Find the games you're looking for
The Surge
Critics Consensus (Skip It)
Review consensus coming soon. VSG issues recommendations for games with 15 critic reviews or greater.
Game Info
Set in a heavily dystopian future as Earth nears the end of its life, those who remain in the overpopulated cities must work to survive as social programs have become saturated by an aging population and increasing environmental diseases. The world of The Surge offers a very grim vision of the future, where the evolution of our technology, our society and our relation with the environment led to a decadent state of the Human civilization.
0%
Recommended
0%
Average Score
Total Reviews: 98
RELEASE DATES:
GENRES:
- Action, RPG
DEVELOPER(S):
- Deck 13
PUBLISHER(S):
- Focus Home Interactive
SERIES/FRANCHISE:
- The Surge
GAME MODES:
- Single player
Where to Play
WHERE TO PLAY
** VSG may earn a commission for purchases using our links. Learn more.
RATING & REVIEWS
Ratings & Reviews
98
Critic Reviews
73
Average Critic Score
Where to Play
CRITIC REVIEWS
All reviews are from professional critics. Learn more about the critics VSG aggregates.
High Score
90%
Median Score
71%
Low Score
40%
Jon Ryan (IGN)
[Date Unavailable]
7.9/10
“The Surge struggles to present a compelling campaign, but delivers a fun new take on a familiar genre.”
Jody Macgregor (PC Gamer)
[Date Unavailable]
60/100
“The Surge isn’t the same as Dark Souls but comparison’s inevitable. Like that cyborg whose torso I severed, it struggles to stand on its own.”
Johnny Chiodini (Eurogamer)
[Date Unavailable]
Not Recommended
“It’s a solidly built game and has some truly inspired systems but, for all its smart design decisions, borrowed or otherwise, it still rings hollow.”
VSG News
Embracer Group CEO Takes Responsibility for Restructuring, Announces Major Company Split
Assassin’s Creed Jade Release Likely Delayed to 2025 as Tencent Shifts Focus
PlayStation 5 Pro: Leaked Specs Reveal a Major Upgrade, Release Hinted for Holiday 2024
Xbox Games Hit New Platforms: Pentiment, Hi-Fi Rush, Sea of Thieves, and Grounded Coming to Other Platforms
Xbox Reaches Beyond Consoles: 4 Games to Rival Platforms, and What It Means
Score Ranges
Read the Reviews (98 total)
| Outlet | Author | Score | Date | Quote | Read |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3DNews | Денис Щенников | 7 / 10 | 05-19-2017 | The Surge is all about tough fights. Battles are the main reason why you should try it, and maybe beat it to the end. But sometimes game becomes ridiculously hard just for the sake of being ridiculously hard, which is more annoying than fun. | Read review |
| ACG | Jeremy Penter | Not Recommended | 05-15-2017 | Video Review | Read review |
| Areajugones | Antonio Vallejo.T | 9 / 10 | 05-16-2017 | The Surge has been able to exploit the essentials of this genre: A highly additive combat system, great setting and an outstanding level design. It may not be a huge innovation, but Deck13 has created a great game within the action RPG genre. | Read review |
| Atomix | Emilio Reyes | 78 / 100 | 05-16-2017 | The Surge is a very good surprise because it is more than just a futuristic Dark Souls clon, it’s a challenging and fun action RPG with interesting variations on its combat system and a satisfying campaign. | Read review |
| Attack of the Fanboy | William Schwartz | 4 / 5 stars | 05-15-2017 | The Surge’s unique spin on combat and customization coupled with some tried and true gameplay mechanics from the Souls series coalesce nicely for what feels like a familiar experience in an entirely new setting. | Read review |
| AusGamers | Kosta Andreadis | 7 / 10 | 05-18-2017 | But The Surge feels like a success, and one that we’ll probably end up dying several hundred more times in. | Read review |
| BaziCenter | آرش مرادی | 7 / 10 | 05-30-2017 | Although The Surge feels like a SCI-FI Dark Souls clone, it has enough heart and credibility to be considered as an original and stand-alone game. The combat system is really fresh and entertaining and game’s world is huge and beautiful. In terms of narration, The Surge really fails to reach the heights of Dark Souls series, but nevertheless it is a deep, challenging and fun SCI-FI Action RPG. | Read review |
| CGMagazine | Elias Blondeau | 7 / 10 | 05-15-2017 | The Surge is an admirable riff on the Souls formula, with its novel setting and new mechanics making its mechanical and narrative blemishes easier to swallow. | Read review |
