This is definitely not something I was expecting, having beat the first Axiom Verge, I kinda thought the second would be a sequel or even a prequel, but no it's pretty much its own game.
That being said...this game is really good, if I had compare it off the bat, Axiom Verge (the first game) was pretty much like Metroid, it had shooting, exploration, and a kind of sci-fi/alien/mech vibe to it, but ran closer to alien.
Axiom Verge 2 kinda feels closer to a Metroid game, but mixed in with a slight Ninja Gaiden or Strider feel, because your character has a melee weapon instead of a gun, and that REALLY changes the tone of the game at the start if you played the first. It still has the same type of setting through Axiom Verge 2 kinda has a more broken future tone, with more mechs than an alien feel to it.
Definitely not a bad thing at all, the graphics seem about the same, this game definitely has more items and is a much bigger world, but I think where the game shines the most is oddly it's music, the music is absolutely amazing, it doesn't go for the chiptune feel, it goes for a more electronic ambience vibe that you'd have to play to hear and experience.
Otherwise the gameplay still focuses on exploring the map, finding items and paths to progress, taking different forms to explore where you once couldn't, things every Metroidvania has done in the past.
I do think where the game falls flat at is the story, while the first game's story was good, I honestly couldn't care less about this one, I thought originally it was because it didn't connect to the first game, but as I kept playing; I realized it just wasn't interesting story wise but everything else easily keeps you going.
Definitely a really good Metroidvania game, and a worthy successor to the first game, I don't think either game is better honestly, they both should be played.
That being said...this game is really good, if I had compare it off the bat, Axiom Verge (the first game) was pretty much like Metroid, it had shooting, exploration, and a kind of sci-fi/alien/mech vibe to it, but ran closer to alien.
Axiom Verge 2 kinda feels closer to a Metroid game, but mixed in with a slight Ninja Gaiden or Strider feel, because your character has a melee weapon instead of a gun, and that REALLY changes the tone of the game at the start if you played the first. It still has the same type of setting through Axiom Verge 2 kinda has a more broken future tone, with more mechs than an alien feel to it.
Definitely not a bad thing at all, the graphics seem about the same, this game definitely has more items and is a much bigger world, but I think where the game shines the most is oddly it's music, the music is absolutely amazing, it doesn't go for the chiptune feel, it goes for a more electronic ambience vibe that you'd have to play to hear and experience.
Otherwise the gameplay still focuses on exploring the map, finding items and paths to progress, taking different forms to explore where you once couldn't, things every Metroidvania has done in the past.
I do think where the game falls flat at is the story, while the first game's story was good, I honestly couldn't care less about this one, I thought originally it was because it didn't connect to the first game, but as I kept playing; I realized it just wasn't interesting story wise but everything else easily keeps you going.
Definitely a really good Metroidvania game, and a worthy successor to the first game, I don't think either game is better honestly, they both should be played.