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Axiom Verge


HandsomeDead
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I might as well say something about this since I'm stuck.

So on the surface this is basically a classic Metroid game under another name, and I'd even say it's classic Metroid a little under the surface, too. It's hard to get away from the comparisons.

But it does have it's own stuff. Gameplay-wise it is less predictable than it initially looks. You can see that there are ares you can't traverse but it doesn't quite use the same kind of abilities as you'd expect from a game so inspired by Metroid and Axiom Verge certainly does a pretty good job of surprising you. I kind of don't want to talk about them, but I will say the drone is pretty inspired.

It plays a pretty good shooter. The enemies are really fiendish which really do cause a problem not long into the game and the weapons you get are weird and unexpected, too. They maybe a bit too situational so you will use the default a lot but there is some satisfaction in figuring out the best way of using the weirder ones. It feels quite Turbo-Grafix-y more than Metroid-y in terms of action, actually.

I don't think I quite understand the story, though. There is a bit too much jargon that comes across really stupid, sometimes, but the atmosphere is spot on. The environments do pull off the surreal, dreamy, alien sci-fi thing really well. The soundtrack helps a lot; it's mostly really good.

I know this has past a lot of people by, it hasn't had much attention for some reason but I would say it stands alongside Shovel Knight as a good modern take on an older style of game.

I kinda hate it now because being stuck really blows chunks, especially on games like this.

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I forgot it was coming to PC for some reason, I'll edit the tags. It's not quite out on Vita yet either which is strange. I don't get why you'd bother staggering out those releases as they tend to be released together on the Playsations and PCs.

I hope it gets tried out when it inevitably hits PS+ and goes for pennies on Steam. I think it'll surprise a few people.

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Okay, I got unlost and now I feel like I'm pretty far in, as in I don't think I have any more main abilities to unlock, but man does this game get hard. Most of the enemies I'm dealing with now are flying wankers. Most of them come at you then kinda swing round if they miss and hitting them can be a problem. they do a lot of damage, too, I hate it. The enemies overall have been really good, actually, like most of them are a genuine threat until you upgrade quite a bit; and they is a good variety, too. That's cool, I guess, but it does make me swear at the TV a lot.

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  • 11 months later...

Axiom Verge is coming to Xbox One and Wii U later this year, developer Tom Happ announced.

Previously released for PlayStation 4 and PC (and currently in the “home stretch” for PS Vita), the game 16-bit retro-style action-platform-exploration game is influenced by titles like Metroid, Contra, and Blaster Master, and gives players power over glitches like those found in classic games, enabling enemy scrambling, environment corruption, and entering hidden areas.

http://gematsu.com/2016/03/axiom-verge-coming-xbox-one-wii-u

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  • 1 year later...

I've started this, absloutely Metroid so far like DC touches on. Just wanted to bookmark so I can talk about it as I play. I'm only about an 45 mins in, beaten the first boss (NO DAMAGE WIN).  It's already started to get a little road-blocky, I feel like every path I take is a no-go because I dont have the items or equipment I need yet.

 

Controls are good, music is spooky, looking forward to more.

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I played this for a couple of hours when I first got it, but got distracted by other things.

 

It's excellent, but I'd have to start all over again, because I've forgotten where I've been and I'm meant to be going next. 

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  • 8 months later...

Just started this on Switch, few hours in now. LOVE it.

TBH I missed a lot of the old 2D metroidvania games but it does somehow bring back a lot of memories. I cant fault it so far.

 

My wife sure as hell can though, apparently the music is super annoying. For me it is all part of the charm :)

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  • 1 year later...

I finally went back to this after over a year and a half. I started again as I had no idea where I was or how to control it.

 

I've been through a rollercoaster in the 3 hours or so I've put in so far. It's a harder example gameplay wise of it's genre. I felt like at one point I was just blindly stumbling forward, always able to progress forward but not sure I was going in the right direction, seeing a ton of path's I couldn't take and then getting very stuck which was very frustrating. Then comes the euphoria of progress and this seems to repeat.

 

@DifferentClass mentions the weapons being so vastly different to what you'd expect from this Metroid inspired game but honestly, they are nuts.

 

Spoiler

I have not long had this drone, launched by pressing the Y/Triangle button. You control this like you would your character, only with a limited jump and a very limited weapon. It can get you through very small crawl spaces so as to hit a button to unlock a gate or access a power up. I've also been through an enemy ridden gauntlet that got me a fucking cool ass weapon that I think was totally optional.

