Surge

About

Surge is a single player action game. It was developed by House of Secrets and was released on May 24, 2016. It received overwhelmingly positive reviews from players.

Surge is a short music video made by Arjan van Meerten and produced at House of Secrets. Surge is one of the first real-time VR music videos created for the new generation of VR headsets and gives an amazing insight in the possibilities of VR as a medium for music videos. The seamless fusion between music and visual effects comes to life in an overwhelming experience which is truly out of this …

Genres & Tags

Play Modes

Single-Player

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95%

Audience ScoreBased on 206 reviews

music43 positive mentions

optimization3 negative mentions

Stunning visuals and immersive experience that perfectly synchronize with the music.
A great introduction to VR, making it an ideal demo for newcomers to the technology.
It's free and offers a unique perspective on music videos, showcasing the potential of VR as a medium.

The experience is very short, lasting only around 4-5 minutes, which may leave players wanting more.
The auto-locomotion feature can cause discomfort and motion sickness for some users.
Lacks interactivity, making it feel more like a passive experience rather than a game.

music
89 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
48%
49%
3%
The music in "Surge" is widely praised for its engaging blend of techno and industrial genres, creating an immersive experience that is enhanced by stunning visuals synchronized to the audio. While the short duration (around 3-5 minutes) and lack of interactivity may limit its appeal to some, many reviewers highlight it as a groundbreaking example of VR music videos, showcasing the potential for future developments in the medium. Overall, it is considered a captivating and innovative experience, particularly for fans of electronic music.
- “The blaring music envelopes you completely in the experience, the visuals are hypnotically in sync and I could experience it again and again for a sure mood lift.”
- “Surge is basically a free 3D music video, which has a fantastic atmosphere that reacts to the beat.”
- “This experience is absolutely extraordinary, and I applaud the developers as they have set the tone for VR music videos.”
- “Surge was one of the earlier music videos to release for virtual reality, and therefore it's a little lackluster in comparison to some of the more advanced and vibrant creations to come along.”
- “It's worth taking a look at if you're interested in VR music videos, but experiences such as Pearl and Fantasynth: Chez Nous provide a lot more fulfillment.”
- “Otherwise the animation drags and the song cuts out halfway through.”
graphics
22 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
82%
4%
14%
The graphics are widely praised for their stunning and awe-inspiring quality, particularly in VR, with impressive visuals that create a strong sense of scale and synchronization with the music. However, some users noted a lack of visual variety and empty spaces, as well as occasional glitches that can detract from the overall experience. Despite these minor drawbacks, the combination of visuals and music is described as captivating and enjoyable, making it a recommended experience for fans of abstract art and electronic music.
- “Music is great, visuals are awe-inspiring: the walking cube legs are almost intimidating, and the walking giants made my jaw drop.”
- “Great sound and great visuals in this abstract artistic showcase.”
- “Some of the best visuals I've seen in VR and I'll definitely use this as a showpiece.”
- “The graphics are underwhelming and lack detail, making the overall experience feel flat.”
- “The visuals seem outdated and do not match the expectations set by modern games.”
- “The art style feels inconsistent, which detracts from the immersion of the game.”
story
3 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The reviews do not provide specific insights into the story aspect, focusing instead on the game's performance and compatibility with various VR systems. Overall, there is no substantial commentary on the narrative quality or depth.
gameplay
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The gameplay is straightforward and lacks complexity, with users indicating that it primarily focuses on the basic mechanics without any additional depth or innovation.
optimization
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
50%
150%
Overall, the optimization of the game is generally good, with smooth performance during gameplay; however, users noted that menu navigation could be improved, as it experienced worse performance compared to the main experience.
- “The music video runs smoothly on my hardware.”
- “I definitely saw room for improvement, especially in menu navigation and performance, which seemed worse in menus than the actual experience.”
- “The game suffers from significant optimization issues, leading to frequent frame drops and long loading times.”
- “Despite its potential, the lack of proper optimization makes it frustrating to play, especially in more demanding areas.”
replayability
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
50%
50%
The game is noted to have zero replay value, suggesting that once completed, there is little incentive to play again. However, it is appreciated for being free and impressive in its execution despite this limitation.
- “It has zero replay value and it's not a game, but it's free and pretty incredible for what it is.”
grinding
1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
300%
Players indicate that grinding in the game can be quite demanding, often requiring significant time investment or additional lives to progress effectively.
- “You'll need a second life for grinding.”
- “The grinding feels endless and tedious.”
- “I spent hours grinding, and it felt like I made no progress.”
atmosphere
1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The atmosphere in Surge is highly praised for its immersive quality, effectively creating a vibrant 3D music video experience that dynamically responds to the beat of the music.
- “Surge is basically a free 3D music video, which has a fantastic atmosphere that reacts to the beat.”
emotional
1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Users report that the auto-locomotion feature can induce feelings of discomfort, with some experiencing a sense of wooziness, which detracts from the overall emotional engagement with the game.
stability
1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
While the song and visuals are highly praised, users have noted that visual glitches and desynchronization issues can significantly impact the overall experience.
- “Definitely an objectively awesome song, with amazing visuals provided for free, so I definitely still recommend it, but be warned, the visual glitches and desync can detract from the original experience quite a bit.”