Steelrising

75%
Game Brain Score Based on 1,183 reviews
  • story
  • optimization
  • gameplay
Steelrising Game Cover
Next to Greedfall, SteelRising shows just how much Spiders has come on as a developer. There are some kinks for sure, but Aegis’ Parisian adventure is easily Spiders’ best game to date.
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"Steelrising" is a single-player Historical Hack and Slash game with an intriguing story, excellent gameplay, graphics, and music. As Aegis, a mechanical masterpiece, players must save the French Revolution by battling King Louis XVI's automatons using challenging combat mechanics and upgradeable abilities. However, the game is missing optimization, full of bugs, and requires lots of grinding, which detracts from the otherwise wonderful atmosphere.

  • PC
  • Play​station 5
  • Windows
  • Xbox Series X|S
  • Cloud
  • NVIDIA GeForce NOW
  • Play​Station
  • Xbox
Genres & TagsPlay Modes

Reviews

75%
Audience ScoreBased on 1,183 reviews
story202 positive mentions
optimization115 negative mentions
  • Unique setting of the French Revolution with clockwork automatons adds a refreshing twist to the genre.
  • Variety of weapons and combat styles allows for different playstyles, making combat engaging and fun.
  • Beautiful graphics and art design create an immersive atmosphere, enhancing the overall experience.
  • Poor optimization leads to significant performance issues, including frame drops and crashes, even on high-end hardware.
  • Limited enemy variety and repetitive boss encounters diminish the challenge and excitement as the game progresses.
  • The story and character development feel underwhelming and lack depth, making it hard to connect with the narrative.
  • story687 mentions

    The story of "Steelrising" is a mixed bag, with some players finding it engaging and well-integrated with the gameplay, while others criticize it for being convoluted, poorly paced, and lacking depth. Many reviews highlight the interesting premise set during the French Revolution, but note that the execution often falls flat, with repetitive side quests and a lack of compelling character development. Overall, while the narrative has its moments and can be enjoyable, it is often overshadowed by pacing issues and a reliance on fetch quests that detract from the overall experience.

    • “The story is intriguing enough.”
    • “The game has a decent story and all the side quests are interesting.”
    • “Great story, beautiful locations and animation, engaging combat.”
    • “The story is convoluted and very poorly paced, like it was an afterthought, and the cutscene animations were obviously cut back and rushed, with the weird-looking human models looking so bad compared to the automatons.”
    • “The story is filled with plot holes, way too much exposition, and is incredibly anticlimactic.”
    • “The story is so boring that I rush through the dialogue at every opportunity, and thank god I do since some of these conversations can go on, and on, and on.”
  • optimization369 mentions

    The game's optimization has been widely criticized, with many players reporting severe performance issues, including frequent frame drops, stuttering, and high resource consumption even on high-end hardware. While some users have managed to achieve stable performance with lower settings or specific configurations, the overall consensus is that the game is poorly optimized, leading to a frustrating experience for many. Players recommend waiting for patches or purchasing the game on sale to mitigate these issues.

    • “The game is absolutely gorgeous, but optimization is its Achilles' heel.”
    • “I enjoy the game, but the PC optimization is bad; you need an RTX 2060 just to play on low settings, and it doesn't even have stable frames.”
    • “Despite all the good stuff, the game is really bad at PC optimization.”
    • “The game is woefully unoptimized.”
    • “The awful performance was so atrocious that I was barely able to run the game at a playable framerate.”
    • “This game has garbage optimization.”
  • gameplay345 mentions

    The gameplay in "Steelrising" is generally well-received, featuring solid combat mechanics and a variety of imaginative weapons that encourage aggressive playstyles. While some players appreciate the unique features like the stamina cooling mechanic and the game's aesthetic, others criticize its lack of innovation, repetitive enemy design, and occasional clunky controls. Overall, it offers a fun experience for newcomers to the souls-like genre, though veterans may find it less challenging compared to other titles.

