Axiom Verge

Although the lore and visuals of this game are amazing, I really think this game, as a metroidvania, sucks.

It's got the basics down, it's got a huge map, upgrades that allow you to have more movement option, stronger weapons and bigger healthbar as you go, but the movement isn't fun, controlling the drone isn't fun, using the grappling hook SURE AS FUCK isn't fun, the map feels like its trying to copy metroid more so than improve upon it, as such the map exploration and movement around it just feels like a chore.

If there's a good reason to suggest why castlevania SOTN improved the genre is by adding teleporters around the map. This map is HUGE and the game is NOT short at all and you will be backtracking constantlyto get the upgrades, there's a "vehicle" to move you around the entrances of the sections of the map but really having a teleporter is exactly what would have fixed the game for me.

The enemies do a surprisingly large amount of damage to you to the point of making some areas a bitch (Yes, i do mean those fuckwit golden flying enemies specially) so its always a good idea to go around grabbing as much health upgrades as you can (not that it helps that much), which makes more time spent backtracking and trying to find them and get them all around the map.

If there's one area of the game to give it praise to is the story. I was fighting the desire to put the game down and give the sequel a short try or not even that up until I found "the plot twist" which frankly made the game a lot more appealing. I didn't expect it to actually be a good twist.

Really there's so many games that do metroidvania better on steam... I had more fun playing gato roboto than this.

I don't know how to recommend this game
Just play it

Hard to review this with any objectivity; I've played this game numerous times on my Switch (about once every 1 - 1.5 years since 2018), but for the first time on Steam in 2025. I love how strange this game is, and I mean strange in the truest sense. Tom Happ has created a world so alien it's at times disgusting, other times serene, but most of the time completely foreign and incredibly hostile. As the tag line for this game notes, it's a thin line between dream and nightmare.
The story works for me, but I understand doesn't for some folks. There's a TON of misdirection going on, and it suffers from the feeling that the full story isn't realized just yet (Axiom Verge 2 fills in some holes, but produces more questions than answers), but I really enjoy what's shared AV 1. It gives one the feeling of being ensnared in someone's conspiracy, but no one is really sure who the true puppet-master is.
Wonderfully realized world, I hope we get to see more of it. Easy recommendation if you like Metroidvanias.

A wonderful example of the Metroidvania genre, Axiom Verge offers its own unique mechanics and a very original, well-written story to propel the player through a labyrinthine game world. Special mention goes to its music and detailed graphics that give each region its own ambience and feel. If you're a fan of Super Metroid or Castlevania SotN or any of their derivatives, you'll be right at home with Axiom Verge.

Boss 1 80% complete
Boss 2 70% complete
Boss 3 50% complete
This game basically, is good until the 2 hour mark then it sucks. 'Thx you can't refund now have fun metroidvania experts OR look up a guide'
Idek if metroidvania experts would like this game unless they have a photographic memory. I cannot backtrack to certain areas, all other roads are dead ends, and trying to drill random walls I find a secret only 40% of players found. People giving this game lip service then think they're just bad? Idk, but this much lost player count is kinda bad. Is it possible I missed an item and got soft locked or I overlooked a second room in the 3rd boss chamber? Idk. And the secret area doesn't mean shit that I found because I need to jump ever-so-slightly higher to reach the end of it. Maybe I have post-covid brainrot or underslept, but I cannot think of a prior area to route to with my new items. And when I backtrack theres limits on how far back I can go. So either I'm softlocked from missing an item, or, theres a random wall somewhere I accidentally neglected. In either case, bad pacing after the first few hours.

10 years later, Axiom Verge remains one of if not THE best retro-Metroidvania experience around. The graphics, the music, the challenges... everything is perfect.

The only thing that would have made it better would have been to have a more extensive world to explore. It's over a bit quickly, and that's my only regret.

I feel like Axiom Verge has been totally forgotten in the modern day. I really do wonder why. It feels like it was a pretty big deal back when it released.... roughly ten years ago, jesus. I could be biased since I have such good memories of it from back then, but personally I think it deserves more love. Its inspiration from Metroid couldn't be any clearer, yet it has more than enough unique ideas to set it apart. Despite its flaws, it's just really damn fun and immersive. Maybe there are more people who have the same feelings.

