However, despite that, Axiom Verge is definitely its own thing. It takes the greatest parts of Metroid, mixes it with a bit of Contra, slaps some H.R. Giger into the pot and stirs until it's its own thing.
First off, atmosphere. This game has it in spades. There is a lot of movement, a lot of energy in the environments and the music. Some of the background pieces are even synced up to the bass of the music, and the bosses move to the beat of the boss themes. The music is as much a part of the game as the way the game looks.
Speaking of that, the game looks amazing. It nails the 8-bit/16-bit look it's going for, and the "glitches" in the game look rather authentic for NES hardware. The Address Disruptor (which is an early weapon that lets you glitch enemies) adds a massive amount of depth to the game. Enemy too tough? Glitch it to slow it down, or maybe even turn it over to your side. Low on health? Glitch that enemy and it will burst into delicious health nanomachines when you get near it!
You can even get into some awesome looking glitched "secret worlds" that emulate the look of the secret worlds of older Metroid games. While the items in them aren't necessary for 100%, they're still nice to go through for their goodies and the old timey static filter over the screen is nostalgic.
The story takes a backseat to the gameplay itself but is still wonderfully engaging and will make you want to complete the game. Even after beating it I was left with answers, and since Tom Happ has said there is enough money from the game's release to make a sequel, I'd say those are answers well worth waiting for.
All in all I'd give the game a 9/10. The only downside it has going against it is a slight lack of control once you gain a certain ability, but other than that it runs flawlessly. Any fan of a Metroidvania game would love to get their hands on this.
The Metroid Influence is Clear
However, despite that, Axiom Verge is definitely its own thing. It takes the greatest parts of Metroid, mixes it with a bit of Contra, slaps some H.R. Giger into the pot and stirs until it's its own thing.
First off, atmosphere. This game has it in spades. There is a lot of movement, a lot of energy in the environments and the music. Some of the background pieces are even synced up to the bass of the music, and the bosses move to the beat of the boss themes. The music is as much a part of the game as the way the game looks.
Speaking of that, the game looks amazing. It nails the 8-bit/16-bit look it's going for, and the "glitches" in the game look rather authentic for NES hardware. The Address Disruptor (which is an early weapon that lets you glitch enemies) adds a massive amount of depth to the game. Enemy too tough? Glitch it to slow it down, or maybe even turn it over to your side. Low on health? Glitch that enemy and it will burst into delicious health nanomachines when you get near it!
You can even get into some awesome looking glitched "secret worlds" that emulate the look of the secret worlds of older Metroid games. While the items in them aren't necessary for 100%, they're still nice to go through for their goodies and the old timey static filter over the screen is nostalgic.
The story takes a backseat to the gameplay itself but is still wonderfully engaging and will make you want to complete the game. Even after beating it I was left with answers, and since Tom Happ has said there is enough money from the game's release to make a sequel, I'd say those are answers well worth waiting for.
All in all I'd give the game a 9/10. The only downside it has going against it is a slight lack of control once you gain a certain ability, but other than that it runs flawlessly. Any fan of a Metroidvania game would love to get their hands on this.