'The Surge 2' news: Game sequel announced for 2019

Promotional image for "The Surge"Steam

Fans of "The Surge" should get ready for a rush, as the title's sequel, "The Surge 2," has been announced and will be released in 2019 for the Xbox One, PlayStation 4 (PS4) and PC.

In addition to the sequel, publisher Focus Home Interactive and developer Deck13 have also publicized the renewal of their partnership for "The Surge 2," in which both agreed upon the 2019 release window. Still, things could change for the official release expectations depending on how fast or slow development progresses, meaning the game may get delayed or released earlier, and given how things are with game development, the former is more likely to happen.

The developers of the game also seem eager to surpass themselves, most likely inspired by the surprise success of "The Surge" last year, and are now hard at work with the sequel. Fans can then expect "The Surge 2" to be bigger and better than its predecessor, with some of its most glaring features addressed by Deck13.

"'The Surge 2' keeps what fans and critics loved about the original — hardcore combat utilising a unique, dynamic limb targeting system and deep character progression — while also expanding greatly upon the formula," the developers described the sequel. "'The Surge 2' takes place in a brand new environment: a sprawling, devastated city with larger and more ambitious level design, made possible by Deck13's upgraded and improved engine. Combat is more brutal and tactical than ever, with even more options thanks to an expanded limb targeting system," they went on to say.

"The Surge" was released back in May 2017 and was part of the "Souls-like" sub-genre of the gaming industry  that began with the popularity of the Japanese game "Dark Souls." The sub-genre is famous for its notorious difficulty that challenges players with high-risk and high-reward gameplay in which every death will reset progress and players are punished for being reckless and ignorant of the game's mechanics and environments.

"The Surge" sets itself apart from the Souls-like sub-genre with its fresh and futuristic science-fiction (sci-fi) setting instead of the dark medieval fantasy backdrop of "Dark Souls." As such, players of "The Surge" wears an exoskeleton in-game that allows them to combat robotic and human enemies in order to survive what seems to be a brutal dystopian future of mankind.

Fans are advised to stay tuned to Deck13 or Focus Home Interactive for announcements regarding the game.