After its initial launch on PlayStation 4 and the Epic Games Store last August, Axiom Verge 2 recently made the jump to PlayStation 5 and Steam. The indie game tells the story of the adventures of Indra, a tech billionaire who heads to Antarctica after receiving a cryptic message about the location of her missing daughter. Dimension hopping, robot hacking, and intense platforming battles follow with some major changes to the original game’s formula.
Game Rant recently spoke with solo developer and franchise creator Thomas Happ about new mechanics in the sequel, the future of the franchise, possible multimedia tweaks, and more. Interview has been edited for clarity and brevity.
Q: Can you start by introducing yourself and sharing your all-time favorite Metroidvania (or sequel to it)?
A: Hi, I’m Tom Happ, developer of Axiom Verge. I would say my favorite was Metroidvania Preybut I’ve been told it’s not Metroidvania so maybe I’ll go with you Metroid Prime for now. It always changes.
Q: How would you suggest? Axiom Verge and Axiom Verge 2 for players who haven’t heard of either title yet?
A: I am usually asked to explain Axiom Verge to people who don’t even game, and I tell them it’s like an old Nintendo game in the style of Mario, contraryor metro. Usually they only know one and seem happy with it. For gamers I compare it more with Super Metroidsince that’s kind of a baseline that everyone has heard of, then try to explain how there’s glitching in the first game and hacking plus an alternate world in the second game.
Q: Need to experience new players Axiom Verge before you dive in Axiom Verge 2, or does the sequel stand on its own?
A: They are meant to be played in any order; I haven’t heard from anyone which order is preferred, but they almost always play Axiom Verge 1 anyway first.
Q: What can you tell us about? Axiom Verge 2‘s new main character and premise?
A: The main character, Indra, is a tech billionaire who receives a message from someone who claims to know where her missing daughter is. She goes to Antarctica to find her and is then teleported to an alternate world. The game is about the player exploring this world trying to find her daughter and find a way out.
Question: Will Axiom Verge 2 solve any lingering questions and mysteries from the first game? For example, the cliffhanger seen at the end of the high completion?
A: Not directly, although some players have developed an entirely different interpretation of AV1’s events based on information introduced in AV2
Question: The original Axiom Verge’s story has shades of half-life, metro, and more. Did you incorporate new influences from other games or science fiction stories into the sequel?
A: It has a lot A link to the past in its DNA, and some inspiration for robot hacking Horizon: Zero Dawn. There’s also some Alastair Reynolds influence in it; Like with AV1the predominance of nanotech zooming around like little critters, and ghosts separating or merging with others.
Q: Have you ever thought about getting the Axiom Verge multiverse in a different format? Either a different game genre, or a completely different medium?
A: I’ve been thinking about it like making a shmup or run-and-gun or even a strategy game, but right now I can’t take any risk as I have to meet the needs of my finances over time. son all his life. If I ever get to a point where I think he’ll be able to survive after my wife and I die of old age, maybe I can think of other things. But if someone from Netflix or HBO or something else wanted to make a sci-fi show on it, that would be something I could consider because hopefully it wouldn’t mean I have to stop making games to play it. make it happen.
Question: One of the features of the original Axiom Verge is the sheer amount of collectibles and weapons players can get. Approximately how many power-ups and tools can players expect in the sequel?
A: I think there are about 35 items and weapons and maybe 120 powerups?
Q: Can you share a favorite new weapon or piece of equipment from? Axiom Verge 2, and why?
A: You get some sort of grab for the drone that swings it over edges. It’s very quick and fun to zip it everywhere.
Q: Approximately how many new bosses and environment types will players find? Aviom Verge 2?
A: There are eight boss creatures and about 14 different environment types.
Q: What do you think is the most important aspect of developing a satisfying Metroidvania?
It’s probably the most important thing to feel like you’re moving the character down. I know this isn’t specific to a Metroidvania, but without it everything else just falls apart. Next is communicating with the player where they can go or what they should do in a way that doesn’t take away their sense of exploration or their freedom of choice.
Q: Did you learn lessons that evolved? Axiom Verge that changed your approach to making the sequel? And now that the sequel is finished, is there anything you would have done differently if you had to start over?
A: There were a lot of little lessons, like how much time I spent designing things that didn’t matter that much in the end. I especially wanted to do new things so as not to make it feel like a chore. I definitely spent too much time trying to make certain aspects data-driven. It’s so hard to debug issues with that stuff.
Q: Were you able to include any mechanics or concepts that you had to cut from the original game? Axiom Verge 2?
A: In a way, the hack interface does what I wish I could do in AV1 in the sense that you can determine the effect you want to apply to the enemy. But overall I was quite happy with AV1. The things I changed were more to avoid feeling like I was doing the same thing.
Q: Can you tell us about the random item mode for the original game that you developed in collaboration with the Axiom Vergthe fast-growing community?
A: The “conjunction” aspect is quite limited. They made the whole thing and what I did was merge it with the PC and Nintendo Switch builds. What the mode actually does is randomize the order in which you find the items. By default, it tries to do this in a way that doesn’t break the game and lets you play from start to finish without being soft-locked. But it has more hardcore options for runners who don’t have to worry too much about that.
Q: Will there be a special edition Axiom Verge 2like that of the original Multiverse Edition?
A: A Limited Run Special Edition will be shipping soon. But other than that, I don’t think there will be anything else.
Q: What’s next for Thomas Happ Games? Consider your DLC for Axiom Verge 2or a sequel, or do you want to work on something else after this?
A: I have some work to do on the AAC (Augmentive and Alternative Communication) software that my son is using, but after that I will get back to making games.
Q: Is there anything else you would like to let the readers know?
A: I’ve been steadily updating my “Omniverse” blog. It has some rants that fans might find interesting.
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Axiom Verge 2 is now available for PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, PC and Switch.
Source: Omniverse blog
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