Steelrising is a promising souls-like that could use a bit more work – Hands-on impressions

gamepur.com:

Many souls-like games have graced the genre over the years and attempted to rival 2009’s Demon’s Souls, considered by many to be the progenitor of the genre. From development studio Spiders, Steelrising is another one of those games that comes out swinging, hoping to take at least a few Automats down with it. 

Steelrising takes place during the French Revolution in an alternate history where King Louis XVI has brought in powerful robots (the aforementioned Automats) to reign hell in Paris. You play as Aegis, an elegant marionette-style female robot turned warrior, and take on Louis XVI’s army of mechanized monsters. While Steelrising hits the mark in some areas, it drastically misses the mark in others. Considering the developers have little experience in creating souls-like games, this is to be expected.

The main aspect of Steelrising that sets it apart from other games in the genre is the unique 18th-century France setting. Roaming the streets of Paris and fighting off Automats that are reminiscent of clockwork machines of the time period makes for a strange, but exciting experience. Each of the enemies, while similar in style, ranges from chain-ball-wielding iron maiden robots to automatons with cannons for arms and great aim. While I am a veteran of souls-like games, I was not prepared for some of the enemies I encountered. They gave me a run for my money but never felt so challenging that I couldn’t beat them with some well-timed attacks and a little planning.

Aegis is more than a robot —she is a fighting machine, and true to that style, she must be outfitted with weapons and armor that match your playstyle. I started the game with steel fans that hit rapidly but felt awkward. After