The Surge has not had a lot of publicity since its launch in May of 2017, and because of that, not a lot of people know that the game even exists. It was one of those games that dropped off the radar but had much potential. In my opinion, I absolutely loved the game, but others who know and have played it might say otherwise.
I would call the Surge an action RPG because the developers of the game based a lot of the mechanics off of Dark Souls. I do have to say though that the way everything works in the game is totally different than Dark Souls so they were technically not copying FromSoftware at all. If you don’t like the game, that is ok. If you do like the game, it is still alright because the Surge is one of those games where you either like it or you don’t.
Does the game run smoothly?
The game is actually very optimized and when you look around with your character, it feels really smooth. Deck13 did a really good job with optimizations and performance in this game. Even if you have a lower-end PC or even console, the game will run perfectly for you. You can get a steady 60fps and above with basically anything unless your PC is a potato.
On console, obviously the max framerate is only 60fps, while on PC you can go all the way up to 240fps with the game. It is not stressful on your PC specs at all and is easily ran with little to no issues. All of these things help make a better experience in-game for you as a player.
What are the pros of the game?
The best thing that the Surge has is its map design. The way Deck13 designed how everything is, the shortcuts, the medical bays, enemy placement, it just seems absolutely perfect. The weapons feel very satisfying to kill someone with, especially since you can basically hack off any body part you want. The armor and upgrade system is very well done, and the story is not really hidden from you.
The game is not short at all. It took me about 33 hours to beat the game and there is an NG+ that adds more hours into it. There are medical bays that are your safe points during the game where you can level up and create new gear. The game does not hold your hand, but it does throw little hints at you once and a while to show you a mechanic.
What are the cons of the game?
The main thing that people didn’t like about the Surge is the fact that it has no multiplayer whatsoever. That is a game-changer for some. There is no hub world, but it makes up for it by having the medical bays in every area for you. There are only 5 bosses in the main game, and they are not that hard to defeat. The worlds and the enemies you fight are harder than the actual bosses.
Another thing that people did not like about the game is the way that your character slides. Sliding is very important in the game, but some people have trouble understanding how it works specifically. The more you play, the better you will get so don’t worry.
How are the mechanics?
The mechanics of the game are very fluid in the way that they work. The way you unlock new gear is by locking onto an enemy and the game gives lets you choose which part of the body you want to hit. Some parts are more armored than others so you have to choose the less armored spot unless you are going for that specific piece of armor.
Once you get the enemy to low health, you are given a prompt to do a finisher. The finisher slices off the body part you have selected and the armor piece is yours. If you already got that armor piece, then you will get materials to make that piece of armor. You can also upgrade it once you craft it in your medical bay.
The way your character moves is also very smooth which makes exploring the worlds much easier. The upgrade system is one basic level system where you upgrade your exo-suit. The higher the level, the more add-ons you can put onto it. You can also get better exo-suits that allow you to add even more boosts to your character.
Why should I play this over any other game?
If you are going to play an action RPG, and you don’t want to play something in a fantasy setting, then this is the game for you. In all honesty, I would pick this game over any other game because everything in it just feels polished and balanced in ways that not a lot of games have. Even though there are only 5 bosses in the entire game, they are still very fun to fight.
The game is not about fighting bosses like Dark Souls is. It is more along the lines of finding and upgrading all the weapons and gear that you get. There are hundreds of different enemies to fight and all of them are unique. What makes the game awesome is the fact that you can do a finisher on basically any enemy if you can get their health down. The finishers are really satisfying and fun to do.
Is it a bad game?
It is not a bad game in the slightest. Some people might not like the way the developers made the game, but that does not make it a bad game. What is the definition of a bad game anyway? Is it a game with poor optimization? Is it a game with a bad storyline? Is it a game that is really short and boring? I am here to tell you that the Surge has none of those things.
Sure, it might have bugs and glitches, and sometimes can get hard, but all games have it and they can’t really avoid it. There is always going to be something wrong with a game even if the developers dedicate their lives to that one single game. The Surge is very polished and the gameplay is great. Don’t throw it in the trash just because you don’t like it.
If I like Dark Souls, will I like this game?
Yes and no. It all depends on your ideas and what you like about a game. You might like Dark Souls and not like the Surge at all. There are also the people who like it to where they hate Dark Souls but love the Surge. It all depends on what you like as a player. Dark Souls is set in a fantasy world with dragons and knights, while this game takes place in a sci-fi world that is filled with aliens and brainwashed people.
There are those people, like me, that enjoy both games because they like the genre. It is honestly really nice when you play one game for a long time and then goes to another one kind of like it, it is a change of pace that all gamers need so they don’t get bored of a single game. If you played Dark Souls, then give the Surge a try and vice versa.
Is it a hard game?
Yes, it is a hard game. That is what makes it fun. It is not hard for the same reasons that Dark Souls is hard though. Dark Souls is hard because the bosses and enemies are unforgiving. The Surge is hard because it has moments that you would not expect to happen in a game like this. The bosses don’t make the game hard, even though they can be challenging at times especially in NG+.
When you are playing the game, I would highly recommend crafting the best gear that you can so it is easier to survive out in the world. You would also want to have as many injectables as you can so you can easily heal and not run out. The best way to do that is to upgrade your exo-suit.
Review
Here is a review of the Surge by Gameranx that I think sums it up pretty well:
Conclusion
The Surge was created by a company called Deck13, who also did create the title of Lords of the Fallen, another action RPG. If you are thinking about buying the game, here is a link for it on Amazon. The Surge is a very underrated game that deserves more praise because of all that is packed into it. If you have played it and like it, make sure you tell other people about it, but if you have not played it yet, get yourself a copy because you might really like it.