| Chalgyr’s Game Room | Robert Risdon | 8.8 / 10 | 05-24-2017 | When I first caught wind of The Surge a year or so ago I was immediately intrigued; after all Deck13 are the minds behind the success Souls-like pseudo-clone, Lords of the Fallen. Returning to the difficult twisted-dungeon crawling action-RPG genre, Deck13 brings us The Surge, a title steeped in high science fiction and it works. While I am a huge sucker for GrimDark fantasy of the Dark Souls games, the High Fantasy of Lords of the Fallen , the Cthulhu-esque setting of Bloodborne, or the Edo Period-esque world of Nioh, taking that same type of gameplay and placing it in a hard science fiction setting had my eyes alight with a ravening desire to play. After what seems to be an eternity, The Surge has released and goes to show that From Software and Team Ninja are not the only two that can do a punishingly good action-RPG. | Read review |
| COGconnected | Nicholas Plouffe | 75 / 100 | 05-16-2017 | There is no digging through your inventory for that extra elixir or bomb; if you can’t figure out an enemy’s pattern or weakness, you are dead. | Read review |
| Critical Hit | Umar Bastra | 7 / 10 | 05-16-2017 | The Surge is a flawed but ultimately enjoyable action RPG. While it can be incredibly frustrating at times, the fantastic combat and body part targeting system does enough to overshadow the bad parts. | Read review |
| Cubed3 | Albert Lichi | 7 / 10 | 05-16-2017 | Unlike Deck13’s predecessor, The Surge has personality of its own and introduces lots of new tricks, even if a couple of them are pointless. At its worst, the environments are samey, and the lack of variety of enemies are real noticeable flaws in what could have been a cult classic. The shockingly few boss fights are also a disappointment; since robots and cyborgs are so limitless in possibility for design, it is almost heart-breaking that The Surge is so restrained with what it does have. In spite of its shortcomings, this does come recommended from a user who has been intimate with these kinds of games since Demon’s Souls. It gets a lot of things right, and does stand out, thanks to its atmosphere, lack of hand holding and, of course, the brutal action. | Read review |
| Cultured Vultures | Dean West | Recommended | 05-14-2017 | It is a punishingly difficult game, but failure rarely feels unfair. It is certainly not one to be overlooked, especially if, like me, you are looking for your latest Dark Souls or Bloodborne fix. | Read review |
| Daily Mirror | Sam Jones | 4 / 5 stars | 05-19-2017 | The Surge offers players hours of thrilling exploration combined with combat mechanics which encourages you to be cautious and consistent when entering a fight. | Read review |
| DarkZero | Dominic Sheard | 7 / 10 | 05-23-2017 | 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. | Read review |
| Destructoid | Raymond Porreca | 6.5 / 10 | 05-15-2017 | The Surge is a mix of interesting ideas and hiccups in execution. While there’s no doubt that it will resonate with a specific, hardcore audience, it’s missing just enough to alienate a generalized audience. Its combat is challenging, but not perfect; its story starts with a compelling hook but falls flat shortly after. There are echoes of something special running throughout The Surge, but it never escapes its own shadow. | Read review |
| Digital Chumps | Nic Thurston | 6.5 / 10 | 03-01-2017 | 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. | Read review |
| Digitally Downloaded | Matt Sainsbury | 3 / 5 stars | 05-16-2017 | For all its mechanical competency, The Surge feels as mechanical as its enemies through most of the experience. No where near enough was done with the science fiction theme, and after catching my attention with an intriguing set up, the game then lost me with a generally dull plot that it was never quite able to claw back. | Read review |
| DualShockers | Tomas Franzese | 8 / 10 | 05-15-2017 | 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. | Read review |
| EGM | Michael Goroff | 6.5 / 10 | 05-26-2017 | The Surge’s engaging risk/reward combat system and obsession with gear will compel you to want to fight your way through a cataclysmic sci-fi hell. But the repetitive enemy types, uninspired visual design, and unfortunate lack of polish leaves the game feeling soulless. | Read review |
| Eurogamer | Johnny Chiodini | Not Recommended | 05-16-2017 | A solid Soulslike that stops a few steps short of greatness. | Read review |
| Everyeye.it | Francesco Fossetti | 6.8 / 10 | 05-16-2017 | The idea of soulslike ready to approach dystopian science fiction was not only intriguing, but potentially winning. The incipit of The Surge clearly shows a great potential: despite some flows in the combat and growth systems, the game still manages to capture the player, awaken his curiosity. Unfortunately, too much of this potential is lost, due to a bad level design, poorly inspired environments, and a distressing lack of contents. | Read review |
