The Enhanced Edition introduces a fully ray-traced lighting pipeline. This means traditional performance-saving tricks (like turning off shadows) aren’t always available in the UI. Modifying the user.cfg is the only way to disable “hidden” post-processing effects like Chromatic Aberration and Motion Blur completely, and it is crucial for setting a custom FOV (Field of View) that doesn’t distort the weapon models.
Hardware Compatibility & Expectations
- Ray Tracing Mandatory: This version will not run on GTX or older AMD cards. You must have an RTX 20/30/40 series or RX 6000+ series GPU.
- CPU Bound Scenarios: In dense forest areas, the CPU handles complex Ray Tracing “bounces.” Tweaking foliage parameters in the config can alleviate CPU bottlenecks.
- VRAM Budget: For cards with 8GB of VRAM or less, setting Texture Quality to “High” instead of “Ultra” in the config is necessary to prevent stuttering.
Backup and Preparation
Because the game likes to sync with the cloud, manual edits can sometimes be overwritten.
- Launch the game once and save your progress to generate the file.
- Completely exit the game and Steam/Epic launcher.
- Locate the user.cfg (path below) and copy it to your desktop as a backup.
- Open the file with Notepad++.
File Location
The configuration file is typically found in your Saved Games folder, categorized by a unique user ID: C:\Users\%USERNAME%\Saved Games\metro exodus\[YourUserID]\user.cfg
Best Config Settings for Enhanced Edition
Search for these specific variables in the text file. Update the values for an optimized Ray Tracing experience:
r_base_fov 70.
r_game_mblur_scale 0.
r_foliage_shadows 0
r_foliage_hemi_ao 0
r_shading_rate 1.0
r_enum_ssaa 1
r_exposure_hdr 1.5
r_terrain_displace_enable 0Pro Tip: If you are struggling with performance on an RTX 2060 or 3050, change
r_shading_rateto 0.7. This lowers the internal resolution of less important pixels, providing a significant FPS boost with minimal impact on Ray Tracing quality.
Key Parameters Explained
| Parameter | Recommended Value | Impact |
| r_base_fov | 70. to 85. | Increases your peripheral vision. Default (60) feels very cramped on PC. |
| r_game_mblur_scale | 0. | Completely removes motion blur, which can be nauseating at high FPS. |
| r_foliage_shadows | 0 | Disables RT shadows for small plants; massive performance gain in The Taiga. |
| r_enum_ssaa | 1 | Ensures Super Sampling is OFF. SSAO is extremely taxing when RT is already active. |
| r_terrain_displace_enable | 0 | Disables terrain tessellation; helps keep frame times consistent. |
In-Game Settings vs. Config
To complement your user.cfg tweaks, use these in-game Video settings:
- Ray Tracing: Set to Normal. The “Ultra” and “Extreme” RT settings increase the number of light bounces, which is barely noticeable but extremely taxing.
- DLSS / FSR: Set to Quality. For the Enhanced Edition, upscaling is almost mandatory to offset the cost of global illumination.
- VRS (Variable Rate Shading): Set to 4x. This works perfectly with the config’s shading rate to keep performance high during combat.
- Reflections: Set to Hybrid. This combines Ray Tracing with standard reflections for the best performance-to-visual ratio.
Troubleshooting & Common Fixes
- Mouse Feels “Heavy”: Search for
mouse_curve_numand set it to 0. Also, setjoy_sens_aiming_xandjoy_sens_xto your preferred speed to remove acceleration. - Settings Reverting: After saving your changes, right-click user.cfg, select Properties, and check Read-only. (Note: You must uncheck this to change settings in-game later).
- Game Crashes at Start: This often happens if the
r_res_horandr_res_vertin the config don’t match your monitor’s native resolution.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
Can I play without Ray Tracing?
In the Enhanced Edition, no. The lighting system is built exclusively on RT. For non-RT cards, you must play the original Metro Exodus (Standard Edition).
The in-game menu doesn’t provide a numerical value, and the config allows you to go beyond the “safe” limits set by the developers for a better ultrawide or high-refresh experience.
Does disabling Foliage Shadows ruin the look?
Hardly. Because the Global Illumination is ray-traced, the forest will still look naturally lit. You only lose the sharp shadows from individual blades of grass, which saves a massive amount of GPU compute.
Conclusion and Expected Results
By manually refining your user.cfg, you are tailoring the most advanced lighting engine in gaming to your specific hardware. You can expect a significant jump in minimum FPS, zero input lag on your mouse, and a cleaner visual image free from the “fuzziness” of default post-processing.