Nice, but ruined by its maps and bugs
Steelrising is a game developed by the studio Spiders. It's about an 18th-century automaton who must reach Paris to thwart the threat posed by its out-of-control peers.
I'll say upfront that I'm not a big fan of souls-like games, especially when they are purely a matter of reflexes, but Steelrising redeems itself heavily thanks to a rich RPG component and an assist mode, which make this genre accessible to everyone.
In my opinion, you have to consider that the target audience should be as broad as possible. It's one thing for a game to not be to your taste, but feeling frustrated in a game where the plot and gameplay draw you in is not very pleasant.
Getting back to Steelrising, as mentioned earlier, it features an easy-to-manage role-playing component that is crucial for completing the adventure. The music and plot are highly enjoyable and change based on various factors, such as combat phases or the current area.
Another positive factor is the existence of a subplot amidst the devastation of France, which makes the world surrounding the game feel substantial and far from trivial. The game successfully references key historical figures along with their political ideas, such as Robespierre and General Lafayette.
A massive issue is the numerous bugs present, which ruin the game's immersion. The three main bugs I encountered are: items I couldn't pick up correctly, notes that didn't appear right away (which drove me crazy in some areas), and the annoying issue of enemy health bars not showing up.
Another significant flaw, which heavily impacts the experience, is the labyrinthine structure of the maps. In some areas, you can really feel the repetitiveness and monotony. This flaw is noticeable right from the early missions, where you try to figure out where you are but get the feeling you're not making any progress. In fact, sometimes you just feel completely lost.
Steelrising is a commendable game, but it deserved more attention and care regarding its maps and overall structure.