(Reposted & Edited beause OP wouldn't Bump) Deck 13 has taken another crack at creating a Soulslike title.  Their First foray, Lords of the Fallen, met with limited success and an overall luke warm reception from fans.  This makes The Surge Significant for a few reasons. It's helping to define and expand an emerging genre.  As of right now there are only a couple of titles made by a developer other then Fromsoftware that fit into this category.  There are also 2D titles, such as Salt & Sanctuary, as well as an isometric title in the works.  Many gamers see this as a cash grab.  They say devs are taking advantage of the Surge [haha] in Dark Souls' popularity.  Most gamers have become jaded by the bad business practices troubling the Industry as of late.  But without devs "cashing in" on the success of the original DOOM, and the Doom Clones that followed, we would have never gotten Half Life or Halo. This is how a genre, nay the Industry, grows.  It's easy to see a title that fails to properly incorporate the aspects of a popular game as being a rip off.  But Deck 13 is saying with The Surge that this new genre is where they plan to stay.  And that is very significant. So let's discuss what Deck 13 did to change things up in the Soulslike genre as well as the pros and cons that come along with those changes. [b][u]Sifi Industrial Setting:[/u][/b]  This is the biggest non-gameplay change.  No Medieval castles.  No volcano roosting dragons or magic of any sort.  To those who have shied away from the Soulsborne games due to its fantasy setting this may be a good thing.  Also the Dark in a Souls game has been replaced by bright vibrant colors in some areas.  Orange storage containers and yellow caution signs decorate the dilapidated compound. However limiting the setting to an industrial complex means the environments are not as diverse as other titles.  The metallic textures, steel walkways and cargo lifts create a feeling of sameness to each area.  This applies to bosses and basic enemy composition as well.  It all makes sense within the setting but will be a big turn off for many. [b][u]No Character Creation:[/u][/b]  This change is Huge.  You play as Warren every-man.  There are no classes, no starting builds.  Your given a busted pipe to start with and must acquire the majority of your equipment, armor and weapons from the cold dead hands of your enemies.  And you do that by targeting the body part of an enemy equipped with what you want and hacking it off with an execution move. Builds come in the form of managing the Core Power of your rig with the power requirements of all equipable items.  In this way Core Power doubles as a carry weight system of sorts.  The big drawback here is that most players will have exactly the same equipment durning the start of the game and diversity of play isn't really available until later sections.  Seeing How this post has gone on long enough I'll leave bullet points from here on out and will discuss them further if requested. >The combat in The Surge is top notch. Deck 13 has come a long way since Lords of the Fallen and they should be applauded for listening to the players requests. >Map design is serpentine, logical and utilizes verticality well.  A+ Another monumental upgrade from LotF. >No Hub world.  There is one Operations Center per major area that functions similar to a Bonefire with many shortcuts leading back to it. >Combat Speed is on par with Bloodborne though heavier builds will considerably reduce attack speed & dodge capabilities.. >While there is no hand holding Deck 13 seems to have taken a more deliberate pace when introducing new mechanics and enemies to the player.  Essential mechanics are not hidden from the player like in Soulsborne. >The Story is also not as hidden.  There are npcs, audio & video logs to deliver story elements along with some environmental storytelling. However it does leave loose ends. >There are only 5 bosses in the entire game. >There are no trash mobs.  Everything is constantly a threat.  But you can avoid most combat for boss runs and steady progression through area. >Co-workers, Hazmat crew and Security personnel have semi-randomized armor.  One time they may be missing helmet, next time missing leg armor.  This matters.  A lot. >No Multiplayer.