Metro 2033: A Guide to Completing the "Cursed" Mission
Even after its initial release over a decade ago, Metro 2033 remains a fan favorite. Its popularity surged again with the VR release of Metro Awakening. This guide focuses on a particularly challenging mission early in Artyom's journey: "Cursed," set within Moscow's tunnels, specifically the Turgenevskaya station (also known as the Cursed Station in the game). This mission often trips players up due to unclear objectives and a confusing station layout.
The mission begins after witnessing an anomaly eliminate a nosalis horde. Khan uses a railcar to reach the next station, where "Cursed" starts. Follow Khan to the defenders guarding the barricaded escalators.
Locating the Bomb
The defenders explain that an explosives team vanished while attempting to collapse the tunnel, preventing further nosalis attacks. Your task: find and detonate the missing bomb. Expect constant nosalis attacks; retreat to the defenders for support if overwhelmed. You'll likely need to retreat at least once during your search.
The bomb is at the far end of the right-hand tunnel. Avoid the ghostly shadows directly ahead—they'll damage you. Once you have the bomb, either proceed to the adjacent tunnel or retreat if the nosalis are too numerous.
Destroying the Tunnel
To detonate the bomb, enter the left-hand tunnel (from the defenders' perspective) and wait for the cutscene. Artyom automatically plants and lights the fuse; your job is to escape the blast. Get as far away as possible; staying too close is fatal.
Alternatively, a grenade or pipe bomb thrown into the same tunnel area will achieve the same result. Note: even with the main tunnel destroyed, nosalises will still infiltrate through other routes.
Destroying the Airlock
Securing the station requires one more step: collapsing the airlock. (This is mentioned during your initial conversation with the defenders.) Find the airlock by taking the stairs on the right side of the main platform to the torchlit area (ignore any nosalises).
Interact with the support columns to plant a pipe bomb with a lit fuse. As with the tunnel, quickly evacuate the area to avoid the explosion.
With both entrances destroyed, follow Khan to a small shrine room. After a brief conversation, descend through a floor panel, initiating the next mission: "Armory."
