Finished it, loads of thoughts

[spriteless]

Story wise, Axiom Verge 2 is not Axiom Verge 1. Different themes, the first game is about loneliness and lies and having no choice. The sequel is about cutting onseself off and relationship with others/faith and what are you willing to do to get what you want. The little tidbits of information that tie into the first game's story fit its tone, at least. I mean, there's evidence that it's the Trace we played as, or at least someone told Hammond about the 'Scry' whatever that is, and other terms from the mythology. The mythology of the universes of Axiom Verge, though, I spoiled myself for by reading Thomas Happ's blog. Many universes, all equasions exist, and moral entities emulate good universes so that goodness is more probable than senslessness. The idea is coherent, but has too many leaps of faith for me to buy into. But I like it for a backdrop for a story where the creators were absent, and Dr. Hammond stepped up to do good with the universe filtering tech. Minor character mom-friend apotheosis sysadmin. Also it was very fanservicy to see Drushka watching Sudra evolve. The little repair drones are in Keinger acting as war machines, does that mean other war machines Lamassu uses are reprogramed from less barbaric purposes?

Should probably also say what I think of axiom verge 2 story on its own. The notes were... like a collection of exposition, not something that necesarrily existed in the world? Like, the letters were conveniently preserved and stored near plot points they're relevant to, not secret notes you find that are hidden before they can be destroyed, meant for somewhere else. Did Hammond bring newspaper clippings of Indra into the breach because she had orchestrated for Indra to buy the bankrupt Hammond Corp, somehow? Is Lammasu trying to put in reminders so if someone comes after it they would have info for an informed decision? The notes didn't make me think "Why would they say that what are they after" but "Why would they confess that what is their worldview?" And the characters take that attitude towards each other, lots notes where Elutil and others question Lamassu, and what can we learn from obeying its off-kilter demands? Humans think circles around that thing.

The Udug I feel are here just to have definately alien intellegence before too many chapters in. Well, maybe they aren't alien. Maybe earth life is made from stuff spilled out from the breach. Might explain the way people keep mutating after exposure to someone who has in part been through the storm. We vertibrates are the wierd mutation. Look this would have blown my mind /before/ watching Evangelion..

In note 20 I imagine it is Ludari, grandson of Elutil's brother, heh. The war that lasted generations and shaped so much of the narative has faded from the hearts of the new generation. But the scars are still the driving force of the unaging, undying Arms... Thwarting evolution with immortality... Drushka would dissaprove you got to team up with evolution. Maybe Amashilama is a PatternMind, or her wielder was, and her drastic actions are a reflection of Hammond's doing good after influenced by Trace, or Athetos' part in the destruction of Sudra. Or, maybe I have aphophenia.

If there's a game starring Hammond I hope to learn about Unyime, Malka, Warren, Andrei, etc. and for the notes in this game to become super bittersweet. Don't think it's going to happen though. Unless T. Happ wants to keep making these games after he runs out of critical path story. Wait... if there's a game starring her I hope it takes place in the afterlife, and has SystemAdmin priveledges rather than glitching and hacking! (easier said than done : P) Why is the afterlife so abandoned? Hammond evacuates people once she gets admin access, did the builders of A'ansur do the same? Because simulated Earths and Keinger produce Athetos and Amashilama and Udug apocalyptic threats on the regular? I guess that's a good enough answer about A'ansur (ouch) unless T. Happ writes more about it.

Gameplay wise... this is not the first game. That's fine by me, I wonder what the next game will play like. Trace is a scientist and a pacifist, prefers to shoot things from a distance. Indra is a Howard Stark type business boss, does things herself, be it setting up the power, stabbing a cyborg, or being slingshot bullet bug. Maybe the next character will feel like they have weight who hits hard enough that they get recoil and the enemy too, or who has defensive abilities. Shoot out a drone and the original body is using defensive abilities for some protection, not as safe as Trace or as vulnerable as Indra early game. But human form is slow so you have to be careful to find weaknessess if you /aren't/ bigger and stronger. Like the older weapons in Monster Hunter or a bulky build in a western RPG. It would mean transferring consciousness to a drone would be thematically shedding steadiness for another way of thinking. Eh, just guessing. Just as likely we play a thief archeologist Indiana Jones/Laura Croft type or an amnesiac Dust/Bloodstained sorcerer or an android constructed without memories who thinks themself an amnesiac.

It's pretty great platforming exploration all on its own. Exploration isn't quite as puzzly as the first. The moment where Samus looses her power suit came a little later than I am used to. Never got used to playing humanoid again, except for dealing massive weapon damage with my gravity optimized limbs. It's just so convenient to fly across the screen even if I don't gain height! And I have a smaller hitbox! I have 100% of the map, don't know if this one will hold my interest long enough for me to 100% the items.

I wonder what people would want from another sequel?

[Black Hole]

Yeah thats what has turned me away from this, it's not really another axiom verge game it has very little to do with the first, plays different music is very different, the gameplay is very different just doens't have anything I loved from the first.

The world isn't as interesting, the enemies are mostly just drones not as interesting, the bosses....are pretty much optional you dont even have to fight them in this as far as I remember, been a long time since I've played the second game never completed it just didn't enjoy it like I did the first.

