Axiom Verge 2 Will Also Launch for PS5 and PS4

Axiom Verge 2 was initially announced as a Nintendo Switch console exclusive, and though developer Thomas Happ said he wanted to eventually bring the game to all platforms, he chose to focus his efforts on a smaller selection of them at launch. That’s changing, though. In an update recently published on the PlayStation Blog, Happ has confirmed that at launch, Axiom Verge 2 will also be available on PS5 and PS4.

“As I was working on Axiom Verge 2, I felt I owed it both to Sony and all of the earliest fans of Axiom Verge to bring it to PS4 and PS5,” Happ wrote. “I can’t imagine launching any other way. I am excited to confirm here and now that the PS4 version will be available on day one. I am going to try my best to get the PS5 version ready for launch, but that might take a bit longer since I really want to take advantage of that in-game hints system!”

In the same update, Happ also provided new details on the game- more specifically, it’s difficulty, and how he has attempted to address some issues with the upcoming sequel. “Although I try to put on my blinders with respect to other people’s opinions about my games and stay true to my original vision, one common theme came up when I watched people play,” Happ wrote. “here were some people who wished the game were a lot harder, and there were those who wanted it to be easier. Some loved the exploration but just got to a boss they couldn’t get past. That’s happened to me. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve had to stop playing a game because of a choke point.”

For starters, Axiom Verge 2 is going to have customizable difficulty options. Rather than choosing specific difficulty options, players will instead be able to decide how much damage they will do, and how much damage they will incur. Interestingly enough, Happ also confirms that all bosses are going to be optional in the game- though players will be rewarded for beating bosses, that will no longer be required to progress the story. It’s an interesting choice, and I’m curious to see how it will work out in a Metroidvania game, which is a genre that traditionally places so much emphasis on boss fights as progression gates.

Finally, Happ also gave brief details on weapons, and how protagonist Indra’s weaponry is going to differ from what fans of the first game will remember, owing to its more close-range nature. “She starts off with a pickaxe and does a lot of her fighting up close and personal,” Happ explained. “Fortunately for her, it’s a question of brains over brawn, and she can use her technical skills as a tech genius to hack her enemies.”

Axiom Verge 2, which was recently delayed, is due out this Summer for PS5, PS4, Nintendo Switch, and PC. On PC, it will launch as an Epic Games Store exclusive.