10 Years Ago, Axiom Verge Changed the Game for Metroidvanias

Released on March 31, 2015, Axiom Verge celebrates turning 10 years old today. The debut title by solo developer Thomas Happ, Axiom Verge was one of the earlier Metroidvania indie entries that channeled a bygone era with its visual style and classic 2-D side-scroller action. It married these with an informed modern approach to design to create an experience that was both familiar and fresh at the same time, impressing critics and audiences alike.

Axiom Verg e was in many ways the start of an indie Metroidvania movement. The genre has seen many great entries in the decade since, with Axiom Verge itself receiving a sequel as well in 2021. But the original still stands as a masterclass example in its own right, and looking back now, it can be said that it marked the beginning of a number of other indie developers releasing notable Metroidvanias; a trend that has continued well into the present day.

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By Chris Harkin

10 Years Ago, Axiom Verge Opened the Path for Indie Metroidvanias

Axiom Verge Combined Retro Flavor With Modern Sensibilities

Even a quick glance at Axiom Verge reveals the nostalgic gaming vibes that are immediately on display. The vibrant and crisp 16-bit pixel art calls back to the 90s era of gaming, when the Metroidvania genre as a whole was still in a period of formation. While Metroid itself is an obvious influence (with Axiom Verge paying clear homage to it by including an area that is almost an exact recreation of one of the original's), there are also hints of other classic games not technically within the Metroidvania banner but still recognizable. Some of the level and boss designs call to mind elements from Contra, which are also present in the often frantic shooting along with the exploration and mystery of the alien world of Sudra that protagonist Tracer Eschenbrenner finds himself transported to.

Along with its challenging but tightly balanced gameplay, Axiom Verge is riddled with secrets to uncover, and was a satisfying blast from the past for many players. And for younger gamers who didn't grow up during the time it harkens back to, Axiom Verge smoothed out some of the frustration and outdated design that sometimes plagued the older games. It both introduced the genre to a portion of fans and outlined a new template for it at the time.

Axiom Verge was nominated for Best Independent Game at The Game Awards 2015.

Indie Metroidvanias Have Flourished in Axiom Verge's Wake

Since Axiom Verge's release, there have been more than a few Metroidvanias that have achieved popularity and gone on to be successes:

Hollow Knight-2017
Dead Cells-2018
Blasphemous, Blasphemous 2-2019, 2023
Bloodstained: Ritual of the Night-2019 (created by longtime Castlevania producer and director, Koji Igarashi)
Tales of Kenzera: Zau-2024 (with Abubakar Salim, Assassin's Creed Origins' voice actor for Bayek serving as creative lead)
Nine Sols-2024
Ultros-2024
Animal Well- 2024

While Hollow Knight has in many ways become the most high-profile and de facto poster game for Metroidvanias, last year alone saw the four listed titles all well-received too, and kept attention firmly on the genre by showcasing how versatile it can be. Axiom Verge, though, set the stage for all of the above to thrive by being an outstanding release that also holds up incredibly well after all this time.

Axiom Verge showed what a dedicated developer could accomplish, and helped kickstart the resurgence of Metroidvanias that has remained strong for ten years and counting. It inspired other developers to embrace and push the limits of the genre, displaying the wealth of creativity it can encompass. Recent titles like Blade Chimera, as well as other upcoming Metroidvanias like Chronicles of the Wolf, owe at least a degree of gratitude to Axiom Verge for how it started the ball rolling in a genre that continues to see fans receive excellent games.

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