Axiom Verge 2

Axiom Verge 2

Switch - World - Title card.

Developer Thomas Happ Games Publisher Thomas Happ Games Published 2021-08-11 Platforms Linux, Switch, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Windows, Xbox One Genres Action-adventure, Metroidvania, Passive puzzle, Puzzle-platformer, Puzzle Themes Adventure, Artificial intelligence, Science fiction Series Axiom Verge Distribution Commercial

Axiom Verge 2 is a platformer Metroidvania developed and published by Thomas Happ Games on 2021-08-11, initially for PlayStation 4, Switch, and Windows, and later for Linux, PlayStation 5, and Xbox One. It is the sequel to Axiom Verge and the second game in the Axiom Verge series.

In this game, you play as the brilliant Indra Chaudhari who became immensely wealthy after discovering a new system of physics and patenting technology around it. However, she finds her entire lab teleported far away to a distant solar system with no means of getting home other than bartering with a dangerous artificial intelligence which appears to be based on the Babylonian mythology on Earth, some 5,000 years ago.

Personal

Own?	Yes. On Steam.
Won?	Yes. Time 15:14, items 87%, map 98%, 15/28 achievements.
Finished	2025-02-11.

Being a fan of the first game, I added this one to my Steam wish list and bought it when it went on sale. I enjoyed it, but not as much as the first game.

Review

6	8	7	8	7

Best Version: Windows

Good

• A lot of the background graphics and their effects are pretty stunning. I also like the Mesopotamian motif.
• The music with Middle Eastern instruments and vocal chanting is fantastic.
• Player control is varied and feels solid.
• Having the heroine be both a woman and a person of color was refreshing.
• Being able to set as many markers on the map as you want is very useful.
• The item where you can see the layout of the map on the other side is a nice addition. It is used for hiding several items.
• Being able to hack machines is a fun ability.
• Having your body get stolen was a cool idea.
• It's nice to see lots of added features like a built-in speed run mode and accessibility options.

Bad

• The graphics feel a bit flat, like they weren't colored with enough shadow, and the palette is a bit too pastel at times. I also didn't care as much for the look and feel of the Breach; the environment nor the monster design.
• The combat isn't all that enjoyable. You choices are short-range melee and very weak long range, and I didn't care for either. It kind of feels like a Castlevania game, but even enjoyable.
• While the music is great, the sound effects feel a bit weak.
• Having nearly all of the bosses be optional and weak felt very underwhelming.
• The UI is a bit dull and the font isn't very good.
• I wish apocalypse flasks didn't tell you how to use them every time you got one. By the 50th time you have it pretty figured out.
• In some areas, it's difficult to tell what you can stand on and what is background.
• For as often as you do it, teleporting and respawning takes longer than I would like.

Ugly

• While there wasn't any one thing that stood out as awful, for a lot of the game, I was almost bored. The game lacked tension and mood, so it felt more like a platform puzzle game than a Metroidvania.

Media

Covers

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  Title card - Steam.

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  Title card - PlayStation 4.

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  Title card - Switch.

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  Box - Switch - USA.

Maps

• 

  Overworld.

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  Breach.

• 

  Emergence.

Videos

Official trailer.

Longplay - Switch.

Representation

Strong female character?	Pass	Indra Chaudhari is strong and playable.
Bechdel test?	Pass	Indra and Amashilama chat several times throughout the game.
Strong person of color character?	Pass	Indra and Amashilama.
Queer character?	Fail	There are no obviously queer characters.

Links