No, this isn't Metroid...but it's close enough
AAA development of Metroidvania titles have mysteriously halted in recent years. While they were never absolute top-sellers to begin with, a large amount of classics in the genre have been both critically and publicly lauded. Metroid, the innovative series that single-handedly brought about the genre, hasn't seen a traditional 2D entry since 2002's Metroid Fusion for the GBA. Axiom Verge looks exactly like another two-dimensional Metroid; right down to the traditional animations between rooms. This influence is instantly apparent and the presentation doesn't lack any subtlety with the subject matter, but it still didn't stop Axiom Verge from being a fresh experience. The Metroidvania formula remains intact, but it utilizes that formula to morph your expectations for some interesting level design and weaponry. Some of it works better than others, but considering this game was made by just one guy, Thomas Happ clearly illustrates his passion for the project in the final product that is Axiom Verge.
Enter the world of Sudra; a science-fiction inspired land abundant with just as much mystique as it does treachery. Consisting of various mechanical beings and over-powering creatures, it's hard not to at least be a tad bit intrigued with the overall ambiance presented here. Axiom Verge clearly situates its world design with a focus on lore, perhaps to instantiate a wide array of fan theories to surface as a result. Similar to its main creative influence, the game uses this to attempt to make a world that tells its backstory not solely from text, but from the environment - even if it's not quite as effective.
Back on planet Earth, an experiment went completely wrong that forces Trace, our protagonist, into this unknown world of Sudra. Spiraling from the initial set-up is a series of mind-bending events that transcends nearly every other plot I've seen in a Metroidvania. That's not to say I particularly adored it; to be honest, a good portion of it went way over my head. It's the sense of dedication that Happ had towards this proof of concept that makes it commendable in my eyes, and the presentation is all there to back it up.
Axiom Verge follows the same general progression and general tropes as every other Metroidvania game. Exploration is key, as the focus of the game is to traverse the land in a somewhat non-linear fashion to earn superior power-ups until its conclusion. Obtainable items include health and power upgrades as well as a multitude of weapons to utilize. Which leads to one of my main criticisms of Axiom Verge - the inventory of these weapons. For the first half of the game, I had about four weapons that I rotated between and thematically grew accustomed to from a gameplay perspective. Once the world truly opened up for me, I began collecting new weapons at an insane rate. Most of these I never actually used, as I had already gotten comfortable with the arsenal I've had for the last five or so hours. This is an example of where I thought less might have been more. I've always enjoyed the sense of progression this genre inherits, but during the later half of the game, I almost always disappointed every instance I picked up a new gun. That said, once I picked up the Flamethrower, it was so awesome that I admit never touched anything else. It should also be noted that the game exhibits many elements of level design from the classics that inspired it. Secrets can be found left an right, and getting a complete 100% within the map and item collection is a daunting task.
The mechanics and controls of Axiom Verge are nothing short of excellent. It plays akin to Super Metroid, but dare I say it plays better than it. I used an Xbox One controller, and using the left bumper, you can lock your position. This leaves the player able to freely shoot in any direction, something I now realize Super Metroid would have benefited from. Boss fights are excellent, asserting your full attention for every battle. They were all a fair bit challenging, I admittedly died a lot on all of them, but it stands to reason that they were pervasively engaging. I wouldn't mind seeing any of these gameplay elements implemented similarly in future action side-scrollers. In addition to the main game, Happ has included a dedicated speedrun mode that adds a timer and removes a variety of time-chewing elements from the story. It's a admirable feature that I know the intended community will embrace.
Happ isn't trying to fool anyone - this game is directly inspired by the 8-bit and 16-bit Metroid games. Tilemaps between these two intellectual properties were built with similar styles, and sprites share similar perspectives. Axiom Verge animates similar, of course, but it still absolutely nailed the aesthetic it was aiming for. Musical aspects were created in a similar way, crafting a meaningful chiptune OST based off fellow pixel art platformers it's attempting to emphasize.
I said the word Metroid a lot in this review, but that's not to say Axiom Verge is too much like Metroid. Enemy designs share commonalities, room transitions are exactly the same, and it borrows very similar level design. That said, I never thought of Axiom Verge as a derivative title, more accurately an ode to one of the greatest games of all-time. Some portions lack significant creative direction and the actual layout of the map could definitely be more concise, but most of the ways that Axiom Verge deviates from its creative roots are successful. For me, Super Metroid is still clearly the superior game by a wide margin, but this is a nice supplemental game to have while Nintendo seemingly ignores this partition of their fanbase. So no, this is not Metroid...but it's close enough.
