In a generation bursting with neo-retro action games, Axiom Verge stands out as one of the best. This could have been a simple one-note love letter to the cartridge games of yesteryear, but instead it exceeds expectations and even manages to bring a few new ideas to the mix.

Metroid fans have been waiting in agony for a new 2D entry in the series since 2004's Zero Mission on Game Boy Advance. In the meantime, several fans have gone into development and created their own Metroid-style games.

It's just a shame that given the obvious talent and passion involved, it doesn't really have much of its own to add to the Metroidvania template. As charmed and delighted as I often was with its smartly paced escalation, its perpetually teasing construction, I kept waiting for some new element to...

I'm not sure that I'll actually go back and collect 100% of the items and seek out alternate endings, but that first playthrough is absolutely killer. I found myself scouring edges of the map in search of secrets and really had a fantastic time doing it.

Although they were a little over my head, I loved the action and exploration titles that were available on the original Nintendo when I was a child. Games such as Castlevania, Blaster Master, Metroid, and Rygar we the "epic" adventures that sucked me in while others got hooked into the RPG genre.

Axiom Verge marks a curious footnote in the ever-rotating cycle of video game development. In an age where huge 300-strong companies often squander vast amounts of investment on unnecessary frills and thrills, we've seen the consistent rise of the lowly independent team void of any contractual or...

Axiom Verge is, at its core, a retro-style indie game. That term gets thrown around a lot, used to cover a wide variety of games that involve 8-bit music, pixelated graphics and challenging 2D combat and platforming.

Brilliant ingenuity in world and map design; Surprisingly detailed lore and compelling story; Diverse arsenal of tools and weapons; Plenty of Metroid-esque exploration and hidden alcoves

Searching for new areas can get cumbersome without warps; Sometimes difficult to differentiate platforms in complex areas

If you can put up with the meandering parts of Axiom Verge , it will quickly become your favorite game. A great combination of gameplay, story, and art and music direction make this one of the top games so far this year.

Its inability to make me feel rewarded is really the core difference between Axiom Verge and the Metroid games it emulates so aggressively. On a moment-to-moment basis, exploring the alien hellscape of Axiom Verge can be awesome.

Axiom Verge is a side-scrolling action/adventure that applies a fresh take on classic 8-bit games by using glitches as an important game mechanic.