Future
Lab first released SURGE as a mobile title last year. Now, like with Velocity
and Coconut Dodge they have returned to the game to give it a native make over
for the PS Vita. Our love for their output is well documented and we can’t help
but wonder if there few remaining non-Vita native titles will also receive the
same treatment in the future.
In truth,
SURGE always had the potential to be more than just a mobile title. It’s a match
style puzzle game which utilises the touch screen. The aim is simply to connect
blocks of the same colour to one another with an electrical current. Using your
finger you need to drag from one block to the next to create as big a chain as
possible. Like all good puzzle games the premise is simple but in practice it
all becomes highly addictive.
The idea
is to clear the screen before a pressure gauge explodes. In order to stop this
happening you need to clear an entire horizontal row and open valves at both
sides of the screen. This releases the pressure and adds a point bonus to the
blocks of corresponding colour. On top of this ticking time bomb there is a
normal time limit as well. When that expires more blocks fall into the screen.
It starts out simply but by the end descends into panic stricken madness of the
best kind.
Along
with the standard coloured blocks are a number of special ones. These consist
of things like bombs (which clear the screen of all blocks of that colour),
wild card blocks (which can be used as any colour), and blocks which
continually change. The best special block though is one which, for a short
period of time, changes all the blocks to the same colour allowing you to rush
for a quick clearance and chain bonus.
What
really elevates the title is its presentation. The theme of electricity is
constant through the design and the blocks glow with neon colour, the
electrical lines drawn to connect them fizz satisfyingly and the new sound
track still gives off an excellent industrial electro vibe. This keeps the
adrenaline pumping and the enjoyment high. When everything starts working
together it creates a real state of flow that’s hard to match in many other
puzzle games and gives a real gravity and impact to the game.
Adding to
the competitive side of the title are online leader boards and trophies. When
you start a new game the name of the person who has the score directly above
you is plastered right in the middle of the screen for a few seconds. This adds
to the ever growing reasons to keep coming back for just one more go. However,
it does take some time for scores to upload and a number of times we were
presented with our own name as the person next up to beat.
The main
problem with the original is one that has been addressed to some degree. Each
of the colours now has a different corresponding shape which removes the issue
for colour blind players present in the original. It still takes some getting
used to as a few of the shapes are similar but we are happy to report that
after a few goes we were unable to use it as a valid excuse for getting low
scores.
Overall,
Surge Deluxe is another example of Future Lab taking on a genre with skill and
flair. This is another essential game for those that want something they can
play on the move. The studio continues to impress and we look forward to seeing
what they come up with next.
8/10
