Axyz

KULA WORLD SURVIVES

Really cool spiritual successor to Kula World with a great OST. Only criticism? It'd be nice if there was an option in the audio settings to turn off the tape-changing sound effect, and just have smooth fade ins and outs for the music.

I was always searching for a replacement of the Kula World hole in my soul that was from the demo CD for the PS1. This is it. Really enjoyable, great atmosphere and music. Worth a play.

A comfort food game for the mind of the people who like to chill and think at the same time.

Came for the puzzles, stayed for the soundtrack and the “okay wow this is actually harder than I thought” moments. It feels nostalgic without being dated, and fresh without trying too hard. Clearly made by someone with a great sense of design (and taste).

Axyz developed and published by Space Lion Studios is a surreal puzzle-platforming experience that embraces retro game design while presenting it through a vibrant modern aesthetic. Inspired by classic spatial puzzle games of the late 1990s, the title focuses heavily on environmental logic, gravity manipulation, and careful movement across floating geometric structures. Rather than emphasizing narrative or character development, the game directs all of its attention toward the mechanics of exploration and puzzle-solving, creating an experience that rewards observation, experimentation, and spatial reasoning. The central gameplay concept revolves around guiding a small rolling object through complex three-dimensional structures made of interconnected cubes and platforms. At first glance the environments appear simple, but the defining mechanic of the game allows players to alter their orientation relative to the surfaces of the structure. Floors can become walls, and walls can become ceilings as players rotate their perspective and shift the direction of gravity. This mechanic transforms the level design into a three-dimensional puzzle where progress depends on understanding how the environment can be approached from multiple angles. A path that appears blocked from one perspective may reveal a new route once the player rotates the structure and approaches it from another side. Each level revolves around locating a key hidden somewhere within the geometric environment and using it to unlock the exit portal. While the objective sounds straightforward, reaching the key often requires navigating through narrow pathways, avoiding hazards, and identifying the correct sequence of gravity shifts. Early stages introduce the mechanics gradually, allowing players to become familiar with the controls and movement system. As the game progresses, the puzzles become more elaborate, requiring increasingly precise timing and careful analysis of the environment. The game contains more than one hundred handcrafted stages spread across several visually distinct worlds. Each world introduces new variations on the puzzle mechanics, adding obstacles such as disappearing platforms, destructible blocks, moving hazards, and multi-layered structures that require careful navigation. These additions prevent the gameplay from becoming repetitive and ensure that players continue encountering fresh challenges throughout the campaign. The gradual difficulty curve is carefully balanced, allowing players to build confidence before confronting the more complex puzzles later in the game. Beyond the main objective of reaching the exit, every level contains additional collectibles that encourage deeper exploration. Five hidden “tapes” are scattered throughout each stage, often positioned in difficult-to-reach locations that require advanced movement techniques or clever route planning. While these collectibles are optional, players who wish to fully complete the game must explore every corner of the level design. Collecting all tapes across the worlds unlocks additional content and provides an extra challenge for completionists who enjoy mastering every aspect of a puzzle game. Visually, the game stands out through its colorful and abstract presentation. Rather than using realistic textures or complex environmental detail, the developers opted for a minimalist style built around bold geometric shapes and bright neon colors. Floating islands, glowing platforms, and cosmic backdrops create a dreamlike atmosphere that feels both futuristic and nostalgic. The visual design not only enhances the game’s identity but also helps players clearly distinguish different surfaces and pathways, which is crucial for understanding the puzzle layouts. The audio design complements this aesthetic with an energetic electronic soundtrack inspired by genres such as drum and bass, synthwave, and breakbeat. These rhythmic tracks give the gameplay a strong sense of momentum and help maintain engagement during longer puzzle sequences. The music often feels reminiscent of the electronic soundtracks found in early console puzzle games, reinforcing the retro influence that runs throughout the entire experience. Despite its many strengths, the game can occasionally feel demanding due to its precision-based mechanics. Navigating narrow pathways or executing quick gravity shifts requires careful control, and mistakes may result in repeated attempts to complete certain sections. For players who enjoy difficult puzzle challenges this level of precision adds excitement, but those who prefer more forgiving gameplay may occasionally find the difficulty frustrating. Additionally, the game’s minimalist design means that narrative elements are almost entirely absent, leaving the experience focused solely on mechanics and atmosphere. However, this focus on pure gameplay is also one of the title’s greatest strengths. By removing unnecessary storytelling or complex systems, the developers allow the puzzle design to take center stage. Each level becomes a carefully crafted challenge where the satisfaction comes from discovering the correct solution and executing it successfully. The process of learning how to interpret the game’s spatial logic becomes deeply rewarding as players progress through the increasingly intricate stages. Replayability is another notable feature of the game. Players are encouraged to revisit levels in order to collect missed tapes, improve completion times, or experiment with alternative routes through the environment. Because the gravity-shifting mechanic allows multiple approaches to the same structure, players may discover new strategies even after completing a stage for the first time. This flexibility keeps the gameplay fresh and provides additional motivation to master the mechanics. Ultimately, Axyz succeeds as a creative and engaging puzzle-platformer that celebrates the design philosophy of classic games while presenting it through a modern artistic lens. Its gravity-defying movement system, thoughtfully designed levels, and vibrant audiovisual presentation create a distinctive experience that stands out within the indie puzzle genre. While its challenging mechanics and lack of narrative may not appeal to every player, those who enjoy spatial puzzles and retro-inspired design will likely find it both rewarding and memorable. Rating: 8/10

"Vaporwave themed spatial puzzle" was enough to pique my interest when a friend recommended Axyz to me, and boy does it deliver. This game is immediately fascinating and mesmerizing. While the tutorial is fairly slow to start, once you know the basics it quickly ramps into what I would consider a decent challenge. I absolutely *love* that the game does not rush you. It gives you a space to explore and items to collect, teaches you the controls and mechanisms gradually, and lets you go at your own pace from there. There is a running timer that exists purely for you to pursue high scores if you wish, but the core gameplay is extremely low pressure and this very much contributes to the relaxing flow state that you can fall into. I've only played through 2 of the 8 worlds, each of which consist of quite a few puzzles, and I've had a blast the whole time. The soundtrack greatly contributes to the experience as well. While I would describe it as more "variety chill EDM" than purely Vaporwave, I've enjoyed every track that I've come across so far. It was also a nice touch that you can see the artist and track name at a glance. tl;dr: Definitely recommend. It's a super fun puzzle game that's easy to get into but has some challenge, it's relaxing and stimulating at the same time, and it's an awesome homage to a game (Kula World) that I had never heard of but am now interested in trying. Great job Space Lion Studios!

This is the epitome of what the kula world generation wanted. A true masterpiece in its class. What a phenomenal game. Buy this. Play this. Enjoy this. A++

Awesome Puzzle Plattformer with a great atmosphere. I would love a Level-Creator / Steam-Workshop implementation for this game.

Great modern version of a classic puzzle platforming game that's full of good vibes and good level design.