Axiom Verge

Axiom Verge
Developer(s) Thomas Happ Games
Publisher(s) Thomas Happ Games
Platform(s) PlayStation 4, PlayStation Vita, Microsoft Windows, OS X, Linux, Xbox One, Wii U
Release date(s)

PlayStation 4

  • WW March 31, 2015

Microsoft Windows, OS X, Linux

  • WW May 14, 2015

PlayStation Vita

  • NA April 19, 2016
  • EU April 20, 2016

Wii U, Xbox One

  • WW 2016
Genre(s) Metroidvania
Mode(s) Single-player

Axiom Verge is an indie Metroidvania video game created by Thomas Happ Games. The game was released in March 2015 for PlayStation 4, and May 2015 for Microsoft Windows, OS X, and Linux. A PlayStation Vita version is set to be released in April 2016, and Xbox One, and Wii U versions are scheduled for release.

Gameplay

Pre-release screenshot of Axiom Verge. The game's graphical style draws inspiration from the Metroid series of video games.

Axiom Verge is a side-scroller action-adventure game where the player controls Trace, a scientist who, after suffering a crippling injury, wakes up in an ancient and high-tech world. The game focuses on action and exploration, and features over 60 items and power-ups. The gameplay borrows elements from classic games such as Metroid, Contra, Blaster Master, and Bionic Commando, among others.[1]

Development and release

Axiom Verge is an independent project by Petroglyph Games engineer Tom Happ, who has worked on games such as End of Nations, NFL Street, and the Tiger Woods PGA Tour series.[1] Happ also worked on a small Game Boy Advance project named Orn, a small Metroid fangame.[2] He is the sole developer, artist, and musician of the game, and began work on it in March 2010 as a side project.[1]

An alpha build of the game was submitted to the 2012 Dream.Build.Play challenge on May 15.[3] The game was originally expected to be released for Microsoft Windows and Xbox 360 in 2013,[1] but was ultimately delayed. In 2014, Axiom Verge was included in Indie Statik's list of Top 100 Most Anticipated Indie Games Of 2014.[4] In April 2014, it was announced that Axiom Verge would be released for PlayStation 4 and PlayStation Vita in early 2015.[5] On May 14, 2015, Axiom Verge was released for Linux, Microsoft Windows, and OS X.[6] The PlayStation Vita version of the game is set to be released in North America on April 19, 2016, and in Europe the following day.[7]

Reception

Pre-release

GameSpot editor Marco Martinez described the preview as "a game you should be paying attention to once a final build is released."[8]

Post-release

Reception
Aggregate scores
AggregatorScore
GameRankings(PS4) 84%[9]
(PC) 80%[10]
Metacritic(PS4) 84/100[11]
(PC) 80/100[12]
Review scores
PublicationScore
Destructoid7.5/10[13]
Game Informer9.25/10[14]
Game Revolution[15]
GameSpot8/10[16]
Giant Bomb[17]
IGN7.9/10[18]

The game received critical acclaim upon release, with praise particularly directed to its setting, weapons, boss battles, control, upgrades and secrets featured. Aggregating review websites GameRankings and Metacritic gave the PlayStation 4 version 84% based on 50 reviews and 84/100 based on 61 reviews.[9][11]

Jeff Gerstmann from Giant Bomb gave the game a perfect score, praising its huge variety of weapons, as well as its rewarding and worthwhile upgrades. He also praised the game for encouraging players to reach 100% completion, the audio and visuals for evolving in meaningful ways while being similar to those of the 8-bits and 16-bits era. Regarding the difficulty of the game, he stated that it "makes things challenging without making them overtly frustrating". He summarized the review by saying that "If you've ever been into this sort of action-adventure game, Axiom Verge is positively terrific."[17]

Peter Brown from GameSpot gave the game a 8/10, praising its high replay value, surprising and rewarding story, occasionally breathtaking scenery as well as the setting, which he stated "instills a strong mixture of curiosity and dread". The game's secrets, large selection of weapons and soundtracks were also praised. He also particularly praised one of the weapons featured, the Address Disruptor, calling it "one of the most interesting weapons or tools that I've ever seen in a game." He summarized the review by saying that "Axiom Verge is a game that's easy to fall in love with because it hits so many high notes. It takes the Metroidvania model and adds layers of ingenuity that are in a league all of their own. It's not a stretch to say that Axiom Verge is better than the games that inspired it, because it's so inventive and thoughtfully crafted."[16]

Marty Sliva from IGN gave the game a 7.9/10. While praising its satisfying character progression, challenging boss encounters, responsive control and great sense of movement and combat, he criticized the forgettable story, characters that can't be related to and the map-design, which never evolves throughout the game and discourages exploration. He added that the game doesn't have enough distant and memorable regions. He also criticized the game for being too familiar with the Metroid series and for lacking a clear objective.[18]

Entertainment Weekly magazine has figured the game on its "Must List".

