Steelrising

Steelrising is a soul-like action RPG set in an alternate French Revolution with a unique robotic protagonist. Players appreciate the beautifully designed Victorian Paris environments and inspired enemy/boss designs, which contribute to a strong atmospheric experience. The game incorporates Metroidvania elements, allowing backtracking with new abilities, though these often lead to tedious fetch quests.

However, the gameplay receives mixed reactions. Combat is described as accessible but flawed, with slow and sometimes unresponsive mechanics, inconsistent hitboxes, and limited weapon variety. Blocking and parrying are weapon-locked, and stamina management mechanics add some depth. The story engages history buffs but is seen as predictable and occasionally uninspired. Optimization issues, including poor performance and bugs like clipping, softlocks, and crashes, detract from the experience.

Overall, Steelrising is regarded as a decent but imperfect souls-like, best enjoyed on sale by players seeking a less punishing entry in the genre with a rich setting but willing to overlook technical shortcomings.

Highlights

Players praise Steelrising's stunning visuals and detailed Victorian Paris setting, which create a compelling atmosphere. The robotic character designs and boss aesthetics are noted as visually inspired. The game offers accessible combat mechanics suitable for newcomers and some interesting weapon and stamina management systems. History enthusiasts appreciate the inclusion of French Revolution figures and thematic storytelling. The Metroidvania-style exploration and ability upgrades provide additional gameplay variety. Despite flaws, the game is considered worth playing at a discount and offers a unique flavor within the souls-like genre.

Criticisms

Common criticisms focus on poor optimization and performance issues, including frequent frame drops, crashes, and bugs such as clipping and getting stuck in geometry. Combat is often described as slow, unresponsive, and lacking depth, with limited weapon variety and ineffective blocking mechanics. The story is seen as predictable with minimal player choice impact. The map design is confusing, and repetitive enemy encounters reduce engagement. Fetch quests are tedious, and the lack of fast travel options exacerbates backtracking frustrations. Audio bugs and awkward voice acting also detract from immersion.