Steel Seed Lets You Beat the Game Without Killing Anyone!

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One captivating feature of the forthcoming sci-fi stealth-action game, Steel Seed, developed by Storm in a Teacup and published by ESDigital Games, is its emphasis on player autonomy. Instead of restricting players to a single path or playstyle, Steel Seed presents them with multiple choices by placing them within a linearly expansive environment where they have greater freedom to customize their gaming experience.

In an exclusive chat with Game Rant, Ilia Svanidze from ESDigital Games shared insights about the world design and player-centric approach in Steel Seed. During this conversation, it was hinted that players could opt for a peace-loving gameplay style throughout Steel Seed if they so choose.

Players Can Do a Full Pacifist Run in Steel Seed

As a gamer immersed in the gritty sci-fi world of Steel Seed, I find myself on the precipice of humanity’s survival. The narrative is already gripping, but what truly piques my interest is the game’s unique blend of linear and sandbox gameplay. Storm in a Teacup, the developers, have strived to give players like me full control over our gaming experience, even within this linearly designed game.

In a recent interview, they mentioned their desire for us to shape our own journeys, offering multiple approaches to each situation we encounter. When I asked about how they managed to balance Steel Seed’s gameplay while preserving this freedom of choice, Svanidze responded that they focused on providing players with a variety of options, ensuring our experiences remain diverse and engaging.

In our game, we’ve designed an expansive play zone, offering greater freedom for the player. You won’t encounter a scenario where multiple enemies are right next to you, leaving you with no choice but to eliminate them – there’s nowhere else to run or anything else to do. We aim to provide choices and not dictate them; it’s up to you how you wish to proceed.

It appears that this philosophy of game design is gaining traction recently, as an increasing number of developers are responding to the calls from gamers for greater freedom in the games they play. Primarily, this design philosophy is often implemented in modern role-playing games (RPGs) rather than action games, but it’s exciting to observe its evolution and emergence in other genres as well. To delve deeper into how Steel Seed empowers players by allowing them to shape their own gameplay, Svanidze elaborated further.

In a particular location, there could be a single turret, along with five to six diverse adversaries, some of them being relatively weak, simple robots. Additionally, there might be a Stalker, equipped with two large knives and capable of scanning the surroundings, and perhaps a massive Brute, a muscular giant. You have the choice to eliminate all of them, or attempt to bypass confrontation without causing harm. You can also utilize KOBY as an ally; he will scan the area for enemies, allowing you to determine their locations.

To clarify, we wanted to verify with Svanidze if his statement suggesting players can either “sneak” or avoid killing anyone in the game Steel Seed implied a pacifist playthrough was possible. He confirmed that it was indeed so. However, it’s important to note that this pacifist approach might not apply during certain storyline moments, such as boss fights. Nevertheless, according to him, players should be able to traverse Steel Seed’s world without harming a single machine, primarily by sneaking around.

Intriguingly, it’s worth exploring if Storm in a Teacup will factor in the number of machines players decide to destroy or spare within its narrative. While it might seem unlikely, Svanidze did hint during the interview that Steel Seed was designed to depict “the delicate balance between humanity and AI.” This suggests the story could reflect the choices of those who opt to go unnoticed by each machine as well. However, given that Steel Seed is a linear game, it may lead every plot point to a single conclusion, regardless of player decisions.

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2025-03-10 18:06