Code Name: S.T.E.A.M.

Genre: Strategy-RPG

Players: 1-2 Competitive / Co-Op (Local Wireless / Online)

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Review:

Code Name: S.T.E.A.M. is a Strategy-RPG with Third-Person Shooter elements released on Nintendo 3DS in 2015. As the name implies, this game takes place in a steampunk-inspired world and features as its heroes extremely loosely-adapted versions of both historical figures and literary characters outfitted with steam-powered weaponry to fight a mysterious alien menace.

The presentation here is technically impressive, with detailed 3D environments and character models, full voice acting for the characters, and a decent (but not memorable) soundtrack seemingly inspired by action and war movies. Having said that, the style this game is going for may not appeal to everyone, with an extremely over-the-top comic book style, and a tone that seems absurdly testosterone-heavy. Even the announcer declaring it’s your turn seems to be shouting it out like some sort of 80s action movie parody. This combined with the comic book aesthetic and the retro setting and characters makes for an eclectic style that takes some getting used to.

Despite the very different presentation, Code Name S.T.E.A.M.’s gameplay is very much like the gameplay of the Valkyria Chronicles series, with the game featuring a hybrid of turn-based and real-time gameplay. Players and enemies each have a turn in which they can take their time deciding how to move their troops and line up their shots, with aiming done in much the same style as a Third-Person Shooter. Each character has a limited amount of steam that is used to move around and fire weaponry, and players must determine the best way to manage this resource.

One clever mechanic, and one that differs somewhat from Valkyria Chronicles, is the “overwatch” ability, this game’s version of opportunity fire. Characters who save enough steam during the player’s turn to power their weapons have the chance to take a defensive stance and fire at any enemies that wander into their range and line of sight, both dealing damage and stunning them, preventing them from moving or attacking. Likewise, enemies are also capable of doing this, meaning that players have a lot of motivation to balance their advance through enemy territory, ensuring that they leave enough steam so they can automatically counter enemies on the enemy turn, and also so they don’t run headlong into an immobilizing trap.

The controls here are quite excellent, with players using the analog pad to move, and changing the camera and aiming using their preferred input method, with the touchscreen, New Nintendo 3DS right analog nub, and face buttons all serving this purpose. For me, the touchscreen seemed to offer the best precision, but all of these are viable options.

I was honestly left scratching my head at how poorly-received this game was at launch, and apparently this is in part because one major post-launch change made for a vast improvement. When the game was first released, players and critics both bemoaned how long enemy turns can take, dragging down the game’s pace tremendously. Thanks to a post-release patch, there is now a handy fast-forward button that makes enemy turns go much more quickly. You can switch this on and off freely, but trust me when I say you will most likely turn this on and just leave it on for the duration of the game.

That’s not to say that this game doesn’t still have flaws, though. For a Strategy-RPG, there is depressingly very little character management and character progression. The gameplay here is largely focused on the battles themselves, and only unlockable sub-weapons give you any sort of customization you can bring to your characters. This could potentially still make for some compelling multiplayer play, except… well, the online servers for this game are abandoned, so don’t keep your hopes up for that.

In the end, Code Name: S.T.E.A.M. lacks the depth of the Valkyria Chronicles franchise, but it is nevertheless a fun game in its own right, and one that does a solid job of bringing that style of gameplay to the Nintendo 3DS. This is a superb Strategy-RPG, and while the presentation may not appeal to everyone, and the lack of character management options is disappointing, overall this is definitely a game worth looking into for fans of the genre on Nintendo 3DS.

tl;dr – Code Name: S.T.E.A.M. is a Strategy-RPG with Third-Person Shooter elements in the vein of Valkyria Chronicles, with a presentation that has steampunk-equipped historical and literary figures fighting invading aliens. The presentation here is great, though it won’t appeal to everyone. And the gameplay is fantastic, though a lack of character management options is disappointing. Still, even with these flaws, this is an excellent game for Strategy-RPG fans on Nintendo 3DS.

Grade: B

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