The Surge 2
Fanatical bundles are always a mixed bag because sometimes you find games that are a bust and oftentimes you find games that take you by surprise. The kind of game that makes you go "Why have I never played this before? Why has no one talked about this game?" While I have my theories as to why this is the case, here are my first impressions of The Surge 2 after clearing the first area in Jericho City.
The game begins with the player character, whose backstory is decided by the player in the customization menu. None of these origin stories matter in the grand scheme of things as I've never had an NPC discuss my character's past as an arm's dealer. At least they are good for the world-building and flavor that The Surge 2 gives to the player.
Any previous knowledge of the original title need not apply although certain characters appear to be referenced earlier on if some of the achievement names are to go by. Regardless, the story, plot, and location are self-contained and there's no real reason to go to the first one as the sequel builds on it in every way.
Regardless of your character's backstory, a plane crash renders them unconscious as they wake up in a prison facility. An eldritch abomination breaks into the facility, killing almost all prisoners as the survivors, including yourself, are left to fend for themselves. This is, of course, a Soulslike, but this may be the most creative I've played that wasn't developed by Koei Tecmo or FromSoftware.
For starters, this isn't set in a high fantasy location like Elden Ring or the other Souls games, but set in the "near distant future" similar to World War Z or even Back 4 Blood. Even the latter two examples lean more towards the Left 4 Dead camp, which makes the expansive city that The Surge 2 places the player in even more massive. The urban locations offer a sense of familiarity as well as the enemies who are human scavengers who are just as barbaric as most survivors in this predicament.
Compared to other genuine Souls games, combat in The Surge 2 is simplified, with a party system similar to boxing games as the direction of the attack indicates whether the attack is deflected or not. Against stronger foes, it may take several successful parries to knock an opponent off balance. However, that's not what makes this game shine the most.
The game takes many cues from Monster Hunter by breaking off parts of an opponent during an execution. With enough energy and damage were done to an opponent, the player can execute an enemy by taking apart a part of their body. Doing it this way will earn the player salvage parts and even gear schematics from the fallen appendages.
This means that proper grinding of a certain enemy part is needed to upgrade certain gear. Doesn't it suck when the one missing piece for a gear set is the helmet and you're missing a crucial piece for the head gear? Well, collect some heads in hopes that you get the armor you need instead! It's morbid, but the execution animations are fantastic to watch. The ability to bank whatever scraps you earn from defeating enemies also helps a great deal.
Similar to games I've played including Lies Of P and Wo Long, The Surge 2 encourages an "attack attack attack" playstyle. Early on the player earns a health stim that requires an energy bar to use. Using the energy bar will restore health and stockpile stims for later, but players can gain energy by attacking and defeating enemies. This means that a player can't run out of health should they play patient yet aggressively enough.
This makes the gameplay more like an action RPG than a Soulslike but I welcome it. Sometimes the player wishes to hunt and maim spectacularly while also avoiding foreign beings and AI cyborgs. Regardless, the sense of familiarity is great to indulge in and this may be my surprise Summer thing on the side. Expect a follow-up soon as I continue to explore this hidden gem! The Surge 2 is available on PC, PlayStation 4, and Xbox One.