I believe that I’m almost finished. So…

Axiom Verge is a pleasant surprise. If only because I went in with some negative preconceptions. But to get one major thing out of the way; the visuals in this game [i][b]are fine[/b][/i]. There’s far more environmental changes and color variety than first impressions suggest. (And you travel to several locations fairly quickly.) Plus, there’s a variety of H.R. Giger robots, cutscenes and interesting visual changes. So yeah. It’s not actually an eyesore whatsoever. (For me) 

And with that said, onto the pros and cons…

[b][u]Positives[/u][/b]
[list]
[*] The story is non-intrusive and far more interesting than other “plot driven” metroidvanias. And the main character is a good and likable protagonist.
[*] The upgrades are frequent and mostly useful.
[*] It has tons of good ideas that you don’t get (and want) in other metroidvanias. It gives you the ability to glitch through walls, erase and create platforms, corrupt enemies into useful tools for yourself, a power drill that’s satisfying enough to use, a small attack drone that lets you venture through small gaps and scout through the levels. There’s genuinely so much freedom in that regard, that it easily makes up for other flaws that might kill a game like this.  
[/list]

[b][u]Neutral[/u][/b]
[list]
[*] There’s a lot of weapon variety. But it’s difficult to argue that most of the options are useful.
[*] The map is in desperate need of more markers, and the UI could use some polish.
[*] A lot of enemies are obnoxious to deal with. Hidden in walls, lots of health, small and swarming, drains your health fast etc. (Probably to contrast the fact that you can break them.)
[*] The soundtrack is decent in places. (And has little touches like matching your low HP warning to the beat of the backing track.) But it also has an Ender Lilies “looping vocal track” that I can’t fucking stand. Combining the worst “that one ‘worldly’ vocalist wailing AAAAAAH” in all terrible modern movies, and glitch stuttering that reminds me of a much better instrumental from The Glitch Mob. [i]And it’s a level you find yourself trapped in.[/i]
[*] Level design rewards curiosity and experimentation, but can often be confusing. (For reasons that are likely unintentional.) Especially at times when the game occasionally forces you down one path. But that correct path is beyond obscure.
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[b][u]Negatives[/u][/b]
[list]
[*] The bosses are easily exploitable health sponges. Both poorly designed and not very engaging to fight. (But this almost works in the game’s favor, when it has several fake-out bosses that serve its story instead.)
[*] The backtracking takes quite a bit of time here. Between no fast travel, cluttered maps, [b]two[/b] map markers, and multiple ways to unlock potential hidden passages. It’s likely you’ll grow frustrated with how much time you’ve wasted.
[*] Controls are the most damning flaw; in that they’re clunky and do not always work properly. For instance, the quick select button appears broken on the controller. The odd jump and slippery movement seems to make me miss jumps and fall off platforms constantly. The dash is hard to use smoothly, and can also be used accidentally. And the grapple is a pain in the ass to utilize. Among other things. That only heighten the tedious frustration the game’s backtracking provides.
[/list]

Do I like it more than Grime? Eh. Grime's core gameplay is stronger. But I don't [i][b]dislike[/b][/i] Axiom Verge, and I hope it doesn't end as poorly as Ender Lilies or HAAK.