Steelrising is a single-player action RPG with soulslike combat set in an alternate version of the French Revolution. Players control Aegis, a highly advanced automaton created by the engineer Vaucanson, as she navigates a Paris overrun by mechanical forces loyal to the Clockwork King. The experience blends precise third-person combat, exploration across the city's streets and rooftops, and a narrative rooted in historical figures reimagined amid clockwork threats.
Gameplay
Combat revolves around stamina management in fast-paced encounters against robotic enemies and larger bosses. Aegis performs light and heavy attacks, blocks, parries, and dodges, with an emphasis on aggressive play since stamina recovers after a short cooldown. Players collect Anima Essence from defeated foes to upgrade weapons and skills, though this resource is lost upon death and must be reclaimed at Vestal checkpoints. These rest points also restore health and serve as the primary locations for character progression through stat allocation and module customization.
Exploration encourages vertical movement and tool use to reach hidden areas in neighborhoods, castles, and elevated sections of Paris. Weapons come in nine base types with dozens of variations, including distinctive options like transforming fans that double as shields and alchemical rifles that consume special capsules. An assist mode lets players adjust parameters such as damage output and enemy aggression to tailor the challenge level. The core loop alternates between methodical traversal, resource gathering, and intense fights that test timing and positioning.
Game Modes
Steelrising offers a single-player campaign focused on story progression through linear and semi-open sections of the alternate-revolution Paris. The main experience centers on advancing the narrative while completing objectives tied to historical allies and mechanical threats. Exploration and optional encounters provide additional depth without separate modes or multiplayer components. A story DLC titled Cagliostro's Secrets adds new areas, enemies, and bosses accessible after substantial progress in the base campaign.
Story and Setting
The narrative unfolds in one night during a twisted take on the French Revolution. Aegis serves as a bodyguard to Marie Antoinette and must confront the king's automaton army while seeking out surviving figures and unraveling the motives behind the mechanical uprising. Historical characters such as the Marquis de Lafayette, Maximilien Robespierre, and Alessandro Cagliostro appear alongside original elements. Environmental storytelling through notes and collectibles supplements cutscenes to reveal the conflict's layers.
Is It Worth Playing?
Steelrising delivers a competent soulslike experience on PS5 with responsive controls and steady performance that supports precise combat. The unique steampunk alternate-history setting stands out as a strength, offering a fresh backdrop for the genre's familiar systems of checkpoints, resource loss on death, and deliberate encounters. Reception has been mixed, with praise for the art direction, weapon variety, and narrative intrigue balanced against criticism of occasionally imprecise combat and unremarkable bosses. It suits players who enjoy challenging single-player action RPGs and are drawn to the mechanical twist on revolutionary France. Those seeking extensive post-launch support or multiplayer will find the game complete following its 2022 release and single DLC expansion. The assist mode broadens accessibility for different skill levels without altering the core challenge for those who prefer it. Overall, it provides a solid option for fans of the genre who value atmosphere and customization over groundbreaking mechanics.
