The Surge 2 E3 Preview

We had a chance to see Focus Home Interactive’s The Surge 2 in all its glory at E3 2018 that showed off numerous improvements, as well as changes from the original game. It was shortly after The Surge that The Surge 2 started being developed, moving towards a more punishing combat experience and immersive world.

The Surge 2 is set in Jericho City this time around that allows players to create their very own character instead of playing as Warren all in his lonesome. Gender, skin tone, and various other features are customizable to further create an immersive experience. Weapon classes have been doubled from five to ten, allowing you to approach the game with different weapons each with their very own strengths and weaknesses. In addition, schematics can be learned and various weapons can be obtained depending on the enemy you defeat.

Combat largely stays the same mirroring the combat system present in the Souls franchise. However, The Surge 2 aims to further enhance the difficulty from its predecessor by making combat much more punishable. With various enemy types, environmental hazards, and tactical approaches to combat, it keeps the game dynamic by keeping you on your toes at all times. And, of course, the body parts system returns that focuses on both the enemies, as well as players. They feed into a sort of feedback and dependent system of one another which creates a unique aspect for the game.

More specifically, the focus on advanced AI is a major highlight in the game. The AI will vary in their approaches in annihilating players as locking-on to them affects their movement and battle tactics. For example, when two enemies team up in a battle against players, they will cooperatively work together instead of rehashing the same battle tactics and animations. One will most likely poke at you with a ranged weapon, while the other one will come at full force with melee combat – dynamically adapting to the situation in consideration to how you choose to fight them.

Visually, The Surge 2 plays out extremely smoothly with the immense amount of detail in the environment and your very own character. Jericho City creates an interesting setting that’s filled with greenery, but also eerie creatures and ruthless individuals that roam it. Overall, The Surge 2 looks to be a solid, immersive, and brutal adventure that contains massive improvements from the first game. It’s set for a 2019 release on the PS4, Xbox One, and PC that’ll surely have something in store for those who crave a sci-fi souls-like game.