The Surge, a science-fiction action-RPG from the developers of Lords of the Fallen, might look like a basic Souls clone at first glance, but Deck13’s latest game features intense, acrobatic combat that brings its own unique style to the genre. In the game’s “Combat” trailer, we’re given a look at the many ways you’ll be able to dismantle and destroy enemies.
At the very start of the trailer, it’s made clear that The Surge‘s enemies are just as aggressive as the baddies you’d face in one of From Software’s creations. A spear-wielding foe fires a rocket from his exo-suit before knocking protagonist Warren to the ground.
Elsewhere, we see Warren go up against an enemy wielding a massive glowing hammer. After dodging backwards to avoid getting hit, he rushes back in and does something we haven’t see in any Souls game — he leaps over an attack — before quickly knocking the enemy off-guard.
Combat can get extremely frenetic, against both human enemies and creatures that look vaguely like “Elites” from the Halo series. Wielding twin blades, they spin and flail toward Warren, forcing him to quickly pick his attacks to avoid getting hit. Against bosses, you’ll need to get even more creative — by waiting for an enemy to fire homing rockets, for example, you can redirect them back at the boss. This stuns them, allowing for Warren to go in and do extra damage.
For more efficient kills, you’ll want to make use of The Surge‘s “dynamic targeting system,” which allows you to focus on attacking specific limbs or armor pieces of an enemy, which can then be looted for extra rewards. Occasionally, doing enough damage will also allow you to go in for a special killing blow.
The Surge is out for Xbox One, PlayStation 4, and PC on May 16. A follow-up to Lords of the Fallen, Lords of the Fallen 2, is also in development, though Deck13 is not involved.