Spent over an hour playing only to get softlocked in Zil because the game allowed me to enter the area without the required upgrades to advance or return. Googled quite a bit, couldn't find any solution. Time wasted.

One of the good metroidvanias I've played and only made by 1 dude. Awesome music and gameplay.

amazing game

It's an okay metroidvania, mostly I enjoyed the vibe and the looks, it's like playing a retro game, but my main complain it's about the mobility at the latest levels, I didn't liked the platforms and the dash mechanics. Still good tho.

It's excellent!

Neat.

honestly a bit of a mess at times, but pretty fun
the glith gun is a intersting idea, and the pixel art is fantastic. some of the secret area entrance locations being random kinda sucks amd makes it hard to tell if you are doing the right thing but its alright

A competent metroidvania with some cool ideas for upgrades. Though it suffers from having a boring early game and dull boss fights. But if you can put up with those, you'll have fun for the vast majority of the time.

Good game. Good OST. Good ending.

I've played countless Metroidvania style games. Hell, I've played and beat the original Metroid, which this game is heavily inspired by. The game IS fun, the setting is eerie and the soundtrack just the right amount of weird to be memorable. But when I tell you that this game has the most infuriatingly large map, and that the game seems to delight in cock-blocking you trying to just, I dunno, PROGRESS? It actively feels like the developers just don't want you to play the game at some points. Yes, finding dead ends and back tracking is part and parcel of the metroidvania experience, but this game pushes that concept to the point of frustration and redundancy. I *wanted* so badly to like this game, it's a legend in the indie space. But unless I want to play with a goddamn strategy guide on my second screen telling me EXACTLY where to go, well, I won't be beating this one. A shame, honestly. It does so many things right, but you can only spend so many hours wandering around the same 3 areas before you just get bored with it.

Decent. But in hindsight I'd rather spend my time playing through Super Metroid for the 10th time than had given this a shot.

Fun metroidvania with interesting twists on the formula

Awesome Metroidvania, impressively created by a single dev!
Amongst the best stories I've ever seen on a Metroidvania.

It is a masterpiece, but has its quirks:
- The WORST Grapling Hook of all games, hard to use
- Dash, oh god, Dash should be a button, and not tap twice a direction...

Probably will have to deal with these quirks to replay the game on Randomizer sometime in the future...

SPOILER: If you see Scanlines, there's a secret near!

8/10 !!

Instead of double jumps and dashes you've seen a thousand times in other games before, Axiom Verge subverts these metroidvania "clichés" with unique and creative power-ups and a wide roster of different weapons.
The pixel art is great, but perhaps a bit repetitive in some places.
Progression is mostly linear, but still gives the player a lot of room for exploration and finding secrets, which, oh man, there are so many of...
The bosses are mostly ok, Ukhu however can suck my balls.
The reverse bossfight is what got me

Overall, Axiom Verge is an extremely enjoyable and creative experience, and in my opinion, is very underrated.

the only Metroid game we got on the Wii U. good weapon selection and unique mechanics. can be a bit tough at times. Highly recommended.

Great Super Metroid clone that is slavishly faithful in gameplay and tone. Dials up the H.R. Geiger all the way. It's very easy to get lost or be confused where to go. The story is stretched too thin with very little meat in between. Despite the dark atmosphere, the game is surprisingly easy.

So I've tried some metroidvania style games outside the actual metroid-castlevania games and not many really resonated with me. 2 in particular were ori and rain world. I found them to be way to difficult to be enjoyable least for me. Rain world especially was just way to hard with the die, eat, die, eat, struggle to build up your bar to even get clearance to proceed to another extremely hard area. So I gave up both in frustration, ori was just to damn kill you over and over with hard jumps instantly. Ori was not as bad as rain world however because least it don't set you back 2 hours for dying.

So coupled with all the prove yourself platformers these days like end is ni, and meatboy, I was growing a little untrusting of what people tell me is a good platformer these days. I loved a hat in time, but that's more mario, gather the star pieces platformer. Most of the really good ones I still find to be the classics for pacing themselves and not expecting really ridiculous feats. Not all of course some oldschool stuff is severly hard. But as far as metroids and the metroid style castlevanias (sotn, aria) I could not find a single new one that held the same attention from me. So I gave this one a try, and it held up to all my expectations.

