Steelrising review – Soulsborne in the French Revolution

metro.co.uk:

Play as Marie Antoinette’s robot bodyguard in this alternate history Soulslike set in Revolutionary France.

The problem with imitating Bloodborne is that Bloodborne already exists. While the term Soulslike has become a genre unto itself, with games such as Nioh and Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order proving worthwhile entries outside of FromSoftware’s creations, most have borrowed from Dark Souls rather than the aggressive rhythm and atmosphere of Yharnam’s streets. As Bloodborne’s reputation has continued to grow over the years, it might be a case of dodging a comparison that’s difficult to overcome.

We should be clear: Steelrising doesn’t come close to Bloodborne’s quality, but it’s perhaps better than you’re expecting. Set in an alternate history depiction of Paris in 1789, you play as Aegis, a female automaton who serves as a bodyguard to Queen Marie Antoinette. As an army of machines terrorises the city streets, under the orders of a tyrannical King Louis XVI, you’re sent to seek out the king to stop the ongoing massacre.

The wild premise and French setting gives Steelrising an identity away from its inspirations. After a tutorial level in the Queen’s grounds, you’re hitching a boat to Paris where robots patrol the burning streets, and the bodies of dead citizens occupy every corner. While the visuals are occasionally muddy due to the dreary, mechanical colour palette, there’s a strong sense of place throughout – with altered recreations of Versailles and the Tuileries Garden being a refreshing change from the genre’s norm.

Of course, Paris doesn’t typically have killer robots parading around. The enemy designs, while not as delightfully messed up as FromSoftware’s finest, do an admirable job of injecting some personality