[spriteless]

The rough thing about the world and enemies being less interesting, is they took more work! It's harder to make tiles that fit into each other into diagonal shapes than to make a world of square tiles. It's harder to make an enemy that sees you and decides to chase than to make an enemy that only exists to charge and isn't activated until the player is around. And while some of the settings are quite neat, and different than what's in AV1, only the breach is as varied as AV1; the extra effort in the production values may have spent energy that could have been spent making maps interesting in less subtle ways. I did enjoy hunting down the last secrets, made me appreciate what all is crammed in the maps that I hadn't noticed. Not that I needed the last few apocalypse urns or human weapons by the time I looked for them.

And you're right, enemies being mechanical meant they did not feel as creative. The little harmless polinator helicoptors, the flying bearded head that releases smaller drones, giant aquatic fly in Sudra that does nothing, those surprised me. Some of the enemies were densly placed, and damn rough puzzles to get past in a few gauntlet type spots. The bosses were either optional or auto-win, you literally respawn in the same room when you killed by Amashilama. In 2 different fights. Game wants you to finish the story. Game wanted to get finished. I do hope T. Happ gets some rest. I understand the next task he put himself to was helping his kid get the best communication software he could. Maybe a break from game design will help him. Maybe he can find lots of things he wants to do before he has enough doodles saved up to make a 3rd game, that is neither AV1 or AV2.

I wish I hadn't basically forgotton about the boomerang once I got a humanoid form back. I liked the drone's slingshot/tackle attack a ton. I don't often get to learn something new in a platformer nowadays.

[Mighty Pancake]

I have the question of this game being a prequal of the first. As in the first Atheos/Trace slaughtered all the people, but then we have the Ralksai which I swear our character after returning to human form resembles the first Ralksai that you see. Of course I saw a few nods to the bosses of AV1, the tank boss and if you return to the observetory late you find the iconic first boss of AV1.

Is a bit hard to get used to the fact that there is no laser gun, but once you do... Its sort of fun ^^. Final boss had to of gotten debuffs cause it wasn't causing too much damage to me unless that is just the secret way the game helped me for bieng so ass for 6 hours.

[Black Hole]

You can literally make this game the easiest game possible in options menue, but for me I cant be bothered to do that just to finish the game.

The story and characters have little to do with this game, you are not in an alien place with wacky enemies and bosses.

Oh well he had a great first game, a lackluster second game, and I dont see anyone really caring that much for a 3rd I think these retro style games have been done to death.

He cant just take the easy epic paycheck win and not care if people cared about the game or not.

Maybe he should learn a new trade skill work at a place that offers the medical benefits he needs, it's what I did.

[arthureloi]

In Axiom Verge 1 you fight freaking flying donuts, running bushes, wriggling sperm, farting armadillos, floating blue balls and petal helicopters. How is that fun?

[Black Hole]

In 2 all you fight are boring drones and bosses are optional.

The first games enemies and bosses are simply more interesting than just drones and optional boss fights.

The levels are also more interesting in 1 and the music is far more interesting.

2 is in every way less fun and creative.

[arthureloi]

Have you played modern metroidvanias? Hollow Knight? Blasphemous? Metroid Dread?

There's nothing interesting about the enemies and bosses in Axiom Verge 1. Literally nothing.

Greatest boon was getting the drone teleport as I could just pass through enemies without fighting.

[Black Hole]

If you just want a purely mostly puzzle game the second game is for you, but I prefer the lore the music, the combat, and yes the enemies are far more interesting than mere drones.

You have simple taste thats fine you do you, but for me the atmosphere the story was more interesting in the first game.

It's not even a long game I just beat it again on playstation in a handful of hours, it's nowhere near super metroid level of depth and wish the story was a bit more fleshed out it's a bit too vague for many as I've read but it's still a fun game to play.

[Unseen]

Originally posted by Megatron:

If you just want a purely mostly puzzle game the second game is for you, but I prefer the lore the music, the combat, and yes the enemies are far more interesting than mere drones.

You have simple taste thats fine you do you, but for me the atmosphere the story was more interesting in the first game.

It's not even a long game I just beat it again on playstation in a handful of hours, it's nowhere near super metroid level of depth and wish the story was a bit more fleshed out it's a bit too vague for many as I've read but it's still a fun game to play.

I'm really loving the first game so far I think he's being a bit hard on the 1st enemies as they weren't all just flying food in Homer's dreams. There's a lot of unique ones like the humanoids who early on are tricky and quite horrifying/unpredictable enemies for a 2d game.

Plus axiom 1 might only be 100 mbs but it does a lot of cool stuff with the pixels that feels unique. I honestly don't care about graphics. Retro or new, arts art. I will get 2 eventually but I wanna delve into 1 before I invest in 2. 1 could hit an unbearable wall and make me hate it. Not so far its great but I don't wanna jump into a sequel till I know it's good.

And so far it's been the best and most balanced metroidvania I've played since metroid fusion. Lot of steam gamers are really into ori, and rain world. I got those and I just can't stand the difficulty.