 

I've also found some sort of Passcode Tool and I happened to have found a note with a password in it. I've input the password but I have no idea what it did. Yet.

 

I've just had one of these long periods of being stuck, finally made some progress and I've had to turn it off and all i want to do is use my new item as I know tons of places I can use it.

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Yes, Axiom Verge! This game is great. It is super hard, especially towards the end just getting through combat is very tough. But it’s a genuinely inspired Metroidvania that really takes that Super Metroid isolationist atmosphere and pushes it to new realms.  This will be an odd pull but has anyone seen that gory/horror movie the cube? Axiom Verge, in a way, reminded me of that movie. Where it’s sci-fi, grungy, dark, severe and obviously like a puzzle box. But with some great pixel art ega monsters thrown in the mix. 

 

I think it might be slightly to clever for it’s own good, almost. Like I would never 100% it because the secrets are just too well hidden, but it does it in an impressive and subversive way as opposed something like Fez which is just obnoxious. 

 

I only played through it once and once and watched a 100% speedrun a while ago and it’s really very good. 

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I just finished it. I hardcored it yesterday and woke up early this morning and got back on it.

 

I was so stuck at one point yesterday and I had to look up what to do next which i hate doing but there's no fast travel in this game, so you just wonder around kind of aimlessly, looking for spots that you might be able to tackle with any new powers you've aquired. I will say that progress is never too far away from the previous point of progression but on this occasion the way forward was a little obscure in my opinion. Also, the game never says where to go, it tells you the next part of the plan and then you have to find it yourself.

 

Anyway, the powerups continue to be great, you go from feeling totally underpowered and wondering how the fuck you can get anywhere to being an unstoppable god. Only in movement ter,s though, the regular enemies continue to be a bitch. I managed to get 100% of the tools and abilities which was a surprise.

 

I think my biggest problem with the game was the difficulty level, it's relentless and unforgiving and you just have to get good. I'm  not againt difficult games but they can leave a bad taste in your mouth at times.

 

This game is cool as shit though, if you don't mind a bit of frustration, there's plenty of reward for your perseverence.

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I have found myself playing this quite a bit lately.  Thanks, illdog.

 

It's actually better than I remember.  I don't remember as much of it as I thought I would so it still feels pretty fresh.  Though it does mean I am also getting stuck but it's enjoyable enough for me not to mind too much.  I forgot just how many weapons are in this game.  Even in the most desperate situations I think there is a way out with the right tool.  When I die it's usually because I'm being stubborn and just trying to rush with the standard gun.  All you ever have to do is back up and think which of your weird weapons can get you through safely.

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  • 3 weeks later...

I'm a couple of bosses in to this and it's a pretty cool game. The music is pretty good most of the time and then every now and then it all kicks off and puts you right in the zone. 

 

I was having some difficulties with general combat in the game and then had a look at the options to see if I could rebind controls and I could! Once I put shoot on R1 things became a lot easier.

 

I dislike the main character design. I feel like I am playing some random dev that loved his face so much he had to make a game about it. The gun is cool though, glad it covers up most of him. 

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  • 1 month later...

I've started this today. Maybe it's something that does come along eventually, and if it doesn't have it that's the game I guess, but I wish it had a teleport. I got stuck, as it turned out I'd just noped an area and gone back to explore with a new ability, so I've refound that and got myself to a save point. 

 

It'll be interesting to see how it uses the enemies, off the top of my head I've managed to find some that act as simultaneous smart bombs, and another that spews out health. It's cool, slightly concerned by reading in here it gets hard, I guess that encourages you to search out the weapon boosts and health pick ups

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  • 8 months later...

@radiofloyd suggested I play Psycho Pass: Mandatory Happiness, so naturally I ended up playing this in tandem/instead.

 

It was out of necessity though - my Kindle screen had broke and I needed something to do on the way to work as opposed to staring at my phone for 40 minutes.

 

Anyway, this is an awesome little Metroidvania, and even though the only real comparison is the platforming nature, I think I prefer this over Hollow Knight. It's great. Incredibly atmospheric. Fun action. Nice ideas. I really like...

 

Spoiler

...sneaking around as the little bug.

 

The only thing I haven't really liked is getting lost in the map. It's a little too confusing. I eventually find where I need to go every time, but it feels like I'm wandering aimlessly until that point.

 

Others have already touched on the main points about the game, but it's still one I feel deserves a little extra attention.

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