TheRetroArcade
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Posts: 1,971
Joined: Feb 2026
Joined: Feb 2026
Steel Soul Shaper is like playing Cyberpunk 2077 from a totally different perspective.
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I've always been a fan of the idea of Cyberpunk 2077's ripperdocs and their many counterparts across fictional cyberpunk dystopias. It's a lovely bit of backwards-working worldbuilding: you want every thug and gangster on the street to have a metal limb and robot eyes because it looks rad, but how do you explain where they're getting it all? Back alley black market cybernetics doctors performing elaborate surgeries on the cheap, of course!
I was delighted, then, when I saw that upcoming sim Steel Soul Shaper is giving these unsung heroes of the violent crime community the spotlight. Putting you in the shoes of a cyberware surgeon opening a new shop in an unfamiliar district, it goes in-depth on both the nitty gritty of repairing and modifying a customer's implants, and the tribulations of running a small business in a techno-hellscape.
Trying out an early build of the game, I found myself quickly drawn in. A major portion of each day is spent simply chatting to the visitors to your shop, and Steel Soul Shaper does a very efficient job of getting you invested in all their little stories.
Pit fighter Komarov, for example, is the kind of underdog I can't help but root for. He comes in for a tune up on his cybernetic combat arms before a big fight, and though it's laid on a little thick (showing me a photo of the adorable little daughter he's fighting to feed isn't so much tugging at my heartstrings as yanking them with both robotic hands) he's lovable right from the off.
Others are less pleasant but no less interesting. At one point, a local gang member comes in to inform me he'll be collecting protection money from now on, adding some financial pressure but also fleshing out this grim new district I've found myself in. Then an irritating government-sponsored robot quizzes me on my devotion to the local authorities, injecting a fun bit of political satire into the day. Here and there, new customers come in for quick fixes and mods, lingering just long enough to show off their endearing quirks.
And then a rather well-to-do lady arrives, reeking of trouble, and lets me know...Read more: Full article on www.pcgamer.com
What do you think about this?
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Keep up to date with the most important stories and the best deals, as picked by the PC Gamer team.
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Every Friday
GamesRadar+
Your weekly update on everything you could ever want to know about the games you already love, games we know you're going to love in the near future, and tales from the communities that surround them.
Every Thursday
GTA 6 O'clock
Our special GTA 6 newsletter, with breaking news, insider info, and rumor analysis from the award-winning GTA 6 O'clock experts.
Every Friday
Knowledge
From the creators of Edge: A weekly videogame industry newsletter with analysis from expert writers, guidance from professionals, and insight into what's on the horizon.
Every Thursday
The Setup
Hardware nerds unite, sign up to our free tech newsletter for a weekly digest of the hottest new tech, the latest gadgets on the test bench, and much more.
Every Wednesday
Switch 2 Spotlight
Sign up to our new Switch 2 newsletter, where we bring you the latest talking points on Nintendo's new console each week, bring you up to date on the news, and recommend what games to play.
Every Saturday
The Watchlist
Subscribe for a weekly digest of the movie and TV news that matters, direct to your inbox. From first-look trailers, interviews, reviews and explainers, we've got you covered.
Once a month
SFX
Get sneak previews, exclusive competitions and details of special events each month!
Join the club
Get full access to premium articles, exclusive features and a growing list of member rewards.
I've always been a fan of the idea of Cyberpunk 2077's ripperdocs and their many counterparts across fictional cyberpunk dystopias. It's a lovely bit of backwards-working worldbuilding: you want every thug and gangster on the street to have a metal limb and robot eyes because it looks rad, but how do you explain where they're getting it all? Back alley black market cybernetics doctors performing elaborate surgeries on the cheap, of course!
I was delighted, then, when I saw that upcoming sim Steel Soul Shaper is giving these unsung heroes of the violent crime community the spotlight. Putting you in the shoes of a cyberware surgeon opening a new shop in an unfamiliar district, it goes in-depth on both the nitty gritty of repairing and modifying a customer's implants, and the tribulations of running a small business in a techno-hellscape.
Trying out an early build of the game, I found myself quickly drawn in. A major portion of each day is spent simply chatting to the visitors to your shop, and Steel Soul Shaper does a very efficient job of getting you invested in all their little stories.
Pit fighter Komarov, for example, is the kind of underdog I can't help but root for. He comes in for a tune up on his cybernetic combat arms before a big fight, and though it's laid on a little thick (showing me a photo of the adorable little daughter he's fighting to feed isn't so much tugging at my heartstrings as yanking them with both robotic hands) he's lovable right from the off.
Others are less pleasant but no less interesting. At one point, a local gang member comes in to inform me he'll be collecting protection money from now on, adding some financial pressure but also fleshing out this grim new district I've found myself in. Then an irritating government-sponsored robot quizzes me on my devotion to the local authorities, injecting a fun bit of political satire into the day. Here and there, new customers come in for quick fixes and mods, lingering just long enough to show off their endearing quirks.
And then a rather well-to-do lady arrives, reeking of trouble, and lets me know...Read more: Full article on www.pcgamer.com
What do you think about this?