Steel Seed Review: Fun Stealth Action That Looks Great But Falls Short of Innovation

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As a gamer, diving into Steel Seed, the latest creation from Storm in a Teacup, was an exciting prospect. With a BAFTA-winning writer on their team, comparisons to giants like Assassin’s Creed as a stealth-action game, and their debut game, N.E.R.O.: Nothing Ever Remains Obscure, winning two awards at the Italian Video Game Awards, there was a lot of anticipation surrounding

In plain terms, the game Steel Seed openly acknowledges being inspired by other games, such as Bioshock and Dishonored, in its mechanics and story. It also shares similarities with Close to the Sun. However, instead of simply imitating these games, it pays tribute to them, making it more a nod than an outright copy. This is commendable, considering how tricky it can be to find that delicate balance. Yet, while Steel Seed maintains this style, it’s uncertain if it will distinguish itself from the competition as its gameplay feels reminiscent of what has been previously established.

At first glance, the storyline of ‘Steel Seed’ might seem reminiscent of other sci-fi narratives, but as you delve deeper, it offers a unique and invigorating experience. The backdrop is one where humanity faces its own self-inflicted extinction, with AI creations becoming potential harbingers of doom. While this theme has been explored extensively in various sci-fi media, ‘Steel Seed’ manages to steer clear of the usual tropes. The narrative carries a palpable emotional core, suggesting that the team at Storm in a Teacup are deeply invested in this story, rather than just regurgitating the conventional “AI as villain” narrative.

Steel Seed’s Gameplay Is Fun but Just Shy of Great

As a devoted admirer, I’d put it this way: The core experience in Steel Seed lies in navigating enemy robot zones, where my character, Zoe, has to decide whether to engage or evade these foes to reach the next mission goal. It’s all about stealth in this game – while it’s feasible to clash directly with enemies, Zoe can’t absorb many blows before she’s knocked out of action.

This challenge encourages players to perform actions stealthily, necessitating thoughtful planning and perfect execution to avoid detection. These parts of the game are particularly engaging, offering a balance between available resources and open environments that allows for creative strategizing. Successfully navigating these sections becomes increasingly satisfying as the game advances, with larger and more diverse segments presenting new challenges.

In some instances, conflict isn’t as tough as playing “Dark Souls” but it is demanding. Initially, opponents might appear invincible, but with practice, Zoe can dodge their attacks effectively and inflict damage once you understand their rhythm and timing. The importance of acting appropriately at the right moment is significant; executing a flawless evasion or defeating a more powerful enemy without taking a hit provides a satisfying sense of accomplishment. Moreover, there are numerous upgrades to earn through three skill trees, providing new attack methods, stealth options, and tools that keep both stealth and combat engaging and dynamic.

KOBY Gives the Gameplay Some Needed Uniqueness

Although Steel Seed delivers on stealth and combat effectively and keeps players hooked, it doesn’t offer many unique features that set it apart. The battles aren’t remarkably distinct from other action RPGs, and while the stealth aspects are enjoyable, they don’t present anything radically new compared to games like Assassin’s Creed, the Arkham series, and their counterparts. However, KOBY, Zoe’s robot companion, is a significant exception, offering a refreshing twist to the gameplay experience.

In the game “Steel Seed,” the character KOBY serves as a significant emotional bond for the player’s character, Zoe. Many players will form an attachment with this endearing robot. This connection is intensified due to KOBY’s pivotal role in the game mechanics. Beyond contributing to the game’s narrative, KOBY brings originality to the usual formula of the game by scanning ahead to mark enemies, setting traps, diverting foes away from Zoe, and offering additional firepower during battles. The extent to which you utilize him is largely determined by your strategy, but the more you use him, the more diverse and distinctive the gaming experience becomes.

In the game “Steel Seed“, KOBY’s absence might make stealth and combat seem routine over time. Yet, it’s challenging to progress without exploring various methods to exploit his abilities, thereby introducing a much-needed element of innovation and diversity into the gameplay.

