Steel Seed is a game we’ve been eagerly anticipating. This single-player stealth-action adventure, crafted by the talented studio Storm in a Teacup, immerses you in a dark sci-fi world. Built using Unreal Engine 5, Steel Seed not only looks stunning but also brings back pure stealth gameplay elements that many may have missed.
The game unfolds in a beautifully rendered, dystopian future where humanity has nearly driven itself to extinction. In the aftermath of environmental catastrophe, AI machines have taken it upon themselves to save what remains of the human species. You find yourself thousands of years later, deep beneath the Earth’s surface, where the remnants of humanity are hidden away. Your mission is to protect these survivors from a new and emerging threat.
In Steel Seed, moving through dangerous areas requires you to be very sneaky. You can climb to higher spots for a better view or use your drone to check the battlefield, but staying hidden is crucial. The game encourages you to blend into the shadows and use cover carefully, making precise movements. If your stealth fails, Steel Seed lets you fight directly. The game has a fast, tactical melee combat system for when you need it. As you advance in the story, you can get upgrades for your skills, making you better at both sneaking and fighting.
You control Zoe in third person, who wields a sword capable of light and heavy attacks, dodges, and can use limited healing opportunities. Alternatively, Koby, your drone companion, offers a bird’s-eye view of each arena, allowing you to mark enemies and plan your approach. Switching control to Koby shifts the view to a first-person flight mode with full 3D control, enabling you to study patrol patterns and execute takedowns.
Koby is more than just a reconnaissance tool. He can unblock paths for Zoe, aid in battle by stunning enemies, and generally make your journey more manageable. The gameplay also involves platforming elements reminiscent of games like Uncharted. Zoe can climb through environments, wall-run on certain surfaces, and navigate obstacles with agility. These sections felt engaging, providing a nice change of pace from the stealth and combat sequences.
Upgrades and a skill tree let you tailor your playstyle, focusing on combat, gear, or stealth, providing plenty of opportunities to learn and experiment. While I appreciate what this game offers, the gameplay feels clunky. The AI isn’t great, often ignoring dead allies in plain sight, and normal attacks outside stealth ones feel weak since enemies have a lot of HP. Playing as Koby is interesting, but the demo didn’t showcase it well. Will we just scout enemies and help Zoe move around? It seems repetitive.
Additionally, you’ll be able to control other robots, but they often act on their own, ignoring your commands and getting stuck in various places. When I tested this feature, my companion charged at three enemies, dragging them towards me and making it harder to deal with the situation. On the positive side, the stealth elements felt good, and you can attack while clinging to walls. However, jump stealth attacks other than walls are missing. There is a lot of platforming, and while you can perform stealth attacks when jumping from a wall, it was difficult to do successfully, and there weren’t many opportunities to try it. Will there be bosses? I hope so.
Overall, Steel Seed is shaping up to be a unique addition to the stealth-action genre. Its combination of beautiful environment and strategic gameplay promises a rather interesting experience. The demo showcased a work in progress, but the potential is evident. From stealth executions to high-speed parkour, Steel Seed offers a mix of familiar and new elements that will keep you engaged and challenged.
Steel Seed will be available for PC via Steam.
English (UK) 
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