Soulslike titles have to work harder than ever in order to differentiate themselves from a crowded genre. They share many characteristics such as stamina management, battling large-scale bosses, and checkpoint systems that respawn enemies when activated. This means their best chance of maintaining an individual identity comes from the settings and stories in which these Soulslikes take place, so fans are seeing increasingly varied worlds with unique aesthetics in the genre. SteelRising, the upcoming game from French developer Spiders, is looking to present its own weird and wonderful-looking world as the backdrop for some high-octane combat and traversal.
The French Revolution is not a setting gamers have been able to experience that often. Ubisoft's Assassin's Creed Unity is one of the most notable examples of a video game set in that period, and it is widely regarded as one of the worst entries in the franchise. It is this era in which SteelRising takes place during the year of 1789, but with a version of history where King Louis 16 has gone mad with power and unleashed an army of automaton machines on Paris and its citizens. Playing as the dancer-turned-bodyguard automaton known as Aegis, players are tasked with leading the rebellion against King Louis' machines, and liberating Paris from his control.
SteelRising's Setting is Unique
A recent trailer at the Nacon Connect digital event showed off SteelRising's DarkSouls-style combat and big boss fights, which paint a grim picture of the streets of Paris. Aegis looks to be incredibly flexible and mobile for an automaton, with a grappling hook gadget and a fast-looking dash technique able to get her out of a tight spot in an instant. The story looks set to feature more real-life characters from the era too, with Queen Marie Antoinette tasking the player with their quest.
The automaton-infested streets of Paris look cold and unforgiving. Trailers have revealed that Aegis has various weapons that are integrated into different parts of her body. Her weaponry will be varied and upgradeable too, offering a degree of build variety. Metal fans that sprout from her hands are shown to be used as a shield to deflect enemy strikes and bullets. Aegis' acrobatic nature is owed to her history as a dancer, a role she fulfilled before becoming a bodyguard for Queen Marie Antoinette. Unfortunately for her, King Louis' army seems every bit as fast and flexible as Aegis herself.
SteelRising's Bosses Could Help Set it Apart
Boss fights are one of the main factors in determining just how well-received and successful a Soulslike title often is. FromSoftware is a master of its craft in this regard, having been responsible for some of the most challenging and intense boss fights ever created. From what has been shown so far, SteelRising bosses have serious potential. Huge, imposing automatons that will protect King Louis at all costs stand between Aegis and her goal, and she will need to use every tool in her arsenal in order to overcome these 'Titans.' Each one looks to have a unique design and set of moves that should make for some challenging fights.
When SteelRising releases next month, it will enter into a fiercely competitive genre, which has plenty more incoming games on the horizon such as Lies of P, Black Myth: Wukong, and Wo Long: Fallen Dynasty. With such tough competition, SteelRising has its work cut out if it wants to be known as one of the most popular Soulslike games. Given its unique steampunk setting, and its fresh take on what is an underutilized historical period, it has a great chance of distinguishing itself from rivals and presenting a challenging, memorable experience.
SteelRising releases on September 8, 2022 for PC, PS5, and Xbox Series X/S.
