Steel Seed

Steel Seed has a lot to say and a lot to show you, presenting a narrative-heavy game with some incredible scenery and cinematic moments. However, I personally found the gameplay a little underwhelming, and was a bit polarized by the story and characters. It’s a game I can certainly see others enjoying, even if it wasn’t really for me.

Steel Seed didn't entirely convince us. The plot is certainly the weakest side of the adventure: it's a mix of low-impact and predictable scenes that fail to really make us feel like humanity's last hope. The gameplay is certainly better, especially the stealth side. If you plan to play it as pure action, we recommend avoiding it, but if you enjoy a bit of reasoned action that is never too difficult, we recommend it. The platforming sections and the power-up system are also good. Steel Seed shows us that Storm in a Teacup clearly has the ability to say something of its own, but it will take some more time.

Steel Series is a decent action-adventure game that feels like a long-lost video store rental that fans of the genre should appreciate despite its by-the-numbers design philosophy.

Steel Seed is an exciting attempt to take on the big boys in the stealth-action genre. It doesn't quite reach the level of Uncharted or The Last of Us, but it doesn't need to. It's charming, fun, and at times quite cool, and while there's a bit of technical jank and a few rusty screws in combat and controls, the good parts outweigh the bad to make it all worthwhile. I hope the developers are allowed to build on this universe, because with a little more money and a little more polish, the next game in the series could be something really special.

Steel Seed has a lot of fun aspects, but does fall short in some important parts, such as gameplay and music.

Steel Seed delivers a competent but unremarkable stealth-platforming experience. While a few set pieces add brief excitement, the game ultimately leans too heavily on familiar stealth mechanics, standard platforming, and a generic sci-fi setting.

When Steel Seed is at its best, it's a blast. Unfortunately, its best moments mostly end up emphasizing what could've been, making the weaker points that much more disappointing. It's not a bad game by any stretch; it's easy to get sucked into and, for the most part, is enjoyable to play. However, it doesn't do enough to stand out from the similar titles that came before it. As much fun as it can be at times, it falls short of being something truly memorable.

Steel Seed defines humanity, even if it spells it out. There’s little nuance, and the twists about its story aren’t at all surprising.

While there are moments in Steel Seed where it feels quite enjoyable, the overall package is fairly forgettable.

While it’s got some nice aspects, especially the visuals, Steel Seed feels like it never reaches its full potential because it can’t decide between being a stealth or combat experience, and ends up being great at neither.

The ramshackle world that Zoe is trying to save feels a great deal like a metaphor for the game itself. What we have here is a game that, despite glimpses of interesting ideas, ultimately feels visually over-polished and underdeveloped. I see the concept of what Steel Seed aspired to be, and I desperately wish it had hit that mark –the experience on offer is uniquely impressive from a conceptual standpoint, but the execution of it all just asks too much of my patience to vibe with it properly.

To its credit, Steel Seed doesn’t overstay its welcome. You can clear the whole thing in about twelve hours, and nothing here (well, aside from the combat) is bad. It’s just dull. Storm in a Teacup clearly knows how to make games and knows what they’re doing here, but it’s such a mismatch of parts from so many other games that none of them really manage to come together in a coherent way. Steel Seed never finds its identity, which is a shame because Storm in a Teacup is clearly a talented developer who understands how to make games. But Moran was onto something when he said that technique wasn’t as important as conviction. Zoe may be the chosen one destined to save the world, but the game around her never really feels like it's convinced of it — or itself. And if you can’t persuade yourself of the story you’re telling, it’s damn hard to convince anyone else.