The Surge 2

The Surge 2 checks many of the boxes for a successful sequel, but this sci-fi action RPG falls just short or recapturing the full dismembering joy of the original.

Deep, varied, and punchy combat make The Surge 2 worth the effort, even if you have to bear through its lifeless story.

Deck13 has come a long way, welding together a solid, structurally sound Soulslike that adeptly showcases what makes this genre special.

Familiar isn’t always bad, and in the case of The Surge 2, familiar is just aggressively fine.

The Surge 2 offers the hard-earned pleasures of Souls-style combat, with less of genre's signature sting

The Surge 2 is challenging, but finds ways to continually reward the player, whether it's a new piece of armor, weapon, or a life-saving shortcut

If you missed the first Surge, but always meant to take a look, hop into this one instead. Think of it as a shortcut to a better game.

While Deck13 still has some work to do, The Surge 2 is a massive step up from its predecessor in just about every respect. For the first time, I'm actually excited to see what the studio is working on next.

It can't hold a candle to a From Software joint, but The Surge 2 will satisfy those chomping at the bit for the next take on the genre.

This sequel improves upon the original in a few ways but misses the mark elsewhere.