• Publisher: 2K Play
  • Release Date: Oct 14, 2009
Metascore
72 out of 100

Mixed or average reviews - based on 30 Critics

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 13 out of 30
  2. Negative: 1 out of 30
  1. A quite marvelous piece of work. [Issue#53, p.104]
  2. Despite being too easy, Axel & Pixel is a treat for all fans of point & click adventures. A short, but sweet journey to a beautifully surreal world. [Dec 2009]
  3. Bizarre, beautiful. [Christmas 2009, p.80]
  4. Not quite mind-blowing, but still fun, and I hope to see another adventure or two out of this duo in the near future.
  5. 82
    I had a blast playing Axel & Pixel, but the thrill was short lived. It can be beaten in a day and although the arcade mini-games are worth sticking around for they're not as engrossing as the adventure.
  6. A charming and surreal trip into the world of imagination. Axel & Pixel lacks in longevity, but still remains an intriguing "point and click" adventure, with wonderful settings, cute characters and a proven gameplay. Give it a chance, you wont' regret it!
  7. Axel & Pixel is short and easy, and doesn't really heap on the replay value. However, if you are looking for a fun night with a unique and charming title, then look no further.
  8. Although some may be put off by the ease with which the game can be completed, I didn't see that as a negative at all. Games of this sort tend to lean towards being esoteric and frustrating as a means of delivering challenge, and in this genre, I'd much rather play something that invites me in and makes me smile rather than something that has me running to the Internet for an FAQ.
  9. A splendid slice of silliness. [Jan 2010, p.121]
  10. Axel & Pixel may be short, but it grants a feeling not often found in Live Arcade titles; when was the last time you pressed all way through a game because of its charm?
  11. Axel & Pixel looks and plays like a graceful and fresh add to Xbox Live Arcade line up, and a good game for graphic adventures' fans. It's a bit short and easy, and its look may not appeal to everyone.
  12. A fine but short-lived adventure that will capture the imaginations of anyone with an open mind and the will to give it a try.
  13. The potential is there, and it would be a shame if this is the last time Axel & Pixel take the stage.
  14. Axel & Pixel is an enjoyable experience through the brief moments that players are able to experience.
  15. But for those willing to sit back and savour the unhurriedness, the experience can be both enlightening and rewarding, revealing as it does truths about this world even as it paints a vivid picture of another. Axel should be proud: that surely is the highest calling of any artist.
  16. Short and sweet but still satisfying. [Jan 2010, p.115]
  17. There's one thing that we can't dispute: Axel & Pixel is a gorgeous point-and-click adventure. However, the story leaves a bit to be desired. [Holiday 2009, p.76]
  18. This, possibly, is Axel & Pixel's greatest success- anyone can play it, and most would probably enjoy it if they did.
  19. From the fanatical art style to giggle n' grunts from Axel and his companion, this is certainly a step in the right direction and a great introduction into the point-and-click genre. I just hope Axel & Pixel return to our consoles in another adventure.
  20. 70
    Well worth a look, especially if you like point & clickers.
  21. Silver Wish's game is rather fun, but it's extremely short. It's a linear game, and puzzles are so easy that it will take us just 3 hours to end our journey. Gameplay-wise it's a bit old in every aspect, but it has great visuals and a huge personality; that's why Axel&Pixel will be an adventure to remember, but it could have fared much better.
  22. Axel and Pixel gets full credit for attempting to make a creative, artistic game, but the low difficulty and short length cause it to unfortunately fall short of the mark.
  23. If you are going to download A&P (and it is worth it if you like point-and-click adventures, and can stomach a few tiresome mini-games), then I suggest you take it slow. The game is short; you can finish it in less than four hours if you don't stop to admire the scenery, but there's no reason to run through it.
  24. Axel and Pixel isn't breaking any new ground with its adventure puzzles but it does offer a fanciful and (mostly) low pressure gaming experience filled with plenty of delightful touches.
  25. With its unique art style and creative puzzles, there's a lot to like about Axel & Pixel. Unfortunately it's marred by a short run time and puzzles that can be easily solved without using any tips.
  26. Enjoyably surreal graphic adventure that is still fun despite no real challenge or lastability.
  27. Cute, but not very original. If you really must pay to play a game that would otherwise be available for free on newgrounds.com, go ahead.
  28. Weird settings and a lack of actual gameplay make Axel & Pixel's first adventure an unfulfilling experience.
  29. The beautiful style and animation is the only thing keeping Axel & Pixel on its feet. The gameplay itself is too boring: you just point and click to look for useful objects but there aren't any puzzles worth mentioning. A good example of style over substance.
  30. Even though it's got loads of personality and it fully embraces its own craziness, it fails to be a sturdy combination of different game genres, and is just not fun enough to justify hunting through all those pixels.
User Score

Generally favorable reviews- based on 10 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 4 out of 4
  2. Mixed: 0 out of 4
  3. Negative: 0 out of 4
  1. Axel & Pixel is a fantastic games, have one of the most simple and addictive funny gameplays that I watch, is really funny and interesting. This is one of the most better games on Xbox Live Arcade. Full Review »
  2. --[THE GOOD]-- - The dream world is a thing of beauty, wonder, and absolute insanity - Simple and awesome point-and-click gameplay - Visually pleasing - Beautiful, charming soundtrack - Fantastic mini games --[THE BAD]-- - Pixel hunting is maybe a bit too prevalent (Graphics) - [9] - The key graphical formula in Axel & Pixel is that of simple, hand-drawn cartoon characters against beautifully rendered real-life environments of the four seasons, each with their own special feel, with Spring featuring very subtle colours and a looming tone of that after-Winter feeling, while Winter itself is covered in soft-on-the-eyes whites, light blues and greys, with a strong emphasis on ice itself. It's definitely the most visually pleasing of the four seasons and there's an inescapable feeling of comfort and warmth along with it. In fact, the whole darn place is extremely pretty indeed. Each and every morsel of the dream world has a bit of life, magic and depth to it; some of the stuff around you has absolutely no significance to the game itself – like a little bell that you can ring, or a randomly placed yellow dollhouse in a tree – but they've lovingly plopped them in there for the fact that they have no meaning. I mean, does everything require a meaning? Not at all. Especially in Axel & Pixel. The mountains have this uncanny Rorschach quality to them: deliberately inserted obscure shapes that invoke images and meaning in your mind, including many faces and even a clenched fist punching towards us. Another thing that's very interesting about Axel & Pixel's graphics are the examples of innocent deception and visual trickery, in that not everything you see is what it seems; a seemingly insignificant fence on a hill is actually a fallen-over ladder that you have to use to progress in the level, and what appears to be an in-the-distance-and-out-of-reach mountain hollow housing a bird nest actually turns out to be in perfect reaching distance with a useful glass shard inside the nest... For the full review, y'all can find it on my blog at http://garygamesouparchive.blogspot.com/2011/08/axel-pixel-xbox-live-arcade.html Full Review »
  3. OnnoW
    10
    Great game to play in between fast paced games. Looks beautiful and plays wonderful!