One thing, I was a bit of a skeptic at first with this game, it does start out a little basic with jump and shoot. But give it some time the game really hits its stride mid to end game. I have not actually beat this game yet, but got one more boss on the achievements left so I think I'm close to done. One thing this game does really well tho, it really manages to be a good mid point, inbetween challenge, satisfaction, and accomplishment. Meaning its not super easy, its puzzling, but its not frustrating. Its fun to play and explore, does some interesting things with oldschool nes style graphics I haven't seen before, and has interesting atmosphere and story. Also mixes things up a lot from what metroid did. I wouldn't say its better than metroid either just different. In metroid, well samus was a suit, you knew what to expect. Trace on the other hand is a scientist, his upgrades are not really predictable and it would be to much of a spoiler to tell you about his upgrades. Lets just say it manipulates 2d platforming in some of the ways samus did but in more trippy theoretical, less physical ways. For example he can phase shift through walls by tapping directions. Which adds a whole new dimension of platforming explortation.

The game is not prove yourself, its actually quite enjoyable. Its an atmospheric, puzzling game, and beating a speed run or not dying even once could be hard. But just playing it through its more of a thinking mans game and less of a twitch platforming prove yourself with jump tricks game. That's what I love about it, so does it hold up to metroid and castlevania? I would say it does and the price on sell or not is reasonable, its already sold axiom 2 for me. So if you want a good metroidvania, that's more metroid than vania, this is a good choice.

Overrated.

Very nice

Like Metroid? Like hidden items, and enigmatic wonders, with intuitive controls, retro styled music and graphixxxxx?!!! Then play this game. It was made by one dude over years and years. He deserves your time and your money. For real, this game is fantastic.

good metroidvania game solid so far

There is a fantastic sense of progression in this game, when you're moving through it exciting things are happening almost all the time, when you're stuck it can take quite a while to unstick yourself.
In the first half it really feels like you can think your way out of most encounters, if you choose the right equipment and the right approach you wont take a scratch. This somewhat fades later on and it becomes more about dodging and reacting. I think this works but I did miss that feeling of mastery from solving the puzzle of the encounters at the start.
The music is absolutely incredible, and when you're about to die a heartbeat monitor sound perfectly ramps up every song. The pixel art is extremely well done throughout the game but there are particular stand out moments.
If you like metroidvanias you should play this game, if you don't know whether you like metroidvanias this is the game to try.

An extremely fun Metroidvania with really interesting themes. Absolute gem.

This is a fun metroidvania, with a creepy and eerie sci-fi atmosphere. I love to explore everywhere and collect as much items as possible. I do think this game is a bit easy, but this might be because I played on normal.

Good visuals, gameplay and story, If you like metriodvania games this is a must play.

play this while i was on my 9-5 got caught and fired too but deserves the time i spend on , 10/10
highly recommended

I should have picked this game sooner. It's brilliant. It reminds me of the fun that I had when I picked up Metroid II as a young kid, it's that good.

The pixel art will look a bit rough at times but is reminiscent of what we had in the early 90s in terms of colour palette and animation. But since it runs a computer and not an old console, it gets virtually 0 limitation in the number of animated sprites that can be rendered simultaneously so your weapon will always look good, the enemies will blow up into pieces, the game will never slow down, and it can even apply some interesting effects.
I like how the "glitch gun" can change the apparence of enemies and walls. The effects rendered as you get the ability to "glitch" through a wall.

The soundtrack is a lot better than I expected. Only a few songs I don't like too much but tracks like Cellular Skies are most definitely my jam. We are approaching the quality of some the AAA titles of the old days here.

The design of the levels is actually pretty good. Secrets that are not too hard to find, save points well positioned and not too far apart. Shortcuts that can be used as you unlock equipment to navigate through the level. A lot of thoughts was put into it. The map you get to navigate everything is decent, but a bit limited; only two markers (R1 and R2) you can place on the map, and it will not automatically keep track of the items you have located or anything like that.

