Steel Seed

With Steel Seed, Storm in a Teacup (Close to the Sun) takes a chance on a classic stealth-action adventure that lives and dies thanks to its duo of protagonists.

Steel Seed is a classic stealth action adventure set in a dark, futuristic world where humanity is on the brink of extinction. From the team behind Close to the Sun, protagonist Zoe and her flying drone companion Koby explore the depths of a hostile underground facility in search of answers and the key to human survival. The story explores the fine line between man and machine, trust and control, resilience and despair, revised and edited by author Martin Korda.

Gameplay is divided into three elements: parkour/platforming, stealth and combat. In the levels, which are not open worlds but rather expansive areas with metallic structures that often tower high into the sky, players control Zoe from a third-person perspective - and double jumps, wall runs, climbing and zip lines make the platforming elements relatively straightforward. This also allows players to avoid enemies. As a stealth action game, it's all about using shadows, distractions, glitch fields and the environment to evade or take out enemies, often by memorising their routes. The stealth system proves to be rock solid, with good controls - wait and strike from ambush. It's also possible to hack enemies up close and have them fight for Zoe. And this stealth approach often makes more sense than direct confrontation. Sure, Zoe can hold her own in a fight, but she seems pretty fragile.

However, at the heart of the game is Koby, a prototype drone designed to assist Zoe. Initially just a tool, Koby becomes a crucial partner, providing guidance and solving puzzles by interacting with the environment. Koby can also be controlled and used to explore the environment, tag enemies, lay mines later, or even attack or blow things up, but Koby is much more fragile than Zoe. It is also possible to customise skills and play style. There are three different skill trees with 40 different upgrades. Two of the skill trees are for Zoe. This allows you to improve Zoe's attacks and defences, or to specialise more in stealth and remaining undetected. The third skill tree is for Koby and makes the drone more effective and versatile.

"Steel Seed has been an incredible journey and a massive effort for our Team. We've poured our passion, creativity, and dedication into every detail to bring this world to life. This game is our homage to all the stealth-action players who thrive in the shadows, strategize every move, and embrace the thrill of the challenge. It's been years in the making, and we can't wait for you to finally experience it." - Carlo Ivo Alimo Bianchi, CEO & Creative Director of Storm in a Teacup

Steel Seed is being developed by Storm in a Teacup, a Rome-based game development studio founded in 2013 by Carlo Ivo Alimo Bianchi. They have released four titles to date: Nero, Enki, Lantern and Close to the Sun (2020). Steel Seed marks the studio's entry into the AA premium market. The game will be published by ESDigital Games, based in the UK and Cyprus. It's a global video games publisher specialising in premium indie and mid-core games for both PC and consoles. They have published and distributed titles such as Awaken - Astral Blade, Cats on Duty and Deck of Ashes. The publisher's catalogue is set to expand in the coming months with games such as Sky of Tides, Island of Winds and Memory Lost. ESDigital Games is not just about digital publishing. In addition to digital publishing, they also offer worldwide physical publishing.

Steel Seed launches on 22 April 2025 on PC (Steam and Epic Games Store), PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X|S.

Conclusion

Classic stealth action-adventure with a well-oiled duo in an original sci-fi setting.

Features

• Stealth action-adventure
• Fresh setting with large-looking environments
• Likeable and well-functioning duo