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Although it isn’t often that an indie game generates quite this much pre-release buzz, such is the case with Axiom Verge. It may be the Metroidvania approach, it may be the retro art style, but whatever it is that has people talking about Axiom Verge, Sony is happy they are talking.

For those who might not be familiar, Axiom Verge is a PS4 and Vita exclusive shooter that pays homage to the likes of Contra and Super Metroid with a concerted focus on glitches. Developer Tom Happ wants players to push the boundaries of his game by challenging its own structure, and by destroying anything and everything that gets in their way.

If all that (plus the trailer above) sounds appealing, then we have good news: Axiom Verge is slated for release on March 31st. The game will support cross-buy on PS4 and Vita, so one purchase will net players two copies of the game. However, Tom Happ wanted to get the PS4 version out first, so that’s the one that will hit next month.

In addition to Axiom Verge release date news, Sony and Tom Happ also revealed a few of the game’s cool power-ups. With this being a Metroidvania game, power-ups will be key for progression, as each new ability unlocks new paths and areas.

Axiom Verge Release Date

Highlights from this week’s post included closer looks at the Nova weapon, which allows the player to detonate their projectile and shoot in multiple directions. As one might expect, this is extremely helpful for hitting players who are hidden in hard to reach areas.

The Drill weapon skirts a little closer to the idea of glitching the game, by letting Axiom Verge players literally drill through the environment. This weapon will apparently be useful for unlocking new areas, but it will also uncover consumables and upgrades.

And finally, there’s the Address Disruptor, which “glitches” any enemy it hits. Tom Happ says that different enemies will react to the Disruptor in various ways, like turning certain foes into pixel art.

Thanks to games like Shovel Knight and Rogue Legacy, the indie retro genre has seen a huge resurgence over the last few years. Where a game like Axiom Verge would likely have flown under the radar in the past, it’s now an eagerly anticipated release getting full backing from Sony. More importantly, the game looks like a lot of fun and we can’t wait to play it in March.

What do you think of Axiom Verge? Does it look like a retro indie game you would be interested in?

Axiom Verge releases March 31, 2014 for PS4 and Vita.

Source: PlayStation Blog