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PSN-Name: AngelVsMadman
Axiom Verge review
Perhaps most remarkably, Axiom Verge is the work of just one man: Tom Happ. From the game's authentic 8-bit colour palette to a catchy soundtrack of pulsing chip tunes, not to mention the sprawling game itself, packed with platforms, enemy types and puzzles that have clearly been obsessed over during the five year development process, this is a very singular vision.
For retro-heads, that makes it something of a treat. Many are the indie games that crib their look and tone from the 1980s, but few really understand the era or the genres they mimic. That's definitely not the case with Axiom Verge, which has clearly been crafted with affection and care by someone who knows the territory inside out and upside down.
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.
For retro-heads, that makes it something of a treat. Many are the indie games that crib their look and tone from the 1980s, but few really understand the era or the genres they mimic. That's definitely not the case with Axiom Verge, which has clearly been crafted with affection and care by someone who knows the territory inside out and upside down.
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.