Thomas Ella of Hardcore Gamer gave the game a 4 and described it as "a 2D side-scrolling game with a vast, open world divided into distinct rooms, an array of weapons and power-ups and a map screen laid out in a grid for easy tracking of where you’ve been and where you might need to go next." [19]

Awards

List of awards and nominations
Award Category Result Ref.
The Game Awards 2015 Best Independent Game Nominated [20]

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 Marco Martinez (April 11, 2012). "A Mix of Contra, a Dash of Metroid. What Do You Get? Axiom Verge.". GameSpot. Archived from the original on July 29, 2012. Retrieved April 22, 2012.
  2. ↑ Thomas Happ (2003). "Orn". Computer Science. Archived from the original on October 25, 2014. Retrieved November 21, 2014.
  3. ↑ "Press release for Axiom Verge". Gamasutra. April 17, 2012. Archived from the original on May 11, 2012. Retrieved April 22, 2012.
  4. ↑ "Top 100 Most Anticipated Indie Games Of 2014". Indie Statik. January 1, 2014. Archived from the original on March 1, 2014. Retrieved March 8, 2014.
  5. ↑ Tom Happ (April 30, 2014). "Axiom Verge: Sci-fi Sidescroller coming to PS4, Vita". PlayStation Blog. Archived from the original on May 1, 2014. Retrieved May 1, 2014.
  6. ↑ "Axiom Verge Announces May 14th Release on PC (Steam & Humble Bundle) – PlayStation Vita to Follow". Gamasutra. UBM plc. May 14, 2015. Retrieved May 14, 2015.
  7. ↑ Matulef, Jeffrey (April 1, 2016). "Axiom Verge is coming to Vita next month". Eurogamer. Gamer Network. Retrieved April 2, 2016.
  8. ↑ Marco Martinez (April 17, 2012). "Axiom Verge, a 16-Bit Game Worth Your Attention". GameSpot. Archived from the original on October 10, 2012. Retrieved January 10, 2013.
  9. 1 2 "Axiom Verge for PlayStation 4". GameRankings. CBS Interactive. Retrieved June 23, 2015.
  10. ↑ "Axiom Verge for PC". GameRankings. CBS Interactive. Retrieved June 23, 2015.
  11. 1 2 "Axiom Verge for PlayStation 4 Reviews". Metacritic. CBS Interactive. Retrieved June 23, 2015.
  12. ↑ "Axiom Verge for PC Reviews". Metacritic. CBS Interactive. Retrieved June 23, 2015.
  13. ↑ Zimmerman, Conrad (March 30, 2015). "Axiom Verge review: Verging on greatness". Destructoid. Retrieved March 31, 2015.
  14. ↑ Vore, Bryan (March 30, 2015). "Axiom Verge review: What's Old Is New". Game Informer. Retrieved March 31, 2015.
  15. ↑ LaBella, Anthony (March 30, 2015). "Axiom Verge review". Game Revolution. Retrieved March 31, 2015.
  16. 1 2 Brown, Peter (March 30, 2015). "Axiom Verge review: Don't Look Back". GameSpot. Retrieved March 31, 2015.
  17. 1 2 Gerstmann, Jeff (March 30, 2015). "Axiom Verge Review". Giant Bomb. Retrieved March 31, 2015.
  18. 1 2 Silva, Marty (March 30, 2015). "Axiom Verge review: Strangely Familiar". IGN. Retrieved March 31, 2015.
  19. ↑ http://www.hardcoregamer.com/2015/03/30/review-axiom-verge/140253/
  20. ↑ "Nominees | The Game Awards 2015". The Game Awards. Ola Balola. November 12, 2015. Retrieved November 13, 2015.

External links

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