| Fextralife | Castielle | 7.7 / 10 | 05-15-2017 | Between Lords of the Fallen and now The Surge, it has become increasingly clear that Deck 13 has both the talent and know-how to make a fantastic RPG, but for some reason keeps falling just short of a homerun. While The Surge is a good game, and definitely one of the best currently available in it’s genre, things like lack of character creation, no multiplayer or any multiplayer interaction of any kind, and very little in terms of unique elements that only their game possesses are holding them back from being at the top of their class. The gaming industry has raised the standard of Action RPGs since Lords of the Fallen, and although Deck 13 has raised theirs as well, The Surge is likely to struggle in a market with games like: Nioh, Nier: Automata, Bloodborne, Horizon Zero Dawn and Witcher 3. If you don’t already own those games, it will be harder to justify the 59.99 price tag for this game, especially when you can get any of those above for much less. If, however, you have already played those games, then The Surge is the next step in your RPG journey. | Read review |
| Game Informer | Andrew Reiner | 7 / 10 | 05-15-2017 | A promising entry into the budding “Souls” genre that delivers excellent combat and far too much repetition in the enemies and environments | Read review |
| Game Rant | Dalton Cooper | 3.5 / 5 stars | 05-22-2017 | The Surge is a Dark Souls-style game with sci-fi trappings and a unique combat system that is held back by repetitive gameplay and frustrating controls. | Read review |
| Game Volt | Ahmed Hassan | 7.3 / 10 | 05-31-2017 | The Surge Offered us a phenomenal experience, but unfortunately the game sparkles while it’s suffering content issues whether lack of activities that could attach you much longer to the game spending hours of playing it because as soon as you finish this game you will forget completely about it and you will have no beautiful memories about it sadly | Read review |
| Gameblog | Camille Allard | 7 / 10 | 05-26-2017 | The Surge is a good action-RPG and a real Dark Souls-like, so the game is clearly not open for everyone. It offers interesting systems, but we still regret a lack of diversity in everything (weapons, enemies, environments…). | Read review |
| GameCrate | David Jagneaux | 7.3 / 10 | 05-19-2017 | The Surge is a satisfying sci-fi RPG that pleasantly surprises in more ways than it disappoints. Fans of Dark Souls-style titles will find a lot to like here and the unique combat system keeps it from feeling like a rip-off. It’s just a shame that the narrative and world building isn’t stronger. | Read review |
| Gamefa | Saeed Aghababaie | 8.7 / 10 | 05-29-2017 | “OH My God! Why i can’t let this game go and give it up!”… These were my words after finishing The Surge: Complete Edition, 4 times in a row and i loved to play it more! The Surge: Complete Edition is one of the best and deepest Action RPGs that has ever made and it is a must-buy game for hardcore gamers and souls fans. | Read review |
| GameGrin | Blake Hawthorn | 8.5 / 10 | 05-15-2017 | The Surge may be inspired by games like Bloodborne or Dark Souls, but it doesn’t rely too much on their mechanics and it is truly greater for it. It shows that the title can stand on its own two feet, and I can see it becoming a truly successful franchise that could potentially fill the ever-devouring hole that Dark Souls has left in most of us. Or for those of you who haven’t played any games like this and are looking to pick this up, this game is for you too. The combat feels and plays great, and the change in setting is what the genre really needed. | Read review |
| GameMAG | xtr | 6 / 10 | 05-16-2017 | The Surge is a good attempt to shift Souls mechanics into a world of a technological future, but a general secondariness, samely levels, problems with combat and boring enemies leave a touch of disappointment. In addition, the developers have not added multiplayer modes, which can be considered to be an obvious omission. However, to the credit of Deck 13, the game does not cause irritation, allowing you to spend time waiting for new additions to Nioh or a next project from Hidetaka Miyazaki. | Read review |
| Gameplanet | Leo Rae-Brown | 6 / 10 | 05-16-2017 | The Surge is occasionally electrifying, but combat issues and cheap enemies dampen enjoyment levels. | Read review |
