Surmount Reviews
The climbing in Surmount is a bit wonky and takes some getting used to, but once you get a feel for it, climbing quickly becomes addicting. Reaching camp at the end of each level was met with a sigh of relief and a feeling of satisfaction that compelled me to keep making progress. The levels are challenging enough to give you a sense of accomplishment when finished. The rigorous platforming is offset by the colorful, cartoony aesthetic and charming characters. I enjoyed getting to know the locals and unraveling the mysteries of Mount Om just as much as I enjoyed trekking to the summit. Technical issues aside, Surmount offers an engaging and accessible climbing adventure that kept me coming back for more.
The story of Surmount on Switch is a sad one, a pleasant, cute, challenging, uncomplicated, and fun bite-sized adventure that gets completely cratered by insurmountable show-stopping bugs that completely throttled my momentum and made me ask several times "what am I wasting my time for?" I have to balance giving the developer a chance to produce a minimally disruptive experience and a guidepost of whether to spend hard earned money on a game. Regretfully I have to recommend you find your sense of adventure elsewhere, whether giving the PC version a flyer or turning to a much more serious title like Jusant.
My gaming chum and I had a blast with Surmount and we can't wait to overcome even more climbing challenges so bring it on!
Surmount offers an expedition into the heart of adventure, with its seamless blend of procedural and handmade levels, approachable physics-based climbing mechanics, and a cast of eccentric characters, it’s easy to say Surmount is an experience that’s as delightful as it is challenging.
I was delighted to find that Surmount was more than just a platforming adventure of climbing a single mountain. The side expeditions, storyline and humorous interactions with other climbers make it a joyful experience, even for those of us whose climbing skills are lacking. The coordination needed to control your little climber grabbing the rock face and flinging them in the right direction is harder than it looks and makes this a challenging adventure. The option of a local co-op is a great addition and makes Surmount a fun game to share. Unfortunately, my co-op player and I glitched a few too many times to give Surmount a Two Thumbs Up (our initial thoughts). But it made us smile and laugh, especially with low gravity, so it’s a: