A Metroidvania To Nostalgia-gasm About: ‘Axiom Verge’

Thomas Happ is making a sidescrolling metroidvania – so what’s new? Well, this one has ignited our nostalgic-passion meters into overdrive. That’s some damn fine art and gameplay to match. Corr blimey.

There’s not many things in this world that arouses enough passion within us to send us rubbing our legs in some creepy state of anticipation but Axiom Verge is certainly one such thing. If you’ve ever played a sidescrolling metroidvania or perhaps just a console game from the late 80s/early 90s, you’re about to be sent into a head-spin by Thomas Happ’s efforts. We haven’t seen such luscious-disgusting (yes we just invented that) boss designs for years. YEARS WE TELL YOU! That slug fella at the top is almost pornographic for anyone who can appreciate it. He’s not the only one dribbling at the mouth.

Axion Verge is said to contain 8 hours of playtime, over 60 hidden items and powerups and over 20 upgradeable weapons. So that’s the meat to go with your gravy. Slap on a “pulsing” sci-fi soundtrack and you’ve got yourself a rather sumptuous delight awaiting our shaking hands.

While we’re at it, here’s the outline of the story from Thomas himself:

“You play as Trace, a relatively normal (if quirky) guy who suffers a fatal-ish injury, after which he wakes up in a strange, unsettling new world that is both high-tech and incredibly ancient. Why is he here? Where are the world’s inhabitants? And what is the myterious force that seems intent on ending his life?”

We’re told to expect Axiom Verge to grace PC and Xbox 360s in 2013 which is far too long, but we’ll wait if we have to – it will hopefully be so worth it.

More information on Axiom Verge can be found on the game’s official website.