| Gamerheadquarters | Jason Stettner | 5.5 / 10 | 05-15-2017 | The Surge is a Dark Souls like game that features difficult and cumbersome gameplay while presenting an interesting potential story. | Read review |
| Gamers Heroes | Johnny Hurricane | 7 / 10 | 05-23-2017 | I’m pretty mixed when it comes to The Surge. It does some things right while dropping the ball elsewhere. The high price point is also a downside. If you really need something to scratch that Dark Souls itch, The Surge should fill that need. Still, I’d recommend and sale or price drop. | Read review |
| GameSkinny | Ty Arthur | 8 / 10 | 05-15-2017 | Between severing body parts for upgrades and makeshift hydraulic weapons, The Surge offers a satisfying (if grindy) take on extremely difficult action RPGs. | Read review |
| GameSpot | Daniel Starkey | 7 / 10 | 05-17-2017 | The Surge is an entertaining twist on the Dark Souls formula that strikes a tenuous balance between iteration and invention. | Read review |
| GameWatcher | Chris Capel | 6.5 / 10 | 05-15-2017 | Like Deck13’s previous game Lords of the Fallen, The Surge is defiantly inspired by the Dark Souls series and wears its influence on its sleeve. It gets the general formula right, especially regarding difficulty and combat, and then it adds new ideas to make things feel fresh. The futuristic sci-fi world is a welcome change from dark fantasy, and the limb-targeting function makes combat more exciting, more visceral, and allows access to better gear. Clever. | Read review |
| GameZone | Daniel R. Miller | 8.5 / 10 | 05-15-2017 | While it may not be entirely original, its fresh setting, smart level design, and limb-targeting mechanics manage to make authentically new ideas in a genre growing with imitators. | Read review |
| Gaming Nexus | Patrick Aloia | 8 / 10 | 05-16-2017 | The Surge isn’t interested in creating variation in its gameplay mechanics, or exploring more diverse settings or ideas, or creating compelling characters. It washes over you, but it’s a refined wash, and the foundation for a great game to come. The Surge is a good thing, and I’m glad it exists as another answer to the Souls-esque games coming out – its dull, but refined sci-fi action makes the game feel like a first step, if only a step, in the right direction. | Read review |
| GamingBolt | Alex Jackson | 7 / 10 | 05-16-2017 | The Surge is great, and I say that with only a single qualifier | Read review |
| GamingTrend | Travis Northup | 90 / 100 | 05-15-2017 | The Surge is the most badass game I’ve played all year, and a must-play title for any masochistic gamer who enjoys getting their ass handed to them regularly. Although the presentation and enemy variety are somewhat lacking, and technical issues occur occasionally, none of these issues come even close to putting a hamper on this thoroughly enjoyable experience. Play. This. Game. | Read review |
| GearNuke | Muhammad Ali Bari | 8 / 10 | 05-19-2017 | The Surge is a pure adrenaline fueled action RPG that doesn’t take a moment to rest and keeps the player engaged throughout their journey. It is packed with a deep experience and customization system but unfortunately lacks in enemy and environment variety that stops it from reaching the height of the Dark Souls series. | Read review |
| Geeks Under Grace | Joe Morgan | 6.8 / 10 | 05-19-2017 | Though it lacks the polish of some of its contemporaries, The Surge is a fun Dark Souls-like game with a different setting and some enjoyable new gameplay mechanics. | Read review |
| God is a Geek | Gary Bailey | 7 / 10 | 05-15-2017 | The Surge offers an interesting world to explore, and a few new tricks that set it apart from the competition, but often falls short of its inspiration due to wonky combat and uninspired enemy designs. | Read review |
| Hey Poor Player | Francis DiPersio | 4.5 / 5 stars | 05-15-2017 | If you’ve fought your way through Nioh and are looking for yet another quality action-RPG to deliver that Souls fix, look no further. The Surge is a finely-tuned machine that fans of the genre won’t want to miss. | Read review |
| Hobby Consolas | Hobbyconsolas.com | 79 / 100 | 05-19-2017 | An interesting addition to the souls-linke genre. It doesn’t reach the greatness of the big ones, but the combat system and, especially, the dismemberments, make it a pretty fun experience. | Read review |
| IGN | Jon Ryan | 7.9 / 10 | 05-15-2017 | The Surge struggles to present a compelling campaign, but delivers a fun new take on a familiar genre. | Read review |
| IGN Italy | Gianluca Loggia | 7 / 10 | 05-16-2017 | The Surge is technically strong, has good ideas and fascinating environments, but also a lot of flaws, especially when it comes to important elements for the soulslike genre, like level design and character’s customization/improvement. | Read review |