Steel Seed’s Parkour Leaves Something to Be Desired

In the game “Steel Seed,” as described by Storm in a Teacup, the element of parkour is combined with stealth and action. However, this parkour aspect is one of the game’s less impressive features. Instead of free movement across various surfaces, much of the parkour involves jumping between marked points that indicate where players can grip or hold on. This limitation means that any surface not marked in this way cannot be climbed. While certain areas do provide more freedom, most objects within Zoe’s environment appear only for visual appeal, giving the impression that the game fails to fully utilize its parkour mechanics effectively.

Navigating through Steel Seed, involving acts like scaling objects, leaping across gaps, and gripping ziplines can sometimes feel rather laborious and awkward. At times, this game can be quite unforgiving when it comes to the precision required for grabbing onto an object or reaching a ledge at the end of a parkour sequence. It seems more fluid with a controller, but even then, the sluggish movements and camera control during these moments often make them more frustrating than thrilling.

During the game’s thrilling escape scenes, it’s noticeable that Zoe must navigate through challenging situations by running and jumping. These segments aim to mimic movie sequences where you play the part, with the camera shifting to dramatic angles and requiring precise timing for parkour moves to outpace enemies. However, despite their visually appealing nature, the parkour controls can sometimes be slow and unresponsive, which hinders the intended fast-paced feel.

Steel Seed’s World Is Its Strongest Feature

Although Steel Seed might not always seem fresh or unique, its visuals are simply breathtaking. It may not boast the most realistic or intricate game world, but it’s a feast for the eyes. The robotic environment surrounding Zoe is vast and awe-inspiring, making her feel insignificant and fragile. This contrast sets the stage perfectly as the narrative delves into the complexities of AI and the profound impacts, both positive and negative, of technological advancements.

In the captivating world reminiscent of science fiction, breathtaking vistas take center stage during pivotal story moments in the game “Steel Seed“. Although there are traditional cutscenes, they are less frequent and primarily serve to advance the plot by pausing Zoe’s actions as she expresses her feelings to KOBY, while players transition between locations. From a narrative standpoint, these moments can seem overly explanatory and contrived. Since KOBY communicates via sounds similar to R2D2, it often feels like Zoe is merely discussing her thoughts about the situation with herself. This diminishes some of the intended emotional impact, but the stunning visuals offer a measure of compensation. In essence, these scenes serve as a visual banquet, making the interruption to gameplay less frustrating than it might otherwise be.

In comparison to the immersive world-building of Steel Seed, the dialogue between characters falls short, offering a stark contrast. While the game’s environments are exceptional at setting the story’s mood and themes, the conversations often feel unnatural. This discrepancy is more noticeable given the visuals’ alignment with the narrative. It’s a pity that such a vast, stunning world is not fully explorable. The main problem with Steel Seed lies in this potential: it flashes brilliance but fails to capitalize on it fully, often holding itself back from reaching its full potential.

Steel Seed Has Great Ideas But Doesn’t Deliver on Their Full Potential

In essence, Steel Seed’s concept and gameplay are robust with potential for greatness, but its delivery falls short. There are numerous stealth games with compelling narratives, and Steel Seed has the potential to be one of them. However, the way it presents its narrative diminishes its impact. Furthermore, it relies too much on overused and predictable plot elements in the sci-fi genre, making it less distinct from previous works.

In the same vein, the stealth, fighting, and traversal aspects of the game are consistent. KOBY introduces an intriguing twist to sneaking, yet the game doesn’t provide explicit guidance on how to handle various situations, leaving room for you to strategize your approach in each area. However, the limited interactive elements reduce the number of choices available. Integrating parkour features such as climbing and wall running could have expanded the gameplay significantly, but confining these movements to select surfaces takes away some freedom. Similarly, these restrictions also diminish the range of combat strategies, potentially encouraging creative problem-solving when facing tougher opponents, rather than making it mostly about timing.

At its peak, the game Steel Seed is exhilarating. Regrettably, its peak moments often underscore what could have been, which makes its less impressive aspects even more frustrating. It’s not a terrible game by any means; it’s engaging and generally fun to play. However, it doesn’t push boundaries enough to distinguish itself from the other games of its kind that preceded it. Despite moments of enjoyment, it fails to leave a lasting impression.

The game “Steel Seed” is currently playable on PC, PlayStation 5, and Xbox Series X/S. For the purpose of writing this review, Game Rant received a PC access code.

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2025-04-22 16:20