Axiom Verge

Think you're tired of retro Metroidvania games? You obviously haven't played Axiom Verge yet.

At its apex, Tom Happ's brainchild unequivocally proves just how far video game development has come in such a short space of time and that you can in fact teach an old dog new tricks.

I’ll just come straight out and say it: I think Axiom Verge is the best Metroidvania-style title since Castlevania: Symphony of the Night. From stage to audio design, everything is so coherent and exquisitely crafted that it’s incredible to think that it was made by one solitary man in his spare time. If I was going to be nit-picky, I could say that it maybe sometimes leaves you without enough dir...

Whereas many modern takes on classic retro genres fall foul of style over substance, this has been built with such skill that it doesn't need to rely on our annoying fondness of the past to impress.

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.

Even so, Axiom Verge is a faithful throwback in design and approach, but the game's clever mechanics help add flair and originality. The colorful levels, the synth heavy soundtrack, and the varied weaponry create a feel that’s unlike anything seen today, and the boss battles are equal parts challenge and bombast. There are certainly some nitpicks to be hard with the game, but they do little to ove...

No summary available

Axiom Verge is a love letter to another time. While games from that era don't impress in terms of visuals any longer, there's still fun to be found in the exploration and discovery facets of this intricate, well-formed world. Axiom Verge is one of the purest forms of Metroidvania titles that we’ve seen in recent years.

Despite occasional moments of feeling slightly uncomfortable by just how much Axiom Verge feels like Metroid, I still felt compelled to see this journey to the end. The weapons feel great, the character progression is rewarding, and bringing down a massive boss is awesome. While I wish it balanced its lack of mission explanations with its overabundance of exposition, I still really enjoyed my time...

Axiom Verge is a fun, challenging game. While some aspects of the narrative — particularly its protagonist — have rough edges to them, it remains intriguing and mysterious through to its climax. It looks and sounds great, and offers a diversity of weapons rarely seen in games of its type. Easy to get lost in, its sizeable world has a density to match, with hidden rooms and collectibles only availa...

A faithful and beautifully crafted Metroidvania homage that never quite stamps its own identity on the genre.

Many games attempt to emulate the difficulty and formula of the classic games from the 1990s, such as Metroid, Castlevania, and Ninja Gaiden, but rarely does one pull it off with not only the reminiscent look we remember so well, but also more importantly, the quality that came along with the games of those times. And while most fail to do so, every once in a while, one manages to break through an...