| IGN Middle East | Moustafa Gad | 7.2 / 10 | 05-29-2017 | The Surge has tried to rely on quality more than quantity, there are only 5 main zones for roaming and 5 leaders and events can be completed in less than 8 hours if the user avoids the majority of the confrontations and only run around the environment around him, in contrast the game offers a variety and changes in the design of weapons and enemies and their abilities | Read review |
| IGN Spain | José L. Ortega | 7 / 10 | 05-16-2017 | The Surge is a rather unfair experience. It tries to be a difficult product but ends up lying in flagrant errors. | Read review |
| Impulsegamer | Nathan Misa | 4 / 5 stars | 05-23-2017 | 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. | Read review |
| KnowTechie | Jonathan White | 9 / 10 | 12-29-2017 | The Surge takes a little bit to sink the hooks in you, but once it does, you’ll have a very hard time putting it down. | Read review |
| Metro GameCentral | GameCentral | 7 / 10 | 05-16-2017 | An even better Dark Souls clone than Lords Of The Fallen, but there are too few unique ideas and the difficulty often undermines the rest of the gameplay. | Read review |
| New Game Network | David Will | 78 / 100 | 05-16-2017 | The Surge is a remarkably solid action-RPG that uses its premise to wedge a number of interesting design quirks into a familiar formula. Not terribly deep, but a wrench-swinging, robot-pulverizing good time nonetheless. | Read review |
| Nexus | Andrew Logue | 7.5 / 10 | 05-18-2017 | Fast-paced combat, limb-specific attacks, easy to understand crafting, and flexible levelling is what sets The Surge apart from its peers and, at times, puts it ahead of the Souls series. The bulk of the gameplay, and indeed much of the narrative pacing, is lifted straight from Lords of the Fallen and should be familiar to fans of the genre. | Read review |
| NZGamer | Tony Hsiang | 8 / 10 | 05-24-2017 | A Souls-like game with its own identity, The Surge deserves merit for its combat and sci-fi setting. | Read review |
| Oyungezer Online | Utku Çakır | 7 / 10 | 05-21-2017 | If The Surge could have backed it’s combat mechanics with good world building and story, it could have been one of the best games of this year. | Read review |
| Pardis Game | Sanaz Rezaee | 6 / 10 | 05-20-2017 | “The Surge” is basically “Lords of the Fallen” with a different sci fi look. It’s got a nice rpg system and environmenta with depth and high playability. But its biggest problem is that it’s just a copy cat of eveything Souls did, and not a good one. It’s impossibly hard and the combat is not to the high standard of Souls. So across the many great games released this year,I don’t recommend “The Surge” unless you enjoyed “Lords of the Fallen” and the experience it brought | Read review |
| Paste Magazine | Edward Smith | 6 / 10 | 05-25-2017 | 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. | Read review |
| PC Gamer | Jody Macgregor | 60 / 100 | 05-16-2017 | The Surge isn’t the same as Dark Souls but comparison’s inevitable. Like that cyborg whose torso I severed, it struggles to stand on its own. | Read review |
| PC Invasion | Tim McDonald | 5 / 10 | 05-19-2017 | The Surge has a lot of nice ideas, but most of them are stomped on by conflicting with the game design. Not a bad Souls-like, but not one that’s particularly easy to recommend either. | Read review |
| Player.One | Scott Craft | 4 / 10 | 05-15-2017 | There will be some who enjoy The Surge. Sadly, I was not one of them. | Read review |
| Player2.net.au | Stephen del Prado | Recommended | 05-28-2017 | Ultimately, one’s enjoyment of The Surge can be largely predicted based upon enjoyment of similar titles. With a fresh take on some old formulas and an aesthetic that moves away from the grim fantasy players are used to, there is no doubt than fans of the genre should give it a shot. That said, it won’t be a revelation to any who have remained disinterested thus far. | Read review |
| PlayStation LifeStyle | Martin Patiño | 8 / 10 | 05-15-2017 | Deck13 has built on the successes and mistakes of Lords of the Fallen and has created something that is able to not only stand toe-to-toe with the Souls franchise but is also capable of standing on its own with its unique identity. The new and different systems The Surge has introduced makes it an enjoyable and different experience for both newcomers to the genre and those who have already played Souls-like games previously. Deck13 has done a great job at combining the familiar and the new to create a unique vision that’s both fun and challenging. | Read review |
