It was four years after the first Axiom Verge before Axiom Verge 2 was officially announced, and two years after that before it arrived with the surprise launch of Axiom Verge 2 this week. Fans have had to wait quite a few years to get their hands on this highly-anticipated sequel, but now that it’s finally here, they’ll likely want to know how much sequel there is for them to dive into.
Although Metroid and Castlevania laid the foundation for Metroidvanias, like the name suggests, the genre has largely been carried in the last decade by strong indie titles such as Hollow Knight, Bloodstained: Ritual of the Night, and the Ori series. The original Axiom Verge in particular ranks among the most critically-acclaimed of these games, and while its followup shakes up that formula in multiple ways, based on the early reception, it appears on track to receive similar praise.
How Many Hours Does it Take to Complete Axiom Verge 2?
Some potential players will naturally want to know upfront if there’s enough game to warrant putting down $20. To answer that question, current estimates state that it should take on average around 15 hours to reach the end of Axiom Verge 2. By comparison, other Metroidvanias like Hollow Knight can go over 25 hours in a casual playthrough, but since Axiom Verge 2’s length is similar to its predecessor’s, returning fans shouldn’t have much to complain about in that regard.
Of course, one of the things fans should know about Axiom Verge 2 is that that 15-hour estimate merely applies to the time it takes to complete the game’s story. Being a Metroidvania, there are plenty of secrets and alternate paths for players to discover, split across two overlapping dimensions that open up all sorts of unique exploration opportunities. With the amount of content to be found off the beaten cross-dimensional path, players could potentially extend their playtime to around 25 hours total.
Is Playing Axiom Verge First Necessary?
Seeing the “2” at the end of Axiom Verge 2’s name may scare some newcomers off, thinking they’ll need to play the original game to understand what’s going on in the sequel. That’s not the case, because while Axiom Verge 2's story connects to Axiom Verge’s, it is nevertheless a standalone tale, so new players can start here if they’re more interested in the sequel’s melee-centric combat and cross-dimensional gameplay.
With a more open-ended map than a typical Metroidvania, new tools and abilities to help with exploration, and streamlining in a few key areas (such as making boss battles completely optional), players should find themselves being able to progress more smoothly throughout Axiom Verge 2. This, in turn, should allow them to get the most out of their time with the game without getting stuck in specific sections for too long.
Axiom Verge 2 is available now for PC, PS4, and Switch, with a PS5 version in development.