Forefront 2 : Axiom Verge

For this post I will be talking about quite a phenomenon in the gaming industry: the game Axiom Verge.
Axiom Verge released earlier this year for multiple platforms, and received critical acclaim with not just critics but also users (see Steam reviews for the game).
A game in the "Metroidvania"-style (I really dislike that portmanteau), it seems especially inspired by Super Metroid, and utilizes a lot of concepts and mechanics that were present in that classic game. Interestingly, Axiom Verge, unlike many other recent games in this style, has opted to not give players any actual map or hints about which way to go, a very interesting turn of events: many recent games are ripe to bursting with tutorials and hints, and while the developer most assuredly is well-meaning, I believe that excessive 'hand-holding' might actually detract from the feeling of
 progress and achievement - perhaps this is one reason that Axiom Verge is so loved.


The amazing thing, and one of the reasons I consider this project at the forefront of my own personal slice of this industry is that, amazingly, Axiom Verge was created by just one person! The developer Tom Happ started working on the game in 2010, and thus had a 5-year development. A new game, referencing and harkening back to popular older games, and made by a single person? The fact that it is possible for 1 person, through faith and perseverence, is a bright light on the horizon for me.

Sources:
Metacritic. 2016. axiom verge - Reviews, Articles, People, Trailers and more at Metacritic - Metacritic. [ONLINE] Available at: http://www.metacritic.com/search/all/axiom%20verge/results. [Accessed 02 September 2016].
Nominees | The Game Awards 2015. 2016. Nominees | The Game Awards 2015. [ONLINE] Available at: http://thegameawards.com/nominees/. [Accessed 02 September 2016].