Steel Soul Shaper is a just-announced narrative-driven repair simulator set in a cyberpunk city. I was able to jump into the demo early and, after a couple of hours with the game, it’s piqued my curiosity to the point where I want more. You play as a cyberware surgeon in a secret back-alley clinic where clients show up with broken parts and complicated stories.
Best In The Biz
Steel Soul Shaper is set inside tech chop shop, Souler, which immediately gives off cyberpunk vibes. Neon accents cut through the darkness of the clinic, giving the art style a gritty, underground feel that perfectly suits a shady repair business operating well outside the law.
While you initially know very little about the games’ protagonist, it’s clear that they’re the go-to person for cyberware fixes, which is exactly the kind of reputation you want in a city like this. As new clients arrive at your door, more is revealed about the mysterious shopkeep.
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The demo showcases five tools that allow you to diagnose, clean, weld, paint, and engrave cybernetic parts. Each client arrives with a task list outlining what needs to be done, but you’re free to tackle these jobs in any order. It genuinely made me feel like a repair tech, figuring things out on the fly.
The gameplay actually reminded me a little of Hacknet, the 2015 hacking simulator — methodical, hands-on, and oddly satisfying. Albeit less complicated.
Dodgy Deals
You’re regularly placed in morally grey situations, choosing between doing the right thing or turning a profit — even if it means betraying someone along the way.
The demo features four different endings, shaped by the choices you make along the way. I managed to trigger one surprisingly quickly after deciding not to pay someone who was blackmailing me ‘for protection.’ In a dystopian 2086, I probably should’ve seen that coming.
Thankfully, the game autosaves chapters, letting you jump back and experiment with different decisions. You can also skip entire conversations if you’ve already seen them, although you can’t skip repeat repair jobs — which would have been a handy quality-of-life feature.
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I’d also love to see the ability to fast-forward through dialogue instead of skipping it entirely. That way you wouldn’t risk missing new information during repeat playthroughs.
Steel Soul Shaper, from Genepop and Spiral Up Games, carries a darker undertone beneath its repair-sim surface. Paying for protection, double crossing your friends – there’s more here than meets the eye. And I’m here for it. Bring on the full release!
A playtest for Steel Soul Shaper is live now on PC via Steam.
