Zero Punctuation Season 11 Episode 21 The Surge

In this week's episode of Zero Punctuation, Yahtzee reviews the action RPG game, The Surge. The game is set in a dystopian future where the player takes on the role of Warren, a wheelchair-bound protagonist who is sent to work at the CREO corporation's facility. The premise is that your character must fight and hack his way through the malfunctioning machines while trying to uncover the hidden secrets of the CREO corporation.

Yahtzee begins by discussing the game's character editor, which he says is quite detailed and allows players to customize every aspect of their character's appearance. He notes that you can even choose what implants your character has, which affect your playstyle throughout the game. Yahtzee praises the game's level design, stating that the levels are expertly crafted with shortcuts that are only accessible if you have equipped certain implants. The game encourages players to explore the levels carefully as there is often a hidden path that leads to a shortcut or a weapon upgrade.

Next, Yahtzee discusses the game's combat system, which he says is heavily inspired by FromSoftware's Dark Souls franchise. However, he notes that the combat in The Surge has been streamlined to make it more accessible for newcomers to the genre. He explains that players can target specific body parts of their enemies and attempt to chop off limbs to gain new weapons or armor. Yahtzee remarks that this system is quite satisfying, and encourages players to think tactically during combat.

Yahtzee also talks about the game's story, which he says is quite interesting and keeps players engaged throughout. He notes that the narrative is gradually revealed throughout the game and there are plenty of plot twists along the way. However, he points out that the game's audio design is lacking, and he wishes there was more voice acting in the game.

Finally, Yahtzee discusses the game's difficulty level. He notes that the game is quite challenging, and players will die frequently. However, he feels that the game's checkpoint system is fair, and players are never punished too severely for dying. Yahtzee also notes that the game can be quite repetitive at times, and that some of the enemies are annoyingly difficult to fight. Despite these minor issues, Yahtzee recommends The Surge to fans of the action RPG and Souls-like genres.

In conclusion, Yahtzee praises The Surge for its detailed character editor, well-crafted levels, and satisfying combat system. He recommends the game to fans of the Souls-like genre and encourages players to explore the game's levels carefully to unlock hidden secrets. He notes that the game's story is engaging, and the difficulty level is challenging without being punishing. Only downside Yahtzee notes is the weak audio design.