Steel Seed: Everything We Know

Sci-fi lovers are in for a treat with an all-new dark sci-fi stealth-action game called Steel Seed. The game was first revealed at the Future Games Show. Powered by Unreal Engine 5, it looks like an absolute delight. Developer Storm in a Teacup will spearhead its development and, hopefully, release the game sometime in 2024. 

But what do we know of the story, gameplay, and platforms? Do the expectations, so far, make Steel Seed an upcoming game worth keeping an eye on? Find out in today’s Steel Seed: Everything We Know article.

What is Steel Seed?

Steel Seed is an upcoming single-player, stealth-action adventure game. It’s currently in development by Storm in a Teacup, the Italian developer that gave us Close to the Sun. While Close to the Sun was a first-person, survival horror, it seems the studio is branching off to test the waters of a new genre, which is pretty exciting given the already positively reviewed trailer that looks as striking as it does stealthy.

Story

Here’s a story you may already know: humans have pushed Earth to its limits. They have destroyed their natural essence with industrialization and are nearing the extinction of life. To their rescue come AI machines, safely harboring the last remaining human survivors in an underground facility. 

As was the case in Close to the Sun, a similar dystopian metal world features here. Plus, a focus on a story-driven adventure that shines the spotlight on a cybernetically enhanced survivor, Zoe, and her flying drone companion, Koby. 

Together, they must master all courage and save humanity from itself, all while searching for Zoe’s father and struggling to maintain her humanity through to the end.

Gameplay

Steel Seed features three main gameplay elements: stealth, action, and strikingly beautiful environments. As much as the dark, sci-fi world looks astounding, my bet is you will spend much of your playthrough fighting evil robots. Of course, stealth will carry the day, whether using Koby to assess nearby danger or slowly creeping up on enemies. 

That said, the trailer does reveal eccentric action sequences to showcase your prowess if your cover is blown. In fact, there are both melee and ranged weapons that Zoe can use that light up when drawn. So, ultimately, there’ll definitely be too many opportunities to get your hands dirty in the vast, underground facility Zoe traverses. Still, stealth is recommended more than approaching fights head-on, with Bianchi calling on players to “be the silent assassin.”

There’s notable stress on utilizing Koby to the maximum. Leaving him in the dark might cost a lot more. According to the trailer, the Zoe and Koby duo grow stronger as the story progresses. All the while, each of their skill trees grows more diverse. At the most basic level, Koby can help scout uncharted areas and assess the risks. He can interact with the environment for you and even engage in stealth combat. So, why not make the most of the guy?

Interestingly, Zoe will sometimes, at the deep end of the game, be able to hack enemy robots and turn them into allies. It introduces a wider variety of options for tactical combat, something that will hopefully help fill in hours upon hours of fun gaming. Overall, Steel Seed is a fast-paced, strategic melee combat game. It rewards you for your efforts in successfully getting past enemy lines. While stealthily navigating a breathtaking post-apocalyptic world.

Development

Developer Storm in a Teacup is leading the charge on Steel Seed, citing a 2024 launch window. Among the games the studio has worked on, 2019’s Close to the Sun gained the most recognition. The two games are ultimately cut from different fabrics. However, they do maintain a close similarity in their dark, post-apocalyptic setting.

Trailer

Storm in a Teacup released an announcement trailer in February 2023, showcasing the Zoe and Koby duo at full speed. You can see the underground facility run by AI machines. An anomaly renders the place in critical condition, instigating the cybernetically enhanced survivor, Zoe, and her flying drone companion, Koby’s, epic journey into the unknown. Check out the trailer here.

Evidently, the trailer sparks more questions than answers. Thankfully, a second trailer launched at the Future Games Show Summer Showcase 2023 event attempts to answer more questions about the gameplay. Most visible are the gorgeous sci-fi environments we can’t wait to take in. We also get a close-up of Zoe’s mechanical design. As well as Koby, who plays a huge part in helping Zoe explore and interact with the world around her.

Instead of facing fights head-on, you may need to strategize first with Koby. Plus, the trailer stresses the importance of making the most of your drone buddy. While stealth can sometimes grow on you, the trailer reveals that there are a variety of ways to use the environment to your advantage. Plus, they offer an incentive for players who excel at stealth kills. You can see sneak peeks into the ranged and melee weapons available, as well as fast-paced combat. It also showcases moments where you can hack an enemy robot and turn them into an ally. 

Release Date, Platforms & Editions

We expect Steel Seed to be released sometime in 2024. Beyond that, we don’t know when exactly the game plans to launch. That said, we do have confirmation of the platforms Steel Seed will release on, including PS5, Xbox Series X, and PC. 

You can add Steel Seed to your Steam wishlist as early as now. Simply head over to Steam here to get a notification as soon as the game drops. Otherwise, it seems there are no editions available for pre-order, though we’ll be sure to let you know in case anything changes.  Or, you can as well follow the official Storm in a Teacup social handle here to keep track of any new updates on Steel Seed.

So, what’s your take? Will you be grabbing a copy of Steel Seed when it drops? Let us know your thoughts over on our socials here.