| PlayStation Universe | Garri Bagdasarov | 6 / 10 | 05-16-2017 | The Surge started off great. The combat was fun, the story seemed interesting, and the crafting was enjoyable that is until I got a dozen or so hours into it where everything went from being doable to insanely hard, grindy, and uninspiring. | Read review |
| Polygon | Philip Kollar | 8 / 10 | 05-15-2017 | The Surge successfully builds on its inspirations and finds its own voice | Read review |
| PowerUp! | Leo Stevenson | 7.5 / 10 | 06-01-2017 | If you’re jonesing for something to take the edge of your Souls additiction then The Surge will definitely do the job | Read review |
| Press Start | Steven Impson | 7 / 10 | 05-16-2017 | 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. | Read review |
| pressakey.com | Kai Nawroth | Recommended | 06-22-2017 | The Surge überzeugt mit unverbrauchtem und dystopischem Setting und bleibt trotz sich wiederholendem Design atmosphärisch stark. Das Kampfsystem macht Spaß und verlangt nach Perfektion, und an den Finishing-Moves kann man sich kaum sattsehen – ein gewisses Faible für das hohe Level an Gewalt vorausgesetzt. Für The Surge muss man jedoch kein Souls-Veteran sein. Am Ende reichen Lust und Mut, sich einer echten Herausforderung zu stellen. Wer sich allerdings nur für die Story interessiert oder einfach nur ein gemütliches Action-RPG im Sci-Fi-Szenario erwartet, der lässt tatsächlich besser die Finger davon. | Read review |
| PSX Brasil | Matheus Ricardo Uihara Zingarelli | 90 / 100 | 05-16-2017 | Deck13 did their homework with The Surge. When compared to Lords of the Fallen, the developer’s previous title, this new action-RPG has greater technical quality and is more polished. The game still has some inspiration on games from the SoulsBorne franchise, but it’s good to see that the developer has found its own identity, bringing new mechanics that refresh the model created by FromSoftware. Combat is tactical, based not only on beating an enemy, but also on choosing which body part should be hit, being possible to remove pieces of armor that later can be added to your own arsenal. This is an action-RPG with a focus on the action part. The RPG aspects are a little bit simplified, but still detailed and deep enough to offer a personalized experience to the players and their character. Despite still having a generic protagonist and NPCs that you don’t really care about, as well as places that can be a real maze to memorize, The Surge is a great game with high difficulty that should be on the radar for players who like real challenges and a sci-fi theme. | Read review |
| Push Square | Liam Croft | 5 / 10 | 03-27-2019 | The Surge had potential, but its excellent combat systems are baked into a game that can’t do them justice. The repetitive and drab environments are a huge hindrance, and when combined with a confusing network of corridors, hallways, and ledges, it’s easy to become frustrated, misled, and lost. You may find some fun experimenting with your attack options and the smooth framerate on the PS4 Pro does help to make that a better experience, but expecting anything more than that will only set yourself up for disappointment. | Read review |
| Rectify Gaming | Rectify Gaming | 6.5 / 10 | 05-16-2017 | The Surge excels in combat but lacks in story | Read review |
| Reno Gazette-Journal | Jason Hidalgo | 7.5 / 10 | 06-05-2017 | Deck 13 serves up a fun alternative to Dark Souls in the Surge, featuring the same type of deliberate combat and punishing difficulty in a more sci-fi package. It’s a bit short and could use more diversity in its foes and environs. If you’re looking for a different take on the Souls-like genre, however, this one’s worth taking a stab, hack, slice or bludgeoning blow at. | Read review |
| Rock, Paper, Shotgun | Brendan Caldwell | Not Recommended | 05-25-2017 | The Surge is shonky, inferior and more than a little derivative. But if you fancy a shortcut-filled robotic challenge, it’s not all bad. Just be ready to get deprogrammed. | Read review |
| Saudi Gamer | مصطفى جاد | 7 / 10 | 06-01-2017 | http://saudigamer.com/review/the-surge/ | Read review |
| SelectButton | Kevin Mitchell | 9 / 10 | 05-16-2017 | 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. | Read review |
| Sirus Gaming | Rachelle Marie Tan | 8.5 / 10 | 05-16-2017 | I would also say that mecha or sci-fi fans will love this game as much as I do for even at the first couple of hours of game time — I had already immersed with the game. It was hard for me to let go of my controller, the action was getting to me and it set my carnage on rampage. | Read review |