I am only a couple of hours in it and I have 5 different weapon beams, and at least 5 or 6 piece of equipment. Some weapons are very creative actually. There is just not enough games were we get to pilot a drone.

I can only thing of a few things I don't like about this game.
-Enemies that are waiting to hit you outside of the displayed screen, but without the capability to move the camera around to detect them and time your shots/jumps. So what will happen is that you'll get hit, memorize their location and learn to use some of the different weapons to hit them before they appear on the screen sometimes.
-Lots of weapons that don't really feel "needed". I haven't received anyting that matches the dmg done by the first weapon we get. And changing weapon fill clunky at times, because it essentially pause the game as you get the weapon "wheel". You don't get "weapon slots" for quick toggles.
Instead, "extra" buttons will be mapped to some equipment like your drill or the glitch gun, which can indeed be used like weapons at times.
-Controls can appear a bit stiff at times as a result of some of the choices/compromises made. The grappeling hook get some used to while you'll be trying to reach some places that are harder to reach. But everything is responsive and works well.

The difficulty so far is a lot lower than I expected it to be. You can definitely beat lots of bosses on a first attempt. They have very rigid and simplistic patterns for the most part. So once you figure out the vulnerable area and how to hit it without getting hit in return, it's over. It normally revolves around being patient, equipping a proper beam to minimise your exposure, and timing jumps correctly. And so far, nothing has survived a second attempt.

If you are a fan of this genre of game, you need to pick this up eventually. Plus, it runs on a potato which means it is a great game for handheld PCs when playing on a battery charge, and regularly gets on rebate. It was -85% during the last winter sale. You just can't go wrong at such a price point.

Hollow Knight is still my all time favorite Metroidvania, but this is definitely up there. The boss fights are not very well designed so far (five hours in), but it gets the exploration and key-and-lock world design totally right.

Game visual is absolutely stunning but please I getting lost every 5 minutes even with the map. After few times it starting to irritate me. The moment you cross the whole map and realize you had to figure out what devs had in mind

It's a classic Metroid game.

Exactly the type of modern Metroid-vania that I love. Lots of weird items and powers, plenty of exploration and secrets, and the perfect level of difficulty to provide challenge without frustration.

Greatest Metroidvania ever made, by a longshot.

Such a great metroidvania. I just had so much fun with this game, it really scratches that metroidvania itch with a great map that feels natural to traverse.

I had already finished this on WiiU over 5 years ago, and double dipped when I recently bought Axiom Verge 2, and decided to 100% the game this time arounds

Pretty good game as other reviews already might have clued you in, my single gripe is that now that I had to 100% it, I noticed how lacking the info on the map is to keep track of what you already achieved.

Getting 100% not only required me to retrace my steps while using a very detailed community map, I basically had to go back to every single item point in the map because I wasn't sure of what I did get and what I didn't. If the game provided any kind of info about things that were already acquired it could've saved me easily, around 7-10 hours.

Probabbly the won't ever get this single QOL feature, as the dev has long since moved on, but it certainly would be a great feature for a game that's already excellent.

This is metroidvania at its greatest. Definitely a classic.

For beginners i suggest using a complementary map.

Completely forgot I ever played this game.

I don't really know what to say here, I just really love this game. I wholeheartedly recommend it.

Wonderful game. Very fun, lots of weapons, options, and secrets. The story is confusing and weird, but that's fine for a game this fun. I had to look up the FAQs on Steam, as the game leaves a lot unexplained. The soundtrack is fantastic.

The first two hours of the game are AMAZING and hooks you completely. Then as it progresses it slowly depletes your interest over time. Forcing you to run back and forth on the map without instruction hitting a wall with your new power up to find the next destination. The enemies slowly get worse, where they are seemingly designed to waste your time. Then the last two hours the game implodes by dumping buckets of enemies on your head. I felt like the rug was pulled from underneath my feet.

As far as solo developed indie games go, this one's easily in my top 3. This game is very much on the Metroid side of the Metroidvania genre, which is great, since nobody every really knows when to expect the next 2D Metroid. If you're a fan, this is a must-play imo. Can't wait to jump into the sequel.

A hidden gem amongst the metroid-vania style of games

It's a classic Metroid game. Buy it if you like that sort of thing.