Yeah, we've bandied about that comparison before. Like pretty much everyone else, the developer included. The Surge is a brutally difficult melee action-RPG set in the future. One where changing parts on an exo-suit and wielding large blunt weapons are the order for the day. Along with a lot of dying. Plenty of dying.

So how does it stack up? Well, pretty good. If very specific in its appeal and design approach.

I admire the classical design of Dark Souls. The way in which it feels almost completely old school in how punishingly difficult it can be, and how disinterested it is in utilising modern gameplay mechanics -- whilst retaining a sense that it has all been planned methodically in advance. And isn’t cheap.

There are plenty of cheap deaths in The Surge though. Which although annoying, become predictable when you realise that every blind corner will basically feature an enemy that will lunge at you. And proceed to kill you in a couple of hits. Where The Surge makes a name for itself is in the combat, and progression that revolves around targeting enemy limbs. With the idea being, if you want that cool weapon then you better target that exo-suit dude’s arms. It’s a great setup that also plays into the crafting and upgrade mechanics, as well as the difficulty of each encounter.

Click Here to Read Our Full Review of The Surge

Out tomorrow, Deck13's action-RPG The Surge looks to take the hardcore melee combat and action of something like Dark Souls and translate that into a sci-fi world where exo-suits and technology has gone awry. In the game players take control of Warren on his first day of work at a mega-corporation where a catastrophic event results in him missing out on orientation. And being shown where the tea room is.

Balancing risk and reward is key during The Surge’s combat, as the unique loot system gives you greater control over what you claim from defeated enemies. In visceral combat, individually target specific body parts, damaging them with a combination of vertical and horizontal attacks before slicing the part off entirely - and what you dismember directly determines what piece of equipment you loot. When approaching an enemy, you face a difficult decision: do you target an unarmored body part for a shorter fight, or risk a lengthier, damaging battle for a chance at slicing off a shiny new piece of equipment?

Check it out.



The Surge is being released for PC, PS4, and Xbox One. And if you get in quick you can still be in the running to win a copy for PS4.

Thanks to the lovely people at Five Star Games and Focus Home Entertainment we've got THREE copies of the upcoming Dark Souls-like action-RPG The Surge on PS4 to give away! Delve into The Surge’s industrial, near-future Earth setting, which tackles issues of environmental destruction, corporatism and misuse of technology relevant to our own world.

All you need to do to enter is answer a simple question, ""What everyday activity would be made easier with access to an sci-fi action-RPG Exo-suit (like the one featured in The Surge)?"



Head to Our Competition Page, Answer the Question, And Go in the Running!

Out May 16 for PC, PlayStation 4, and Xbox One, Deck13’s The Surge wears its Dark Souls influence on its sleeve. But thanks to its sci-fi story and near-future Earth setting where robotic implants and exo-suits are the norm, The Surge certainly looks and feels like an action-RPG that you need to keep an eye on. In the latest behind the scenes video, the developers talk extensively about the setting and mechanics.

Check it out.



Also be sure to check out Joab's recent hands-on with the game where he broke down his time with it into handy good and bad categories. As a veteran Souls player, a Souls-head if you will, you know you're getting a somewhat expert take on The Surge.