Surmount
Surmount: Little Climbers on a Big Adventure
Release Date: May 2, 2024
Arcade, platformers, 2D, for 2 players, indie games, co-op, side-scroll, splitscreen, climbing, multiplayer, singleplayer
OpenCritic
Steam
A platformer with adventure elements, in which we must climb the world's tallest mountain. Surmount has us making our way through numerous stages, getting past environmental obstacles, trying to use the law of physics to our advantage.
Surmount is a platformer with adventure elements revolving around mountain climbing (although it treats it rather humorously). It was developed by two indie developers - Jasper Oprel and Indiana-Jonas.
Plot
Surmount is set in a fictional world, its focus being its tallest peak, Mount Om. The playable character decides to become the first person in history to successfully climb the mountain. On her way she meets numerous eccentric characters.
Mechanics
Surmount is a side-scroller. The game's numerous stages include stages designed by hand and procedurally generated locations. While climbing Mount Om we must grab onto rocks, make dangerous jumps and use a rope. It protects us from long falls, lets us swing over chasms and overcome various obstacles. We must also keep the laws of physics in mind and use them to our advantage; for example, holding onto a ledge and rotating around it gives us momentum for a longer, higher jump.
As we progress, we meet the eccentric characters living at the bottom of Mount Om, develop our protagonist and gain better equipment, letting us face increasingly greater challenges. Along the way we also acquire cosmetic items used to customize our character's appearance.
Game modes
Surmount supports singleplayer and local co-op. Having another player by our side we gain more versality, as a second climber means an additional attachment point during our climb.
Technical aspects
Surmount makes use of a colorful, cartoonish, exaggerated artstyle.
Videos and Screens
[1:05] Surmount Surmount - Launch Trailer
[1:07] Surmount Surmount Release Date Trailer
Rectify Gaming: 8.5 / 10
Surmount offers an expedition into the heart of adventure, with its seamless blend of procedural and handmade levels, approachable physics-based climbing mechanics, and a cast of eccentric characters, it’s easy to say Surmount is an experience that’s as delightful as it is challenging.
Video Chums: 4 / 5 by A.J. Maciejewski
My gaming chum and I had a blast with Surmount and we can't wait to overcome even more climbing challenges so bring it on!
LadiesGamers.com: by Lynne Newey
I was delighted to find that Surmount was more than just a platforming adventure of climbing a single mountain. The side expeditions, storyline and humorous interactions with other climbers make it a joyful experience, even for those of us whose climbing skills are lacking. The coordination needed to control your little climber grabbing the rock face and flinging them in the right direction is harder than it looks and makes this a challenging adventure. The option of a local co-op is a great addition and makes Surmount a fun game to share. Unfortunately, my co-op player and I glitched a few too many times to give Surmount a Two Thumbs Up (our initial thoughts). But it made us smile and laugh, especially with low gravity, so it’s a:
Surmount Summary
Platforms:
PC Windows
Nintendo Switch
Developer: Jasper Oprel / Indiana-Jonas (PC) / Indiana-Jonas (Switch)
Publisher: Jasper Oprel
Age restrictions: none
Surmount System Requirements
PC / Windows
Minimum: Intel Core i3-2100 3.1 GHz / AMD Phenom II X4 965 3.4 GHz, 4 GB RAM, graphic card 1 GB GeForce GTS 450 / Radeon R7 250 or better, 2 GB HDD, Windows 7
Recommended: Intel Core i5-3470 3.6 GHz / AMD FX-6300 3.5 GHz, 8 GB RAM, graphic card 4 GB GeForce GTX 960 / Radeon R9 380 or better, 4 GB HDD, Windows 10