A recap of...
Axiom Verge
After a lab explosion knocks him out, a scientist named Trace Eschenbrenner awakens on the alien world of Sudra. He hears a voice speaking to him and fights his way to the source: a massive, mechanical head named Elsenova.
After Trace activates a power filter to partially restore Elsenova, she explains that the universe consists of many worlds which are separated by a storm called the Breach. Long ago, a man named Athetos came to Sudra through the Breach and eradicated its people using a pathogen. The only survivors of the pandemic were the Rusalki, a race of mechanical giants like Elsenova.
Trace activates a legion of drones to repair the Rusalki completely. On his way to a Rusalka named Ophelia, Trace hallucinates and collapses. While unconscious, Trace remembers that after the lab explosion, he remained on Earth and published theories that were ridiculed by the scientific community, giving him the nickname "Athetos". Ophelia confesses Trace is in fact another clone of him at a younger age. Trace expresses distrust of the Rusalka and demands to talk to Athetos, but Elsenova responds by remotely killing Trace.
Ophelia revives Trace, and they make an agreement where the Rusalki will let Athetos live if Trace merely shuts down his Breach attractor. Trace finds Athetos, who reveals that Sudra was once the gateway to a highly advanced alien world. By the time Athetos arrived however, the Sudrans had ceased to understand their role and now guarded their technology with religious reverence. Athetos planned to bring this alien technology back to Earth regardless, so he exterminated the Sudrans so they could not obstruct him. However, the Rusalki's survival halted Athetos' plan. Rather than let such powerful enemies roam free in the universe, Athetos attracted the Breach so that they could not leave Sudra.
Trace decides to fight Athetos and destroys the Breach attractor with a fully restored Elsenova's help. However, Elsenova claims Athetos is too dangerous and breaks her promise by killing him. The Rusalki tell Trace they will now return him home, and forcibly put him to sleep.
Trace awakens back on Earth after the lab accident, finding history has been altered so that the explosion did not injure him. However, Trace develops an obsession with returning to Sudra and quits his job to research it. If the player ends the game with a high completion rate, just as Trace is about to succeed on his research, Athetos himself appears. He tells Trace it is "time to wake up", and shoots him.
After Trace activates a power filter to partially restore Elsenova, she explains that the universe consists of many worlds which are separated by a storm called the Breach. Long ago, a man named Athetos came to Sudra through the Breach and eradicated its people using a pathogen. The only survivors of the pandemic were the Rusalki, a race of mechanical giants like Elsenova.
Trace activates a legion of drones to repair the Rusalki completely. On his way to a Rusalka named Ophelia, Trace hallucinates and collapses. While unconscious, Trace remembers that after the lab explosion, he remained on Earth and published theories that were ridiculed by the scientific community, giving him the nickname "Athetos". Ophelia confesses Trace is in fact another clone of him at a younger age. Trace expresses distrust of the Rusalka and demands to talk to Athetos, but Elsenova responds by remotely killing Trace.
Ophelia revives Trace, and they make an agreement where the Rusalki will let Athetos live if Trace merely shuts down his Breach attractor. Trace finds Athetos, who reveals that Sudra was once the gateway to a highly advanced alien world. By the time Athetos arrived however, the Sudrans had ceased to understand their role and now guarded their technology with religious reverence. Athetos planned to bring this alien technology back to Earth regardless, so he exterminated the Sudrans so they could not obstruct him. However, the Rusalki's survival halted Athetos' plan. Rather than let such powerful enemies roam free in the universe, Athetos attracted the Breach so that they could not leave Sudra.
Trace decides to fight Athetos and destroys the Breach attractor with a fully restored Elsenova's help. However, Elsenova claims Athetos is too dangerous and breaks her promise by killing him. The Rusalki tell Trace they will now return him home, and forcibly put him to sleep.
Trace awakens back on Earth after the lab accident, finding history has been altered so that the explosion did not injure him. However, Trace develops an obsession with returning to Sudra and quits his job to research it. If the player ends the game with a high completion rate, just as Trace is about to succeed on his research, Athetos himself appears. He tells Trace it is "time to wake up", and shoots him.
