One place Axiom Verge fails to learn from the classics is in its world design. And without a method of fast-travel, I spent far too much time wandering back and forth across vast stretches of the map in an attempt to figure out just what the hell I should be doing. While I appreciate a game that doesn’t hold my hand, without a clear objective I found myself getting lost far too often, especially after taking a break and coming back to the game. The map unfolds as a hodgepodge of identical squares that never really give you any indication of what you’ve stumbled across. While the combat feels great, Axiom Verge’s sense of exploration is a letdown. Sure, there were a few that had me dying over and over again until I really memorized their patterns, but this was never too much of a burden thanks to Axiom Verge’s quick load times and ample checkpoints Controls are responsive, and the sensation of movement and combat feel great. Learning their patterns and weaknesses, and ultimately slaying one of the massive beasts is a good old-fashioned rush. You’ll need to become familiar with all of your weapons and tools, because Axiom Verge features some awesome, challenging boss encounters. My favorite tool in Axiom Verge’s arsenal is a small spider drone which you can deploy and fully control to scout out sticky situations while your main character hangs back in safety. The glitch gun is handy for transforming deadly enemies into peaceful platforms, while ice beams help to slow down particularly chaotic enemies.
The dozen-or-so guns you get all feel very different, and have specific uses. Likewise, seeing your hero grow from a relatively helpless guy stranded on a strange planet, to a demigod with an arsenal that’d make Master Chief jealous is a smoothly rewarding process. Gaining the ability to phase through thin walls five hours in, and then using it to grab a power-up that you saw near the beginning of the game gives a nice feeling of accomplishment for those who pay careful attention to their surroundings at all times. You’re constantly stumbling upon new powers and abilities that allow you to go back and open up dead ends you passed long ago. The sense of character progression throughout Axiom Verge delivers a lot of satisfaction.
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