Few games are as emblematic of a genre renaissance as Axiom Verge, which stands as the poster child for independent Metroidvania titles. The sequel to Thomas Happ's ode to classic Metroid, which debuted in 2015, has been a long time coming. Axiom Verge 2 was finally released last year on a variety of platforms, including PC, but it was an Epic Games Store exclusive at the time. It appears that the exclusivity is set to expire.
Axiom Verge 2's Steam website went live today, guaranteeing a release on Valve's platform on August 11th. As you might expect, this commemorates the one-year anniversary of the game's initial release on Epic Games (and Nintendo Switch and PlayStation 4). The game costs $19.99 USD on Epic, however, there is no pricing shown on the store page yet.
It has a few slightly unique twists, as do many recent Metroidvanias. Astalon offers a number of playable characters that you can switch between on the fly, each of which represents a classic RPG archetype. Each has a unique battle style—Algus fires fireballs, Arias wields a sword, and Kyuli wields a bow and arrow—as well as a unique set of map-expanding power-ups. Kyuli's capacity to ascend walls indefinitely, Algus' useful Cloak of Levitation, and Arias' ability to pierce through otherwise impenetrable barriers are among them. The goal is to reach the summit of a massive tower in order to, uh, avert the apocalypse or something. You respawn at the entrance when you die, but don't worry: it's not a roguelike, and gradually unlocked shortcuts get you back to your desired location swiftly. It's a lot less punitive than Hollow Knight, and while Astalon does necessitate patience (especially when navigating the labyrinthine tower), it's not made to be difficult.