| Slant Magazine | Jed Pressgrove | 3.5 / 5 stars | 05-15-2017 | In our present-day world, its prediction of a violent worker-versus-worker future feels hauntingly plausible. | Read review |
| SomHráč.sk | Martin Kubeš | 75 / 100 | 05-16-2017 | The Surge is a well-made hardcore RPG, but sadly, creators weren’t able to avoid some mistakes. It could haved been even better, however, if you’re looking for something harder than most of the current videogames, this is your choice. | Read review |
| SpazioGames | Matteo Bussani | 7.5 / 10 | 05-16-2017 | A good Souls-like with an entertaining battle system, interesting crafting elements, but no original soul. | Read review |
| Stevivor | Steve Wright | 7.5 / 10 | 05-16-2017 | 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. | Read review |
| TechRaptor | Andrew Otton | 8.5 / 10 | 05-15-2017 | The Surge has great gameplay and wonderful levels to get lost in as you run around throwing limbs about and destroying robots. | Read review |
| Telegraph | Olivia White | 4 / 5 stars | 05-26-2017 | Even with its issues, the game shines. | Read review |
| The Digital Fix | Luciano Howard | 7 / 10 | 05-30-2017 | 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. | Read review |
| The Games Machine | Marco Tassani | 7.5 / 10 | 05-15-2017 | The Surge is not Dark Souls little brother, nor it wants to be. It’s definitely a souls-like, but with its own personality, some nice level design ideas, and a storyline that won’t disappoint you. | Read review |
| The Outerhaven Productions | Keith Mitchell | 4.5 / 5 stars | 05-15-2017 | 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. | Read review |
| TheSixthAxis | Dave Irwin | 8 / 10 | 05-16-2017 | Bugs and a weak narrative aside, The Surge is a much more confident take on the emerging Soul-like gameplay style. It takes the known tropes of being challenging and having progression dependent on learning attack patterns while adjusting your play style to accommodate, but it also has some fresh ideas that not only make perfect sense, but could shape future games. It’s nice to see a developer give a gameplay style a second shot and Deck13 have almost nailed it here. | Read review |
| TheXboxHub | Paul Renshaw | 4 / 5 stars | 05-14-2017 | The Surge is a game that can be mentioned in the same breath as Dark Souls, something which is high praise indeed. | Read review |
| TrueAchievements | Kevin Tavore | 4 / 5 stars | 05-16-2017 | The Surge is a game that is worth your time and there’s a lot to love. The setting is perfect and matches the tone of the game and its story very well. That story is hidden behind optional content but it’s worthwhile if you give it the attention it deserves. Combat feels awesome with five different weapon types that all play differently and enemy designs that make each opponent fair but very dangerous. | Read review |
| Twinfinite | Zhiqing Wan | 3 / 5 stars | 05-15-2017 | 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. | Read review |
| USgamer | John Learned | 3.5 / 5 stars | 05-15-2017 | The Surge gives a lousy first impression with it bland sci-fi setting and grab bag of obvious influences. Given time, though, there’s an unrefined gem in here for those willing to put up with its quirks. If this is Deck 13’s next step to building something truly great, it’s solid, if flawed one. | Read review |
| VG247 | Sherif Saed | Recommended | 05-16-2017 | The Surge is a game of many triumphs, but it’s also one that will cause you more frustration than any other Souls-like. | Read review |
| VGChartz | Evan Norris | Recommended | 05-15-2017 | It’s difficult to summon many negative things to say about The Surge. It checks all the boxes of a successful Souls-like. | Read review |
| Video Chums | A.J. Maciejewski | 6.8 / 10 | 05-16-2017 | The Surge is one of those games that shows a lot of promise but the experience itself just doesn’t live up to its potential. | Read review |
| We Got This Covered | Dylan Chaundy | 3.5 / 5 stars | 05-15-2017 | 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. | Read review |
| WellPlayed | Kieran Stockton | 8.8 / 10 | 05-15-2017 | Despite a stylish dystopian setting, the narrative within it flounders a bit, but the brilliantly brutal melee combat and interesting mechanics shine through in this excellent hardcore hack and slash RPG | Read review |
Developed by Deck 13. All titles, content, brand names, trademarks, logos, artwork, and associated imagery are trademarks and/or copyright material of their respective owners. © All rights reserved.
