Steam and Metal

About

In "Steam and Metal," play as a brave daughter seeking revenge in a steam-driven aircraft for her father's death and the theft of his blueprints. This scrolling shooter, set in a steampunk world, features handcrafted pixel levels, hordes of steam enemies, and formidable bosses. Your solution to overwhelming enemy numbers? Shoot 'em all up!

Genres & Tags

Play Modes

Single-Player Play through the game's story or campaign solo

70%

Audience ScoreBased on 60 reviews

graphics10 positive mentions

music3 negative mentions

The game offers a charming steampunk theme and is beginner-friendly, providing a fair challenge for novices in the bullet-hell genre.
The dialogue and humor throughout the game are clever and entertaining, adding a light-hearted touch to the experience.
Despite its flaws, some players found the gameplay enjoyable and fun, especially when purchased at a discounted price.

The controls are often described as laggy and unresponsive, leading to frustration during gameplay.
The graphics and overall presentation are criticized for being low quality and reminiscent of outdated game design, lacking polish and depth.
Many players found the game to be too easy or lacking in challenge, especially for those experienced in the bullet-hell genre, making it feel lackluster.

graphics
28 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
36%
54%
11%
The graphics of the game are a mixed bag, with some players appreciating the cartoony style and pleasing visuals, while others criticize the use of outdated pixel art and lack of resolution options. The overall aesthetic is described as simplistic, reminiscent of early indie games, which may detract from the gameplay experience, particularly in a bullet-hell context where clarity is crucial. While there are stylish elements like illustrated sequences, the graphics often blend into the background, making it difficult to navigate during intense gameplay.
- “The graphics are nice and cartoony and it seems like it would be a lot of fun to play to the end.”
- “Graphics get the job done nicely; there's even a stylishly illustrated intro and ending sequence.”
- “Bullet-hell shmup with beginner - advanced difficulty, a short storyline, good music and nice visuals.”
- “A choice was made to use obsolete, decades-old retro pixel 'art' as a substitute for contemporary PC graphics.”
- “There's no option to change the resolution and no useful graphics tweaks.”
- “Graphics are a bit meh, though - at least the backgrounds :( look a bit like a game maker game from the mid-2000s.”
gameplay
18 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
22%
61%
17%
The gameplay has been criticized for its lack of depth, poor graphics, and frustrating mechanics, such as a cumbersome missile charging system. While some players find it fluid and fun, many describe it as a shallow imitation of better titles like Raiden, with uninspiring power-ups and a simplistic, "my first game" aesthetic. Overall, the experience is seen as mediocre, offering little to engage players long-term.
- “I would say the gameplay is fun enough and the dialogue funny enough that you will.”
- “Gameplay is fluid and fun.”
- “This game has a 'my first game' aesthetic and feel from the presentation to the graphics to the sounds to the gameplay.”
- “There is also a garbage mechanic of needing to hold down a button to charge to fire a missile on eventual release when done charging, where the timer for it to be ready is in a spot on the screen you cannot afford to glance at most of the time.”
- “Gameplay itself is your usual Raiden ripoff, only with worse graphics, handling, and shallower gameplay (not that anyone would really describe Raiden as deep).”
- “Gameplay is okay, but nothing special; power-ups are pretty uninspiring, and you're left with nothing after dying, which is frustrating.”
story
12 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
50%
33%
17%
The story of the game is praised for its engaging and lighthearted approach, featuring a moral about perseverance and the unpredictability of life. While it offers a shorter narrative typical of the bullet-hell genre, the dialogue and overall storytelling provide a refreshing contrast to the usual intensity, making it a notable aspect of the game. Players recommend it for its art and story, suggesting it is worth purchasing, especially on sale.
- “The story was good; I liked how it did not take itself so seriously, especially with the dialogue.”
- “Steam and metal is a pretty good game for what it is; now it's story time.”
- “One of the calmer bullet hells out there, but for what it lacks in insanity, it makes up for in story, which is refreshing for the genre.”
- “I recommend this game for its art and story, but as always, get it on sale.”
humor
6 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The humor in the game is highly praised, particularly for its clever and hilarious dialogue between characters, especially at the end of stages. Reviewers commend the writer's command of language, noting the dialogue's outrageous and histrionic quality, which adds to the overall enjoyment of the gameplay.
- “Personally, I loved it, especially the dialogue between the characters at the end of the stages that was both clever and funny.”
- “The dialogue is outrageously histrionic and hilarious—whoever wrote this has a great command of the English language and 19th century humor.”
- “I would say the gameplay is fun enough and the dialogue funny enough that you will enjoy it.”
music
6 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
33%
17%
50%
The music in the game is highly praised for its relaxing quality, contributing positively to the overall experience. Reviewers note that it complements the gameplay well, enhancing the visuals and storyline while catering to a range of difficulty levels.
- “Bullet-hell shmup with beginner to advanced difficulty, a short storyline, good music, and nice visuals.”
- “I relaxed for 5 minutes listening to this music, long enough to realize that I would be okay.”
- “Ditto for the music.”
- “I relaxed for 5 minutes listening to this music, long enough to realize that I would be okay.”