I love this game so much. I cannot get enough of the atmosphere that comes from both of these games. One thing I really enjoy about Axiom Verge 2 is how Thomas Happ managed to keep the feel of the game exactly the same, while completely overhauling the weapon system and making it less about fancy guns, and more about interesting items that allow you to traverse the map differently. Exploration has always been a focus of the genre as well as this series in particular and the abilities you find are immediately useful.
When you stumble upon weapon after weapon in Axiom Verge, what you need to figure out is, "what do I need this gun for? What are it's strengths and weaknesses?" You also spend time switching between weapons all the time, and you stare at a weapon wheel for more time that I would like. In Axiom Verge 2, once you find an item and it gives you the description, I get all kinds of excited because you know exactly how much easier traversing the world will be. When I first got the slingshot for "Bug mode", I was ecstatic. The hover ability was an absolutely game changer. Finding upgrades is the pinnacle of the endorphin rush that is the Metroidvania genre and Axiom Verge 2 makes you feel handsomely rewarded each and every time.
I just got the item that lets you leave The Breach from any point whatsoever (and not just through the exit portals), which is a HUGE perk, because now you can freely move in between the Breach and the Overworld. Think Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past when you get the Magic Mirror. In fact, it's exactly the same concept - you can "drop" yourself in strategic locations in the Light World by positioning yourself in the Dark World and using the Mirror. Very cool indeed.
Overall I'd say Axiom Verge 2 shakes up the formula terrifically. It's worth saying that the huge overhaul to the weapons system I mentioned earlier, I personally believe was a nice change. While I loved the run-and-gun of the first, as there is a much higher focus on melee combat now, it essentially turns Axiom Verge 2 into a stealth game where running around enemies is the best option 99% of the time. While you have a Boomerang weapon for ranged attacks, I personally find it rather useless, and enemies fire projectiles quite often, meaning you are perpetually at a disadvantage, and evasion is the better strategy. Due to this rather sizable change, there is also a lack of boss battles - don't get me wrong, they exist, but they aren't really a focus like in the first game. Again, the exploration is so damn good, that this doesn't even matter to me.
Whether I play Axiom Verge 2 for 15 minutes or over an hour, I have a blast ripping around the map, exploring every nook and cranny, and finding upgrades, notes, and new items is just as riveting 7 hours into the game as it was at the beginning.
In a genre that is criminally overdone at this point, Axiom Verge 2 somehow manages to keep the ominous tone of the first game, albeit far less gritty, and with a whole new personality that makes it a blast to play through. A highlight of the first game was the soundtrack, and the quality of the second is excellent. While the first title saw the player exploring underground labyrinths and an extremely dark tone and soundtrack, the followup is much lighter, as you are outside the majority of the time. The music reflects this beautifully and the soundtrack is more mysterious and less ominous.
Listen for yourself:
https://open.spotify.com/album/53ObkDGcJh5q3z6q9ddxXt?si=77d625653f03448f
https://open.spotify.com/album/2R8t36OwDeDnCCGhUEcC9N?si=GetInn2IRkWgPjla20xPKQ
If you have yet to play the first, I highly recommend playing it first, not because of an interconnected story (there is none), but because having the first as a base allows the improvements and changes of the followup really shine through. Without that comparison, Axiom Verge 2 may not come through as strong, although if you can only play one, either game is a great decision.
