enough to take one out of your backpack in combat then you can always take one or two out before the fight starts and leave them on the floor, or start off the fight by throwing a grenade and taking out a group of enemies.

The Helsing

An hour or two after you get the Kalash you’ll find yourself with the excellent Helsing, the second two handed weapon you find in Metro Awakening: VR that can be stored behind your right shoulder.

The Helsing is a Metro-made crossbow that takes inspiration from the legendary vampire hunter Van Helsing, who is famous for his use of advanced crossbows in his 2004 film.

Just like in that 2004 film the Helsing is a very impressive weapon, boasting a cylindrical magazine that can hold 6 bolts, and a fast reloading mechanism that gives it a rate of fire far greater than any historical crossbow. Though compared to other weapons in Metro Awakening the Helsing is extremely slow to reload, but very powerful for each shot. It is also completely silent, and can take down human enemies from stealth very easily, though aim for the body and head.

Bolts can be found periodically throughout the game, but are fairly rare. So make sure to hold on to what bolts you do get by pulling them out of the bodies of your defeated adversaries, or out of scenery and walls if you missed your shots. Though keep in mind that some mutants, such as spiders, are very hard to retrieve bolts from once they’ve been hit.

A bolt for the Helsing in Metro Awakening: VR

To load bolts into the Helsing hold it in your dominant hand and press the magazine release button, which will release the cylinder. Then put bolts inside each of the compartments in the cylinder. Once you’ve filled it to contentment either flick your wrist to snap the cylinder back into the crossbow, or push it back in with your off hand.

To load a bolt grab on to the lever on top of the Helsing and pull it all of the way back towards yourself. This will take at least a second, which can be a very long time in the middle of combat.

The Helsing is a very strong weapon if you hit your shots with it, so accuracy is key, and so is keeping your distance. Getting caught trying to reload this crossbow while taking fire or the claws of a mutant is a bad idea. The Helsing is best used from stealth, or when you can duck back into cover, or when you have the time to reload it before being hit in return.

Make sure to retrieve your bolts since ammunition for the Helsing is scarce.

The Shambler (Shotgun)

About six hours into the game you’ll get your hands on the Shambler, which is stored just like your Kalash and Helsing over your right shoulder.

The Shambler is another Metro classic. A homemade shotgun that fires buckshot shells, and has been present in each Metro game since Metro 2033.

The Shambler works like a shotgun revolver that can be loaded externally. There are five slots for shells and an extra one in the central chamber for a total of six shells that can be loaded at one time.

Once you get your hands on the Shambler ammunition for it is fairly plentiful and can be found regularly, though generally just one or two shells at a time. After you acquire the Shambler you can also find some human enemies that use it, and you can take the shells from their weapons by just pulling back the lever on top until all the shells pop out.

Like shotguns in most games the Shambler is most effective up close, and while it does extremely high damage at close ranges, the effectiveness of its shells drops off sharply at even medium range. Though despite being semi-automatic the Shambler has a very good rate of fire, meaning that it is very effective against mutants who charge towards you.

Shells for the Shambler in Metro Awakening: VR

To load the Shambler place shells into the empty shell slots on the exterior of the weapon, and then pull back the handle on top to load a shell into the chamber. If there is a single shell loaded on the exterior the cylinder will spin until that shell ends up in the center and is loaded.

Since the Shambler does incredible damage at close range and is easy to aim due to the wide spread of the buckshot shells it fires it is recommended to primarily use it against large mutants where it is the most effective. Make sure to use lulls in fighting to reload shells on the exterior of the shotgun so that you don’t run out of ammo.

The Blowpipe

The Blowpipe is the final weapon that you acquire in Metro Awakening and is also stored over your right shoulder.

The Blowpipe, aka the Blowgun, is a primitive but deadly weapon that fires poisoned darts with complete silence. In Metro VR it is heavily ornamented, but in the end is basically just a tube with a wide end and a shorter end with a crude sight mounted on top of it.

Despite its crudeness the poison in the darts used in the Blowpipe is very deadly and each shot does very high damage. While loading the blowgun can take some getting used to with some practice you can load and fire it extremely quickly, making it a very potent but very skill based weapon. It is quite hard to aim.

The power of the Blowpipe weapon in Metro Awakening: VR is also diminished by how rare ammunition for it can be throughout most of the game. Unlike other ammunition types it isn’t usually found just lying around, but rather in the necks of victims of its use, who you will find during the story of Metro Awakening.

Luckily used Blowgun darts can be retrieved much like used Helsing bolts. So make sure to retrieve the darts when you can.

Finding a dart for the Blowpipe on a body in Metro Awakening: VR

To use the blowpipe put a dart inside the wide end of it and then raise it up to your mouth before pressing the trigger to fire the dart out. The darts actually come out with a surprising amount of force and stay on target pretty well at even medium range. However the very rudimentary sight makes aiming the blowgun sort of hard, and so does the slow travelling speed of the dart when compared to other weapons in Metro Awakening.

That being said the blowgun can be fired even more rapidly than the Helsing if you are good with it, and the massive damage that it does makes it useful in any situation as long as you manage to actually fire it accurately. This can be tough against fast moving enemies, but if you hit your shots the Blowgun is amazing.

Well those are all of the Metro Awakening weapons that you will find in the game. Enjoy yourself in the Metro!

All Metro Awakening Weapons | All Metro VR Weapons