One of my favorite games released this year (so far) is Axiom Verge, a 2D side-scrolling action/adventure game in the same vein as Nintendo's Metroid series. It flew under my radar somewhat, but finally caught my attention about a month before it released on the PlayStation 4. Critical response has been overwhelmingly positive but it has not received the same attention as some of the other, bigger games released this year. Though it may seem diminutive in stature compared to the industry's big blockbuster franchises, Axiom Verge is an extremely meaty and rewarding game that relies on the player's quick reflexes and sharp thinking to advance. From its pixelated graphics to its pumping chip tube soundtrack, Axiom Verge has the retro blood of all the classic action platformers of the late 80s/early 90s pumping through its veins, and as someone who has been playing games for a long time, that is a very good thing.
Perhaps the most extraordinary thing about Axiom Verge is that it was made by one person. Tom Happ spent the good part of four years pouring his heart and soul into this project, designing all of the characters and weapons, mapping out all of the levels, writing the story, and even composing the game's musical score. Happ lists Metroid, Contra, and Blaster Master as Axiom Verge's main influences, and the love for those games is clearly present in just about every ounce of the his creation. Many games today cite multiple games as influences, but most have moved away from conventions of the past in favor of newer, simpler game design. However, as recent trends indicate, Happ is not the only person with a deep love and appreciation for gaming's past. Retro gaming is making a big comeback.
Axiom Verge represents a renewed interest in games that adhere to the "old school" rule book. The game industry is full of big, expensive games that utilize state-of-the-art technology to give the player an unrivaled, realistic gaming experience. But every so often, it is good to revisit the past. Independent developers are leading the charge; games like Shovel Knight, Guacamelee!, Rogue Legacy, Fez, and Spelunky were all made by small development studios, and all of them were huge hits critically and commercially. They gave me the same feeling I had as a kid, discovering video games for the first time. It is that sense of discovery and nostalgia that I think is sorely missing in the industry today, and is something the constant barrage of Assassin's Creed and Call of Duty games cannot offer.
I would love to see more games like Axiom Verge in the future. What makes it so great is that it wears its influences on its sleeve without blatantly ripping them off; it is a great, unique game in its own right. Games like it, along with the fantastic Shovel Knight and Rogue Legacy, show that fancy graphics or a deep story are the only things that make games great. The games made back in the Super Nintendo/Sega Genesis era were all made with one goal in mind: make the best possible game with whatever limited resources are available.
Technology was not what it was back then, so developers had to rely on genuinely great game design and expert craftsmanship to get their game made and sold. Games are easier to make than ever, and in the process, have lost that certain heart and soul that made games of the early 90s so memorable. I am truly thankful games like Axiom Verge exist and that an audience is responding to them the same way I am. Maybe modern developers will take notice, and finally remember that in order to keep going forward, sometimes you have to look back.
