The Surge Preview, Video Interview and Gameplay Footage

We’ve rounded up some more coverage of Deck 13’s The Surge, starting with a preview from VG247 that argues that the game’s sci-fi setting and limb-cutting mechanic might set it apart from Lords of the Fallen and From Software’s output, provided the developers can actually execute the ideas well:

Combat retains the need to play sensibly and enter every fray, no matter how straightforward it might seem, under the proviso that it might be your last. Strafing enemies to understand their attack patterns before lunging in, always being ready to dodge and block, not engaging a lone enemy until you know for certain that it really is alone all of these tactics make up key elements in your arsenal. Certainly, how you think about combat is more important than which weapons you’re carrying.

Those weapons are made of industrial items that can be used to carry out melee attacks, rather than bespoke equipment designed primarily as a tool to inflict damage upon robots. The two I’ve seen so far are a plasma cutter that sees a laser anchored by two metal rods, and a basic chainsaw.

One of the most efficient ways to employ such tools is to target certain parts of an enemy’s body using a ‘˜limb targeting’ system. By locking the camera onto an enemy you can direct the right stick to determine where your strikes will land, allowing you to specifically aim for the chest, or an arm or leg. As far as combat is concerned this is The Surge’s ‘˜big’ feature that Deck 13 hopes will set it apart from the competition and entertain an extra layer of strategy that its genre peers don’t provide.

There is also a 16-minute long video interview over at GameReactor with company CEO Jan Klose. The interview includes some pre-alpha gameplay footage and covers a variety of subjects such as the game’s character progression and equipment systems, the level design and difficulty curve, and the lessons learned from the development of Lords of the Fallen.

Klose confirmed that the title would have no cutscenes and no party, and that it would be coming out early next year. Development has proven challenging as they’re trying to work on all the aspects of the game (level design, encounter design, story, etc.) as the same time, and the title is currently in the pre-alpha stage of development.