The Surge 2

The Surge 2 is an exceptional Soulslike, with top of it’s class combat, stellar level design and a crafting system that makes experimenting fun and simple. Where the game falters it doesn’t do so tragically, instead being victim to its devout adherence to its more grounded setting and mediocre-at-best story.

Deck13 took all the lessons learned from the first Surge, harnessed all the experience gained from its development and delivered a sequel that is improved in every aspect. Fans of soulsborne games should not miss on one of the best level-designs we have seen in the genre and the always satisfying and unique dismemberment function.

Deck13 has learned from the first game and it has notably improved The Surge 2. Combat is visceral and fluid and the limb-targeting system remains brilliant. The level design has greatly improved and the boss fights stand out more, although there are a couple of dull fights left. The developer still needs to learn how to write an interesting story though, because this one couldn't peak our interest.

The Surge 2 is frantic, punishing and moderately performing, to the point of entering in the ranking of the best soulslike. The flaws are there, but this new adventure will know how to get you right.

The directional blocking, the new fighting styles and combos, the improvement of the drone abilities and a still highly motivating looting system have inspired and motivated me.

Sequels aren’t always a safe prospect to bet on, but The Surge 2 is one investment that Souls-like fans definitely won’t be disappointed with. The game’s visceral combat, robust RPG elements, and immersive exploration mechanics come together to create a second outing that’s just as compelling, if not more so, than its predecessor.

Deck13 has built their success on imitating FromSoftware’s games but each of their entries to the genre shows that there still is room for gameplay innovations. It’s a pity though that the Germans lack the narrative prowess of Miyazaki’s team. [12/2019, p.70]

The Surge 2 is a great action RPG with a funny and intense combat system.

The Surge 2 improves on every aspects of the previous game. It’s more nervous, more intense, more varied. It’s consolidating on the very solid base of the first The Surge, and does it well.

Deck 13 has produced a game that offers genre fans a lot to like. The story and setting is a welcome departure from the swords and sorcery that typically dominate similar titles. Most sci-fi games rely on gunfights or boring intergalactic diplomacy to handle conflict, while The Surge 2 presents medieval violence as a path to enlightenment. I can dig that. Uneven pacing, some visual issues, and inconsistent performance serve to prevent the experience from reaching its full potential, but the foundation is solid.

The Surge 2's improved exploration and performance go a long way in making it better than its predecessor, though it's held back somewhat from the unreliable lock-on and bugs. Anyone that liked the first game will have a blast with the sequel, and while there are Souls-like games out there that feel less derivative of its inspiration (like the co-op focused Remnant: From the Ashes, for instance) The Surge 2 is sure to please anyone looking for more Dark Souls-style action.

The Surge 2 is a definite improvement over the original game in pretty much every possible way. Combat is much faster and smoother, with an offense-oriented focus that makes it even more engaging, exploration is much more interesting thanks to the improved world design and the story will keep players moving from one dangerous district of Jericho City to the next in search of answers. The technical issues currently found in the game, unfortunately, do damage the experience a bit, and so does the fact that, despite the changes, The Surge 2 doesn't offer anything substantially different from the original game.

Story and sidequests aside, however, The Surge 2 is absolutely worth the effort when the combat is taken in isolation. Not only does it pack a punch, but it also channels plenty of depth in its limb targeting and deflection systems, and is ably supported by a genuinely varied collection of weapons and potential character builds.

If you want a sci-fi, difficult timing-based combat game with that unforgiving hardcore Dark Souls touch, you can’t go wrong with The Surge 2.

It may make some of the same mistakes as the first game, but The Surge 2 still manages to improve upon it in every way, to create a brutal but rewarding sequel.

Satisfying, brutal combat and fun exploration paired with some clever improvements make The Surge 2 a deeper, better experience than the first game, even when the story falls flat and forgettable most of the time.

Although The surge 2 is just another souls-like game, the special combat experience somewhat creates a unique feeling that we are playing as a human size Gundam, which is superb and impressive. Besides that, enemy's AI design and all the voice acting in the game is really frustrating.

The steely smash-and-crunch of the combat merrily pushed me through its 20-hour campaign and beyond into New Game +, compelling me to ignore the rudimentary world and focus on those glorious moments where sparks, limbs and scrap metal fly with brutal abandon. Deck13 has come a long way, welding together a solid, structurally sound Soulslike that adeptly showcases what makes this genre special.

Graphics are rarely worth mentioning nowadays, since most games look good or great. That’s not The Surge 2’s case: sometimes graphics are so bad it messes with gameplay, as it gets hard to tell if it’s a puddle of water, poison or a chasm. [Issue#242, p.50]

The Surge 2 has some really satisfying moments. It’s worth an investment based on the wealth of customisation options available, solid progression and genuinely fun combat. These innovations go some way to making up for the lack engrossing story or meaningful characters. However, the overriding sense is that the positive traits of Surge 2 often feel suffocated, mainly by a lack of visual and narrative investment in the world that surrounds its core mechanics.