Axiom Verge combines Metroid, Game Genie, and glitches into a frantic sidescroller

Axiom Verge isn’t the kind of game suited for a quick hands-on demo. Its surface elements — a Metroid-style 2D sidescroller with futuristic weapons — are fairly obvious from the get-go. But the rest of it, including its fascinating glitch mechanic, remains a mystery. Even after spending close to an hour with the game, I still can’t tell how deep it goes.

Developer Thomas Happ wouldn’t have it any other way. He started making Axiom Verge in 2010 while working full-time at Petroglyph Games. It wasn’t until Sony approached him earlier this year about its PlayStation Pub Fund — an initiative that provides financial support for independent developers in exchange for some exclusivity — that he was able to fully dedicate himself to finishing the game. He plans on releasing it for PlayStation 4 and PlayStation Vita either in late 2014 or early 2015.