The Surge is a game that...well, you either like or you don't. I can understand this game's flaws that might turn off both thrill seekers as well as Dark Souls veterans. If Dark Souls is the trend setter towards a genre, then The Surge is like Terminator Salvation - a sequel to an already fantastic series that unfortunately takes place in the most bleak and depressing environments while you watch the same 3 enemies get pummeled for the majority of the flick, and it's really up to you to determine if the fresh ideas warrant a flawed enjoyment. I'll admit that there are moments in this game where I actually cheer to finally enter an outdoor area that's not a prop for an Aliens film, and the sunshine alone makes for a much needed breath of fresh air. Still, there are some who won't touch this game for some...interesting reasons.
Thing is, Warren has a Dick, and there's quite a lot of people who want to chop it off. I mean, I've seen a substantial amount of threads saying they won't buy the game without the option to play as a female. I know The Surge isn't for anyone, and it has as much flaws as it has great tweaks to the Dark Souls formula. Still, if playing as a 40-something year old rugged woman is your thing, I ain't gonna judge. And of course, I'm never against females joining the industrial workforce. It's just that...it's a very odd reason to pass up on a game I'm sure these people will enjoy.
One guy even refunded the game...not only because he didn't expect this game to be hard, which is understandable, but...what killed it for him was not playing as a female (I could imagine this guy struggling with this game just for the sole purpose of choosing a female, and calling it an awesome game). Look, I don't want to jump into SJW territory here. It's an uncomfortable circle full of obnoxious whiners I don't want to put up with. I'll just say that not all games need the addition of female protagonists just to be noticed. Hell, can we just enjoy a game for what it is instead of what it should have? Sure, character creation is a cool bonus in games, but it shouldn't be a requirement. Sometimes the most unforgettable protagonists are the ones created by the developers, not us.