Show the AI Who’s Boss in Steel Seed

The specter of real-world evil AI may be stealing column inches right now, but as a fictional sci-fi trope, the idea dates back at least to 1968’s film and book 2001: A Space Odyssey. There is a rich history of pitting players against AI in games, too, including such unforgettable experiences as Chrono Trigger, Deus Ex, and the Portal series, among others. This year, ascendant Italian indie studio Storm in a Teacup is making a strong bid to add its latest title Steel Seed to that illustrious list. Intel Gaming Access did its best human impression and entered the chat with Carlo Ivo Alimo Bianchi, Creative Director and CEO at Storm in a Teacup, to get a fresh glimpse of the future.

Steel Seed offers a blend of stealth, combat, and mobility in a detailed world set in a distant future where, following a catastrophic event, humanity’s survival depends on AI caretakers. You play Zoe who—guided by a prototype drone named Koby—explores a massive underground facility loaded with secrets and ethical dilemmas about the future of humanity. “The game is for fans of story-rich adventures, immersive environments, and those who enjoy a blend of stealth, exploration, and emotional storytelling,” says Bianchi.

Stealth plays a central role—navigating the sprawling underground facility undetected is key. You’ll use glitch fields, environmental cover, and distractions to outsmart enemies, leading to tense situations where careful planning is rewarded. Combat is dynamic and strategic, with an emphasis on timing, positioning, and smart use of the environment over brute force. Mobility is another big feature, making use of Zoe’s agility to climb, vault, sprint, and slide around the facility. “Movement feels intuitive and empowers players to explore the verticality and complexity of each area,” says Bianchi.

The role of Koby, Zoe’s drone companion in the game, extends beyond that of futuristic tour guide. “Koby acts as more than just a tool—it’s a true second character,” Bianchi explains. “Koby can scout ahead, interact with the environment, and assist in solving puzzles, but its involvement in stealth and combat is where it truly shines.” To that end, you can command Koby to distract enemies, disable security systems, or create openings for Zoe to proceed. “The relationship between Zoe and Koby evolves throughout the game, with their teamwork becoming increasingly vital to survival,” Bianchi continues. “This dynamic combination of stealth, combat, and the synergy between Zoe and Koby makes Steel Seed an engaging and uniquely immersive experience.”

Creating such a meaningful and useful role for the drone required some productive head scratching from the dev team. “One of our biggest challenges was balancing the AI of Koby, to make it feel helpful and intelligent without overshadowing the player’s decisions,” Bianchi says. “To achieve this, we implemented an adaptive behavior system where Koby reacts based on the player’s actions and the environment.”

The team has mined a rich cultural future-history and their own back catalogue to bring immersive depth to the game. “Steel Seed draws inspiration from a wide array of sources, including classic dystopian sci-fi literature and films, as well as modern video games that blend narrative depth with atmospheric environments,” says Bianchi. “Our previous games influenced our approach to storytelling and emotional engagement, while games such as Horizon Zero Dawn inspired the balance of exploration and environmental design.”

Influences aside, it’s the design decisions that the team hopes will really let Steel Seed stand out from the crowd. “What sets Steel Seed apart in its genre is its focus on blending stealth mechanics with an emotionally driven narrative,” says Bianchi. “Unlike many action-adventure games, Steel Seed emphasizes the relationship between its characters—Zoe and her drone companion, Koby—as a central gameplay and storytelling element.”

“Additionally, the game tackles philosophical themes about humanity’s reliance on technology and the blurred lines between AI and human emotion, presenting players with thought-provoking choices that impact both the story and the world around them,” Bianchi continues. “This combination of environmental storytelling, puzzles, and emotional depth makes Steel Seed stand out.”

Expanding on the environmental storytelling aspect of Steel Seed, there’s apparently more to the underground world than meets the eye, with Bianchi describing it as “almost a character in its own right.” Each node in the facility has been designed with its own atmosphere and storytelling elements, from the lush biodome of the Biological Node to the industrial chaos of the Assembly Node. “There’s a hidden layer of lore embedded in the environment that rewards players who take the time to explore and observe,” hints Bianchi. “Additionally, the game’s stealth mechanics are tied to environmental interactivity, allowing players to creatively navigate challenges.”

The massive volumes of explorable space needed major investment from the team to ensure they retained the scale without compromising on the small stuff that brings them to life. “Optimizing the vast, interconnected areas of the facility without sacrificing detail was challenging,” says Bianchi. “We employed a modular design approach and worked closely with technical artists to maintain performance while delivering a visually stunning experience.”

The immersive environments and intricate details in Steel Seed make performance crucial for players to fully appreciate the experience. “Stable frame-rates and advanced graphical settings enhance the atmosphere, especially in areas with dynamic lighting and dense environments like the Power Node,” says Bianchi. Having more grunt under the hood is always an advantage, but the team has taken care to maximize the game’s accessibility. “PC gamers should aim for a system with a modern GPU, CPU and SSD to enjoy smooth transitions and responsive gameplay, but we put a lot of effort into an optimization that would make Steel Seed run at its best even on less performing systems. In this, Intel^Ⓡ X^eSS has proven to be a very important ally.”

Steel Seed is Storm in a Teacup’s first major collaboration with Intel. “It’s been fantastic. We’ve integrated X^eSS to provide enhanced upscaling, delivering crisp visuals while maintaining good performance,” says Bianchi. “Intel’s tools and support have helped us push the game’s technical boundaries, especially in optimizing for high-end PCs. An interesting thing is that X^eSS works well on many different GPUs, improving the experience even on other manufacturers’ graphic cards.”

As the release date approaches for Steel Seed, the Storm in a Teacup team are already planning for the future. “For Steel Seed, we’re exploring potential post-launch content, including story expansions and new gameplay features,” says Bianchi. “As for Storm in a Teacup, we’re already brainstorming our next project, which will likely build on the narrative-driven approach we’re known for. Our goal is to continue creating unique, emotionally engaging experiences that push the boundaries of indie game development.” Based on the studio’s trajectory so far, and seeing how Steel Seed is shaping up, it’s fair to say that this Storm in a Teacup is one that’s worth weathering.

Play the free demo and Wishlist Steel Seed on Steam