A new trailer for The Surge takes an up-close look at combat

The Surge trailer released a couple of weeks ago demonstrated the finer points of its "Target, Loot, and Equip" system—in other words, how to chop off a guy's arms and then use them yourself. Today's trailer is a little more straightforward than that: It's called "Combat," and it's about—you guessed it—combat. 

There's more to fighting in The Surge than just clocking guys with the heaviest thing you can find. Proper use of angle and power "to target and dismember specific limbs" is an important part of the game. Combat is skilled-based, but "looting upgrades for your exo-suit is key to progression," publisher Focus Home Interactive said. 

"Positioning and speed are vital, so make use of your exo-enhanced dodges, blocks, ducks and jumps to avoid attacks while managing stamina, ensuring you’re always in the right place to strike the limb you want, or to avoid a potentially damning blow. The rules of combat apply to both you, and your enemy : get hit in an unarmored limb, and you’ll go down faster. Take advantage of the enemy’s weaknesses while balancing your own, and you’ll walk away with his strengths."

The sci-fi Souls-like The Surge is scheduled for release on May 16. Check out more cyber-smashing action in this 15-minute gameplay trailer, or take a more in-depth look at what it's all about in our March preview

Andy Chalk

Andy has been gaming on PCs from the very beginning, starting as a youngster with text adventures and primitive action games on a cassette-based TRS80. From there he graduated to the glory days of Sierra Online adventures and Microprose sims, ran a local BBS, learned how to build PCs, and developed a longstanding love of RPGs, immersive sims, and shooters. He began writing videogame news in 2007 for The Escapist and somehow managed to avoid getting fired until 2014, when he joined the storied ranks of PC Gamer. He covers all aspects of the industry, from new game announcements and patch notes to legal disputes, Twitch beefs, esports, and Henry Cavill. Lots of Henry Cavill.