Axiom Verge: What if Metroid was on Your PlayStation 4 and Vita?

From Petroglyph and Electronic Arts, industry veteran Tom Happ returns with his very own brainchild Axiom Verge, a new upcoming release for PS4, PS Vita, and PC in 2015.

Everything in Axiom Verge is made by one man and one man alone–Tom Happ. Everything is designed by him, from the art to the soundtrack, to the coding and more. Tom Happ is the only person working on this dynamic game; this is his baby. Only those who attended this year’s E3 conference were lucky enough to check it out for themselves.

“I’ve been a professional developer for ten years, now,” said Tom Happ. “I’ve been a programmer, animator, and technical artist on a lot of titles between Electronic Arts and Petroglyph, so I knew a lot of specifics about game development going in. I didn’t get any help on anything in the game. I think most programmers tinker around with stuff in their spare time, and for the first four years, Axiom Verge was like that, only in this case I didn’t lose interest and go do something else.”

The game is heavily inspired by Metroid, a particular favorite of Happ’s. The game combines the best elements of side-scrolling classics such as the controls of Contra, the locomotion of Bionic Commando, and the weapon variety of various smash-ups. Your weapons in-game are the standard “Axiom Disruptor,” the spreadshot “Multi-Disruptor,” the lightning-shooting “Kilver,” the aptly-named “Firewall,” and much more. Unlike Metroid, you have access to these weapons quite quickly in Axiom Verge.

Axiom Verge takes place in the year 2005 and revolves around a scientist named Trace. The game begins with a Ninja Gaiden-style cutscene introducing us to Trace, and ultimately to his untimely death in a tragic laboratory explosion. Once he regains consciousness, he finds himself in an area full of enemies with an unknown person speaking to him telepathically. Pretty interesting I should say.

“The story is all about his exploration of the world,” says Tom Happ. “It unravels more like a mystery novel than an action movie.”

Axiom Verge is said to take completionists nearly eight hours to complete their first time through. It may or may not come with a Platinum Trophy. The decision is ultimately up to Sony according to Tom Happ. The game will be available on PS4 and PS Vita in early 2015, and later during the year on PC.