    • “More importantly, the gameplay is solid and combat has a great feel to it, matched with an array of interesting weaponry.”
    • “The gameplay is actually fun with a variety of weapons that each do something different for their special moves.”
    • “Fluid combat mechanics: Steelrising offers smooth and responsive combat mechanics.”
    • “The gameplay is a little stiff and clunky, though that is to be expected of any third-party souls game.”
    • “The gameplay manages to escape from becoming the confused mess previous Spider games are by adopting soulslike sensibilities, but doesn't really evolve past the basics with its severe lack of enemy variety, repetitive encounters, and uninspired level design, making it feel more like a pale imitation of the real deal.”
    • “The game has a great setting but its difficulty is beyond stupid with its mechanics; it has terrible dodge, and it's just a farm to overlevel and fight bosses or just wait for bosses to attack you and then poke and run.”
  • graphics302 mentions

    The graphics of the game have received mixed reviews, with many praising the stunning art style and detailed environments, particularly the steampunk aesthetic. However, numerous players have reported significant performance issues, including inconsistent frame rates and high system requirements that do not seem justified by the graphical fidelity. Overall, while the visuals are appreciated, the optimization problems detract from the experience for many users.

    • “Steelrising is a very fun souls-like with a good story, great visuals, and amazing music.”
    • “Stunning visuals: the game’s world is beautifully crafted, with a rich, detailed environment that captures the essence of its alternate history setting.”
    • “The graphics are very detailed and very good looking, but maybe a bit too demanding.”
    • “I heard it wasn't very well optimized, but this is something else: the game ran like absolute crap, and I had to set graphic options to medium settings (I can run most AAA games on high or max) to get decent FPS!”
    • “The graphical fidelity is nowhere in line with how hard it hits the hardware, even on medium and low settings.”
    • “The graphics are not that impressive these days, even the faces of characters in the dialogues are graphically really poor.”
  • music70 mentions

    The music in Steelrising has received widespread acclaim for its beauty and originality, enhancing the game's atmosphere and storytelling. Many reviewers highlighted the soundtrack's ability to evoke emotions, with specific praise for its fitting compositions during combat and exploration. While some found the music to be occasionally forgettable, the overall consensus is that it significantly contributes to the immersive experience of the game.

    • “The music in this game is on another level.”
    • “The atmosphere and feel of the areas you explore are absolutely incredible and the music fits the game extremely well, making it a very immersive experience.”
    • “The music of the entire game is fascinating, so well composed for the era and location.”
    • “The only con I have is the music.”
    • “Can't say the same about the music though – it's probably the most uninspired, bland and forgettable aspect of the whole game.”
    • “The music, story and voice acting are all serviceable and unremarkable.”
  • atmosphere63 mentions

    The atmosphere of the game is widely praised for its immersive and captivating design, featuring stunning visuals, detailed environments, and a compelling soundtrack that enhances the overall experience. Reviewers highlight the unique settings, particularly the historical context of revolutionary France, and commend the atmospheric storytelling and level design. Despite some technical issues, the game's ambiance and artistic elements contribute significantly to its appeal, making it a standout aspect of the gameplay.

    • “Beautiful and very original story, impressive level design, great atmosphere and especially loved the music.”
    • “The atmosphere and feel of the areas you explore are absolutely incredible and the music fits the game extremely well making it a very immersive experience.”
    • “Great atmosphere and story, also very enjoyable gameplay.”
    • “It would be higher due to solid gameplay and atmosphere, but the bad optimizations degraded it from what would be a 9/10.”
    • “Somehow the animation looks robotic despite tight controls which really helps contribute to the atmosphere.”
    • “I dig the atmosphere of filthy streets, damaged chapels, filthy tombs of XVIII-century Paris; the plot is rather engaging with some clever historical references to the mentioned period.”
  • stability33 mentions

    The game's stability has received mixed reviews, with many players reporting a significant number of bugs and glitches, including issues with item pickups, enemy AI, and occasional crashes. While some users experienced smooth gameplay without major problems, others found the performance inconsistent, with frustrating technical issues that detracted from the overall experience. Overall, the game appears to be quite buggy, leading to a lack of confidence in its long-term stability despite some enjoyable gameplay elements.

    • “It runs great and looks pretty good, is the bottom line.”
    • “No freezes and lags.”
    • “Game runs perfectly with no glitches.”
    • “However, be aware that the game is also very buggy, has some very confusing level design in several areas, and has an ending so painfully stupid that I'm annoyed that I'm outside the refund window.”
    • “Combat is fun despite the clunkiness, but people are not exaggerating about the performance issues; it's glitchy and buggy as hell, and it's been out for over a year now, so it doesn't seem like anyone's ever going to bother fixing any of it.”
    • “It's buggy, crashes, and is too demanding on hardware.”
  • grinding29 mentions

    Reviews indicate a mixed experience with grinding in the game. While some players appreciate the lack of excessive grinding compared to other RPGs and souls-likes, others find certain aspects tedious, particularly in combat and resource farming. Overall, the game is seen as generally respectful of player time, but some players still feel that grinding can detract from the enjoyment and exploration.

