Honestly, going into it cautiously due to the reviews here, this far exceeded my expectations. It's very fun to play and explore, and I really dig its aesthetic, though I could imagine it isn't everyone's cup of tea. While clearly inspired by Metroid, it felt like its own thing. I was also consistently surprised and engaged by the power-ups it gave me to progress. In the sequel, maybe something akin to the X-Ray Scope or even Power Bomb to look for secrets more easily would be welcome, since this game seems to inherit the "bomb every wall" philosophy of Metroid's extras.

Its world is very intriguing and I am considering 100%ing it to get the full lore. It reminds me of the way games like Metroid Prime, Bioshock, and Doom 2016 allow you to gain more insight into their backstory if you choose to get the respective extras.

I would recommend it not just if you like Metroidvanias, but especially if you like Metroid. I am a big Metroid fan, and I imagine Axiom Verge's similarities to that series played a part in me liking it so much.