The Surge Reviews
Like Lords of the Fallen, The Surge is another rock-solid souls-a-like, losing a little of its predecessor's strong storytelling and atmosphere, but gaining from the change from fantasy to sci-fi and the ingenious mech smashing and harvesting upgrade system. It's not quite on the same level as the Dark Souls trilogy, Bloodborne or Nioh, but that's more down to the lore and art style than the brilliant gameplay. If you like the sound of a gritty dystopian take on Dark Souls, The Surge is an easy game to recommend.
The Surge is a game you'll play for its innovative targeting system and fun combat. If you're still mourning the end of the Dark Souls series and are yearning for more punishing, action-heavy games, this should help to alleviate some of that pain.
The Surge is occasionally electrifying, but combat issues and cheap enemies dampen enjoyment levels.
It may seem reductive calling The Surge a sci-fi Dark Souls clone, but the truth is, it doesn't really try to be much more than that.
In our present-day world, its prediction of a violent worker-versus-worker future feels hauntingly plausible.
If this genre of games inspired by the Souls series is going to continue, it is important that future titles in it can build upon what has already been established and try to do something new with it. That is why I am so happy The Surge is able to do so. Even if it falters in a few areas, the game's limb targeting and Core Power mechanics coupled with its unique world create a fun experience that even people like me, who aren't mega-fans of the Souls series, can enjoy.
Though it might not be particularly remarkable or memorable as a whole, the science fiction future setting is a nice departure from the dark fantasy that pervades hardcore action RPGs, and there are some new ideas in combat and advancement that differentiate The Surge from its peers.
The Surge won't be greatest game of this year, but you can consider buying it even at full price, if you are a fan of sci-fi and soulslike games. There are few problems which sometimes can be annoying, nonetheless - the game is fun to play.
Review in Polish | Read full review
The Surge is an action-RPG in which you wield an exoskeleton to face off against a world of robots with combat similar to Dark Souls. While having little storyline or innovation, The Surge can still be a fun journey through a dystopian Earth. The difficulty certainly ramps up quickly, and the graphics and story are nothing to talk about, but if you're looking for a challenge then the Surge could be the next stop.
The Surge is a far better game than Deck13's first effort, but there's still room for improvement.
The Surge also has an admirable interest in real-life and a rare anger that manifests in excellent scenes of violence. But as well as being racked with contradictions (not to be mistaken with nuances) its length and the genre conventions into which it so heavily leans dramatically undermine what could have been a potent satire.
The Surge is without a doubt one of the best Souls-like titles to be released. Deck 13 has certainly proven that they have listened to the feedback from their previous game, and has crafted an epic sci-fi action RPG. While boss encounters are vastly unique, the journey to their location is the highlight in The Surge. Even so, The Surge still puts up quite a challenge, but rewards players that equip gear and implants that match their play style.
The promising story, reminiscent of every damn 70s sci-fi movie and one which drew me in almost immediately, really does take a backseat until the latter half of the game.
After putting in over 40+ hours into The Surge, I'm happy to admit that this game was a pleasant surprise. I fully expected this to be a failed attempt to capitalize on the Soulsborne series, like some many others. Instead, I played a game with an interesting story, tons of hidden content, a cast crafting system and more than enough combat to keep me swinging away. Deck 13 Interactive should be applauded for what they've managed to pull off and more importantly, it will help to remove the blemish that is Lords of the Fallen.
Every bit as infuriating, enjoyable and insanely gratifying as an action RPG of this type should be, The Surge is great fun, thanks in no small part to its unique limb-cutting loot system and some tight combat mechanics.
Deck13 has improved their offering since Lords of the Fallen but this action-adventure RPG still fails to dazzle. It works well, but nothing more.
The Surge is a whirlwind of action-RPG fun with a fast and frantic melee-focused combat system, addictive loot systems and an immersive sci-fi horror atmosphere.
A Souls-like game with its own identity, The Surge deserves merit for its combat and sci-fi setting.
Deck 13 took what they learnt from working on Lords of the Fallen and added their own ideas to allow The Surge to be more than a pure Dark Souls clone.
But The Surge feels like a success, and one that we'll probably end up dying several hundred more times in.