Axiom Verge Reviews
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
Axiom Verge plays so closely to the original Metroid game that I'm wondering if it was meant to be a tribute or an imitation.
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.
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.
Axiom Verge goes beyond the initial impression of being a tribute to the Metroid series and quickly strikes the player as being a thoroughly developed, impeccably-designed exploration game, with an enormous amount of content to discover and a huge variety of weapons, upgrades and power-ups.
Review in Portuguese | Read full review
Regardless of which side you fall on, Axiom Verge is a fantastic example of how to do a Metroidvania right, and we couldn't be more pleased with it.
Nostalgia is similarly addictive, but Verge's confidence sees it through the challenge of invoking Metroid better than just about anyone who's tried before it. It copies more than aesthetic and ambiguous notions about variety, and the specificity is what matters. It's not a perfect match, and the absence of a powerful lead leaves an indelible mark on the experience.
Finally arriving on the Wii U, Axiom Verge still packs a mighty punch long after its initial release.
Without a doubt, Axiom Verge is one of the most complete games I have played in a long time. Not only was it created entirely by Tom Happ, but the passion he has for the game clearly has shined through the final product. Surprisingly the game has an intriguing narrative, complete with plenty of hidden notes and messages; some will even require translating. The game even contains a Speedrun option on the main menu, eliminating the dialogue and cutscenes, and standardizing some of the randomized elements in the game. Tom has even added a checkpoint hud, allowing you to keep track of your pace through each boss. I may have only found 66% of the items, and uncovered 87% of the map, but that hasn't stopped me from instantly hopping back into the game for a second run. As far as "Metroidvania" games go, Axiom Verge sits at the top of my personal favorite list.
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.
It's as much a living homage as it is a natural successor to Nintendo's 2D Metroid games.
Flaws aside, Axiom Verge is a stunning achievement for one man to have developed entirely by himself. It's not as good as Super Metroid, but it's close.
This game may lean far more heavily on the Metroid homage than most, but it still manages to perfectly capture the tried-and-true gameplay elements of Nintendo's classic while also incorporating several new ideas to let it stand out on its own, turning an homage to a retro classic into a modern classic that future titles will want to follow.
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
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.
Axiom Verge was already one of the best Metroid-style games in years and it lands on the Switch like it belongs there.
A game that's mechanically similar to the Metroid of old, yet still manages to have its own identity with some truly awesome concepts. It's gorgeous, challenging and a delight to play.
Put another way, it's a game that needs to be left unattended, so that you can return to it with fresh eyes and discover the surprises that seem to sprout while you're away.