Metro 2033 Redux (GOG) won't launch

Running on Nobara with an Nvidia 3060ti and Intel 12700k. Tried verifying install, installing some common dependencies (vcrun2022, d3dcompiler, etc.), toggling things like "Use Dedicated Graphics" on and off.

Interesting to note: when I try to play the game through Bottles (using Soda 9.0 as the runner and after having copied the exact same install files from my Heroic folder to the bottle), the game runs just fine.

Also, the sequel, Metro Last Light Redux, has the exact same problem on my system.

EDIT: I did a little bit more troubleshooting. I tried installing dotnet48, and a bunch of vcrun redistributables, nothing.

I tried to install the flatpak version of Heroic and try installing Metro from there. I wasn't expecting much, and sure enough, same error.

I tried installing it on my Steam Deck through the Heroic flatpak. There it runs just fine. So it's a problem with my PC specifically. I'm guessing it's an Nvidia issue? Though, as I mentioned above, it does run when I run it through Bottles with the default Gaming environment.

https://0x0.st/8lpy.log

then-purpleOP•6/27/25, 3:51 AM

Okay, this is bizarre. I said it launched through Bottles, and I was right, but that's not the whole story.

When I try to run metro.exe from Bottles directly, I get the exact same error.

BUT

When I launch GOG Galaxy from the same prefix, and then launch Metro 2033 from Galaxy, the game works just fine. This is using the Soda runner, since Proton-GE doesn't seem to work well with Galaxy..

Given this happens on Bottles as well, I suppose I can rule out this being a Heroic issue. But I still wonder what's causing this.

then-purpleOP•6/27/25, 8:42 PM

Okay, when I try to sideload the game by using my offline GOG installer, the game seems to work fine. But when I try to play the "GOG" version downloaded straight from GOG, it does not.

Incidentally, this reminded me of an issue I encountered a while back with Enter the Gungeon (back when I still used Windows), where the game would crash if Galaxy was installed on the system but the game wasn't launched through Galaxy. It would run, however, if Galaxy wasn't installed, or if it was launched directly through Galaxy.

I tried to install the Win version of Enter the Gungeon as well to confirm it, and sure enough, the game crashes when launched through Heroic...but works if sideloaded with the offline installer.

awake-maroon•6/27/25, 10:30 PM

I'll try later today, I think this game was a giveway from gog right?

then-purpleOP•6/28/25, 3:43 AM

I think so. I'm pretty sure that's how I got it.

Just to be clear, I think the reproduction of the phenomenon should follow these steps.

Install Metro 2033 Redux the way you would normally install a GOG game. This one should fail (maybe, it didn't fail on Steam Deck though so who knows)
Nuke the install (removing prefix and settings as). I think this is imporant so that the existing prefix isn't reused when you sideload the game
Sideload the game running the offline installer. Don't "import", just keep it as an "Other" non-GOG game. This one should work.

Actual WINE/Proton settings can remain the same and unchanged from the defaults.

awake-maroon•6/28/25, 3:56 AM

it worked for me installed with heroic

maybe share logs from when it works in your steamdeck and from when it works and when it fails in your other computer (the one in the first message expired)

then-purpleOP•6/28/25, 4:09 AM

Here's the first one from my desktop. I'll get the Steam Deck log in a sec.

1436434037-lastPlay.log9.61KB

then-purpleOP•6/28/25, 4:16 AM

Here's the steam deck one:

log.txt21.04MB

awake-maroon•6/28/25, 4:23 AM

do you have a log of it working on your desktop computer?

awake-maroon•6/28/25, 4:24 AM

I see both logs look similar up until a line fixme:sync:SetWaitableTimerExfixme:sync:SetWaitableTimerEx

then the steamdeck shows DXVK information about your GPU and that's where the other one shows a failure

then-purpleOP•6/28/25, 4:28 AM

Of course, here it is:

8gLpkGqwzD9uyTBNCnC7Vs-lastPlay.log31.91KB

then-purpleOP•6/28/25, 4:29 AM

It errors at the end but only cause I forced it to shut off. Once it gets to the title screen it basically works from there.

awake-maroon•6/28/25, 12:13 PM

this is so weird, things look almost the same until the point of the error

I don't know enough about wine's or gogdl's internals to debug this, but maybe something in those logs gets somebody else's attention

then-purpleOP•6/29/25, 4:17 AM

Well, thanks for checking it out anyhow. I'm hoping my case is just a one-in-a-million bug. Not gonna complain too much since I can play the game just fine from the sideload.

Metro 2033 Redux (GOG) won't launch

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