Axiom Verge Reviews
Axiom Verge is familiar, homely, and far too simple, but those turn out to be its greatest qualities. This homage to 2D adventures is smartly and carefully done.
Verge is too smart to be a nostalgia trip, but it also, ultimately, sticks to executing the familiar with style. If it didn't look so damn good, it'd be easy to say we've seen it all before.
From the chilling ambience of the locales to the techno urgency of the boss battles; each track on the soundtrack is a treat for your ears and absorbs you into the game's twisted world
Axiom Verge is a glorious throwback to the 2D days, but it doesn't forget that we're playing in a very different age of interactive entertainment. Those subtle refinements and features that enhance the playability are greatly appreciated. Unlocking a weapon or ability that compels you to return to earlier explored areas to find previously inaccessible power-ups is just plain addictive, and the overall balance and diversity is top-notch.
Painted with a mostly authentic blend of 8- and 16-bit with a few modern touches here and there, Axiom Verge is the perfect game for those who can't get enough of the genre.
Simply put, if you have any interest in the Metroidvania genre, then you owe it to yourself to pick up Axiom Verge and play the hell out of it, complete it, wait for the Vita release and do so all over again.
When it comes to exploration-based platformers, Axiom Verge offers a solid gaming experience that you won't regret partaking in.
Solo developer Thomas Happ definitely achieved what he set out to do, create a retro, Metroid-inspired game that would emphasize exploration above most else. I can't say that his Axiom Verge game has made me rethink my stance on retro/retro-inspired games or platformers, but I had more fun than I thought was possible with this type of game. I can only imagine the enthusiasm a platforming fan (or really, anyone with slightly warmer feelings than I toward the genre) would have running through Sudra.
All in all, Axiom Verge has its moments. Exploration is fun to an extent, and the cavalcade of powerups and weaponry to acquire allows for an ever evolving way to interact with the environment and its hostiles.
When you take into account that the whole game - art, story, music, design, programming, everything - is the work of a single person, problems like these become a bit more forgivable, though. You can't be a master of everything, and Tom Happ has cleared mastered the exploration element, level design, and sense of progression - the most fundamental parts of a Metroidvania game.
A massive, challenging retro-flavoured shooter that takes the Metroid formula and runs with it. Old school, but with a modern edge.
As it stands Axiom Verge is highly recommended, it is a game that knows its source material, has the ability to authentically replicate its inspiration but interesting enough to add its own spin. If you want to relive the days of staying up late, making notes on maps and feeling like you are reconnecting with gaming of your childhood then Axiom Verge will not disappoint.
an accomplishment, but it often feels too safe
A homage to retro classics is one thing but having gameplay that's both challenging and fun makes Axiom Verge special. If you grew up in that era, you'd be a fool to miss out on this and if you're new to the genre, I can't think of a better entry.
That said, Axiom Verge is a near-flawless indie game that is sure bound to entertain you with its wide array of creative weapons and deep exploration that, at the end of which, rewards you handsomely. You bet I'll be re-visiting this game for many, many years to come.
Not perfect, but one of the most absorbing, challenging and fun games of the year so far, which makes the fact it was developed by just one person all the more astounding.
In conclusion, Axiom Verge is a great indie game that has nailed the look and feel of the classic Metroidvania games. Unfortunately in this process, some elements were borrowed that can often result in a frustrating experience. Still, as a work of a single developer, Axiom Verge is a remarkable throwback to the old school side-scrolling action-adventure games.
Axiom Verge delivers one of the better experiences in the oversaturated Metroidvania genre, but if you've played a NES/SNES Metroid title, then you've played Axiom Verge. The game's plenty fun, but it fails to carve out a distinct
While there's a slight stumble with regards to story progression, for the most parts it's a great success and the fact that it's all the result of one man's labour of love makes it all the more impressive. Occasionally, modern day tributes miss the mark and lack some of the heart that made the inspiration so great but it's safe to say that Thomas Happ has totally nailed the Metroid vibe with Axiom Verge.
It is a game molded around one gamer's deep respect and passion for video games of the past. Playing through Axiom Verge allows you to embrace that wave of nostalgia and make it your own. It never shies away from features of its predecessors, but carves out its own unique place in the Metroidvania genre.