Axiom Verge Reviews
Axiom Verge isn't a perfect homage to Metroid, but we still enjoyed our time in this strange, familiar world.
A massive, challenging retro-flavoured shooter that takes the Metroid formula and runs with it. Old school, but with a modern edge.
The tightly designed 'Axiom Verge' combines the best elements of the 'Metroidvania' genre with throwback visuals, a thumping soundtrack, and clever mechanics.
It's just a shame that given the obvious talent and passion involved, it doesn't really have much of its own to add to the Metroidvania template. As charmed and delighted as I often was with its smartly paced escalation, its perpetually teasing construction, I kept waiting for some new element to appear, a eureka moment that either hadn't been thought of in 1986, or that could only be done today. It never quite happens. Axiom Verge seems content to be a homage, rather than a revival or reinvention. That's fine, since there's already plenty to justify your interest, but it feels like Happ has more to contribute than he's showing here.
It draws you in with nostalgia and slaps you with innovation when you think you know what's next
Axiom Verge works moment to moment but feels less successful as a whole
Axiom Verge is an excellent example of inspired game design that takes old ideas and improves upon them, leaving a mark that won't soon be forgotten.
The ways that Axiom Verge resembles Metroid help set up and drive home the ways that Axiom Verge is most definitely not Metroid.
Do you like hunting for a thing to unlock a door so you can find another thing to unlock another door? Then this is your game.
Although it closely follows the Metroidvania blueprint, the brilliantly designed and executed Axiom Verge adds enough new and original features to make it a truly great game in its own right. An absolute must for retro fans.
Axiom Verge was already one of the best Metroid-style games in years and it lands on the Switch like it belongs there.
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.
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.
Axiom Verge uses Metroid's building blocks to create a fantastic adventure that can stretch for hours if you want it to … though maybe not always in a good way. I'm not a big fan of the genre, but even I started getting obsessive over my map and item completion rates. I'll just leave it to the rest of the community to fill in the blanks.
From the art style to the way it plays, this game is exactly what the screenshots and videos make it look like, but it's a very well made example. The combat is fast and, while not as precise as many will be used to, makes sense to add difficulty to the game.
Axiom Verge may not be much more than an homage to Metroid, but it's a very good homage.
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 works great as a portable game, and while it's been available before on the Vita, I feel like the Switch is the best possible platform since it looks spectacular in handheld mode and works beautifully as a sit-down, console experience. Even if you've played another version, this is still a fun, fast-paced exploration game that holds up quite well and is certainly worth your time.
It spends too much time recreating the genius of Metroid rather than adding to it, but this is still one of the best examples of the genre in recent years.
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 available through creative application of acquired abilities. And while the basic gameplay will likely be very familiar, there are a fair few fresh touches which should pleasantly surprise players.