    • “The game is not very grindy and generally respects player time, and overall I think the game does a decent job of balance (but it is on the slightly too easy side of it).”
    • “Too much grinding, too little fun.”
    • “I am not a fan of those series, so grinding through the same mobs of bad guys just to level up enough to move forward a few inches, then do it all over again, is not my idea of a good time, or an escape from reality.”
    • “Why would I want to spend my free time farming over and over when I'd rather be exploring the world and having fun?”
  • character development19 mentions

    Character development in the game is generally viewed as limited, with secondary characters lacking depth and feeling more like plot devices than fully realized individuals. While the main character and overall character design receive praise for their aesthetics and animations, the narrative and character arcs are considered uninspired, leaving a sense of shallowness despite the game's appealing visuals and atmosphere. Overall, the game excels in character design but falls short in delivering meaningful character development.

    • “The voice acting and character design are well-executed.”
    • “There is also character development which was a surprise considering Aegis is a robot.”
    • “This game has a beautiful character design for the main character, an interesting clockwork dancer that reminds me of extremely high-quality warforged art for D&D, that I adored watching move, fight, and sprint across the game.”
    • “Limited character development: secondary characters lack depth and development, making them feel more like plot devices than fully realized individuals.”
    • “Character development is extremely uninspired compared to even the weakest titles by Spiders.”
    • “It doesn't help that all of the human character designs are quite boring and they're rendered fairly ugly.”
  • replayability12 mentions

    Overall, the game's replayability is mixed; while some players appreciate the character classes and new content in NG+ that enhance replay value, others find it limited and uninviting for multiple playthroughs. The customization options offer potential for varied builds, but balancing issues may detract from the experience, leading some to feel that the game lacks significant replay incentive.

    • “The NG+ in this game has a lot of new content, so that bonus for replayability.”
    • “The character classes give the game pretty good replay value.”
    • “Factor it all in with ample build options through weapon variety, stats, and armor to wear, and you've got yourself some replay value.”
    • “Overall, I'm glad I played it, but it's an average game with no real replay value.”
    • “No replay value for me, as the game neared the end I just wanted it to be over so I could move on to something else.”
    • “This balancing ruins build variety, because there's just an objectively better way to build your character, which affects replayability.”
  • emotional7 mentions

    The emotional aspect of the game is a mixed bag; while some players found the story touching and impactful, particularly during key moments that elicited strong feelings, others felt that technical issues and poor animations undermined the emotional weight of the narrative. Despite these criticisms, many appreciated the game's dark atmosphere and the emotional climax it builds towards, with some moments resonating deeply and leaving a lasting impression.

    • “A nice souls-like with great graphics, good voice acting, and a touching story.”
    • “The true ending made me cry, and I really liked Aegis.”
    • “Having just now finished it, I can say it's an incredible game that excites with wicked combat, absorbs you in its dark atmosphere, and carries you through an amazing story that builds up to one emotional climax.”
    • “The emotional depth is lacking, making it hard to connect with the characters or their struggles.”
    • “I felt no attachment to the story; it was predictable and failed to evoke any real feelings.”
    • “The game tries to be emotional but ends up feeling forced and unconvincing.”
  • humor5 mentions

    Players find humor in the game's cut scenes, noting the comically "dead" expressions of characters, which adds an unintended comedic element. However, frustrations with combat mechanics and performance issues detract from the overall enjoyment, leading some to seek out more entertaining alternatives.

    • “However, the cut scenes can be pretty funny at times because of how 'dead' everyone's faces are; they look more robot-like than Aegis.”
  • monetization1 mentions

    The monetization strategy involves a unique mechanic where players can recover their full stamina bar by timing a button press correctly, effectively integrating ads into gameplay without disrupting the experience.

    • “The unique mechanic of cooling ads allows you to recover a full stamina bar by timing a button press correctly, but it feels more like a forced monetization tactic than an engaging gameplay feature.”
    • “The constant push for in-game purchases makes it hard to enjoy the game without feeling pressured to spend money.”
    • “I feel like the game is designed around monetization rather than providing a fun experience, which really detracts from the overall enjoyment.”
Positive mentions (%)Positive
Neutral mentions (%)Neutral
Negative mentions (%)Negative

Critic Reviews

71% average critic score

Buy Steelrising

Play time

9hMedian play time
13hAverage play time
4-20hSpent by most gamers
*Based on 14 analyzed playthroughs

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