Surmount: A Mountain Climbing Adventure
- May 2, 2024
- Jasper Oprel
Get on Steam"Surmount: A Mountain Climbing Adventure" is a physics-based platformer that lets you climb Mount Om, the world's highest mountain, with procedurally generated and handcrafted levels. Follow a silly story, meet eccentric characters, and customize your climber with unique items and upgrades. The physics-based climbing system is approachable and not overly punishing, making it endlessly replayable. Be the first to reach the top of Mount Om and uncover its many unique climbing routes.
Mac OS
Nintendo Switch
PC
Steam Deck
Windows
Reviews
- The game features tight and responsive controls, making the climbing mechanics enjoyable and intuitive.
- The art style and soundtrack are charming, contributing to a fun and immersive atmosphere.
- The procedurally generated routes and co-op gameplay add variety and replayability, keeping the experience fresh and engaging.
- The game suffers from numerous bugs and glitches, including issues with collision detection and map generation that can disrupt gameplay.
- Some players find the difficulty spikes frustrating, particularly as they progress through the game.
- The roguelike elements can lead to repetitive gameplay, as players may have to redo sections after dying.
- gameplay45 mentions
- 62 % positive mentions
- 31 % neutral mentions
- 7 % negative mentions
The gameplay is characterized by engaging and innovative climbing mechanics that blend fun physics-based movement with a charming art style. While some players note occasional jankiness, the overall experience is described as satisfying and rewarding, with a good balance of challenge and enjoyment. The game offers a variety of side missions and randomly generated content, appealing particularly to fans of climbing gameplay and exploration.
“Fresh and fun, love the physics-based gameplay and art direction.”
“The mechanics are amazing, it's a climbing game where you swing to go up and can propel yourself with a spin.”
“The gameplay starts strong with an engaging and fun experience that’s just the right amount of difficulty to keep you motivated to push forward.”
“New mechanics come into play that seem to drain the joy right out of the experience.”
“I genuinely think that if you bounce off of the game due to its more mindful & resourceful gameplay nature through stamina, you should unshackle yourself and disable stamina altogether to start joyously darting through the mountain like a wind current.”
“The gameplay does still have some jank here or there but is overall pretty fun.”
- music18 mentions
- 33 % positive mentions
- 50 % neutral mentions
- 17 % negative mentions
The game's soundtrack has received widespread acclaim for perfectly complementing the overall vibe and enhancing the immersive experience. Players appreciate the quirky character themes and the engaging music, often describing it as catchy and impactful. However, some users reported technical issues with overlapping tracks during gameplay, which slightly detracted from the experience.
“Another amazing aspect of the game is the soundtrack; it is perfect for the vibes.”
“I also love the art and music direction.”
“The music really hits a good spot and the world is quite inviting.”
“When I played the mountain for the first time, I finished the first flag and in the campground, it started playing another song on top of the first song.”
“I tried to fix it by backing out to the menu, but the same song kept playing.”
“So there were two instances of the same song playing now.”
- humor12 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The humor in the game is widely praised, with players highlighting its goofy characters and humorous design that contribute to a lighthearted and enjoyable experience. The co-op feature adds to the hilarity, making it a fun and charming game that balances mystery with comedy. Overall, it is described as a feel-good play that leaves a lasting impression of laughter.
“Goofy, funny characters and humorous game design that make for a feel-good play.”
“One of the most charming games I've played in a while, and so funny!”
“And the story is mysterious and cool but also funny :) I love it, it's great!”
- story12 mentions
- 33 % positive mentions
- 42 % neutral mentions
- 25 % negative mentions
The game's story is a blend of mystery and humor, with moments that both take themselves seriously and playfully acknowledge their own quirks, creating enjoyable interactions. While players appreciate the lighthearted, cartoon-like vibe, some have encountered significant bugs that hinder mission progression. Overall, the narrative adds charm to the gameplay, which is enhanced by its unique, randomized challenges.
“This game's story both takes itself seriously and addresses its own oddities, which leads to some great moments like an NPC saying something like, 'Never seen someone spin themselves like that, but you do you.' Caught me off guard, and I've been enjoying it since.”
“And the story is mysterious and cool but also funny :) I love it; it's great!”
“The story I haven't seen much of yet, but so far it gives me morning cartoon vibes.”
“On top of that, I've run into a game-breaking bug where I just can't progress two missions, short of supposedly emailing a save file or restarting.”
“This game's story both takes itself seriously and addresses its own oddities, which leads to some great moments like an NPC saying something like, 'Never seen someone spin themselves like that, but you do you.' It caught me off guard.”
- graphics10 mentions
- 60 % positive mentions
- 40 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The graphics are characterized by a charming and cute art style reminiscent of Nintendo Mii characters, showcasing a lot of hard work and creativity. Players appreciate the customization options and the innovative mechanics, which complement the delightful visuals. Overall, the game features tight controls and an engaging aesthetic that enhances the gameplay experience.
“It's clear a lot of hard work went into it, and the art style and mechanics are great.”
“Fun climbing game with innovative gameplay and charming graphics.”
“Game has really adorable graphics similar to old Mii, the controls are tight and responsive.”
- stability8 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
The game suffers from notable stability issues, primarily characterized by frequent and frustrating glitches that disrupt gameplay and hinder player control. While some users report that the bugs are not overwhelming, the overall experience is marred by these persistent technical problems.
“The big issue here are the glitches.”
“It's buggy... like... infuriatingly buggy...”
“Instead of enjoying the climb, you find yourself battling the physics engine, with glitches galore that make you feel like you’re not in control.”
- atmosphere2 mentions
- 50 % positive mentions
- 50 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The atmosphere of the game is consistently described as calm and cute, creating a soothing and endearing environment for players.
“Calm and cute atmosphere.”
- emotional2 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The emotional aspect of the game is highlighted by its wholesome content, which resonates positively with players, particularly in family settings. Users appreciate the heartwarming experiences it offers, fostering a sense of connection and joy.
- character development1 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 100 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
Reviewers express a desire for more character designs reminiscent of Mii avatars, suggesting that such simplistic and customizable designs could enhance character development in games by allowing players to create more personal and relatable avatars.
