There are certain classics in the video game industry that are revered by both players and developers. Every now and then, developers try to emulate these games, sometimes with minor changes, sometimes with major. The Surge is one such example. It draws it’s core RPG mechanics from the Dark Souls franchise, but unlike the Souls games, it’s set in a post-apocalyptic world crawling with machines and cyborgs.
One would think that most Dark Souls fans should adore this new venture by Deck 13, but just like many players didn’t quite like their previous game, Lords of the Fallen, The Surge wasn’t received that well either. Before we move onto the specifics, let me make one thing clear, The Surge isn’t a bad game by any means, it’s just not recommended for anyone looking to quench their Dark Souls thirst. They may have the same skin, but underneath they are fairly different. The exact details are listed down below:
The Atmosphere
The core aspect of the Dark Souls games that makes them stand out is the atmosphere. There’s a sense of dread in the air, the eerie silence keeps you on edge and even the visuals speak of death and disease. The Surge on the other hand has a much more relaxed atmosphere.
It’s almost impossible to get jumped on, and even if you do it’s not half as scary because lets face it they’re just fancy machines waiting to be scraped. The bosses in the Souls games are downright terrifying and the accompanying soundtrack further takes it up a notch. On the Gothic front, The Surge falls short heavily and is one of the core reasons anyone used to Dark Souls won’t feel at home in it’s scrap filled world.
The Difficulty and Bosses
I personally didn’t have any issues with this, but many players complained that The Surge is nowhere as difficult as Dark Souls. Take it from someone who used to suck horribly at From Software’s games, it took me merely hours to ace the combat in The Surge. Granted the bosses do require a certain level of skill, but it’s nothing compared to the baddies of Dark Souls, and while in The Surge the minions are quite easy to kill after you get used to the game, you can’t say the same about the former.
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