Steel Garden

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Originally introduced during Koch Media Primetime 2021 as Final Form, METAL EDEN was a game that slipped under the radar for many. After years of anticipation, hopes for the ambitious Reikon Games project faded until it re-emerged from the shadows during the February 2025 State of Play as METAL EDEN.

We took notice, particularly since the last update from the Polish developer involved a wave of layoffs in 2024, leaving over half of its workforce out of work.

We mention this to remind you, dear reader, that while this game may look like a AAA production from a billion-dollar company, it was actually crafted by no more than 60 people in Eastern Europe.

After a final delay in May, the futuristic arena FPS landed in our hands on September 2, 2025.

But, did the development woes and lack of communication with its community affect the final product? Read on to find out.

GIVE IT ALL, HYPER

Centuries have passed since Earth became uninhabitable, leading to the creation of cores capable of housing human consciousness, which were then sent into space for safekeeping until the colonies on “Vulcan,” a planet dominated by megacorporations, became habitable.

Embracing a Cyberpunk-esque universe, things went terribly wrong. Thus, you’ll control “Aska,” a “Hyper Unit” on a mission to rescue what remains of humanity, following the commands of “Nexus,” one of the four engineers who vanished after a cataclysm on Vulcan.

To be honest, the storyline of METAL EDEN might not be its strongest point, but it serves its purpose, offering a solid narrative backdrop enhanced by the game’s stylish cinematics. We also couldn’t help but feel a thrill each time we heard our AI declare, “Give ’em hell, hyper,” before launching into the hellish fray of each mission.

Few games showcase their visual style as immediately as METAL EDEN. Right from the start, you’re bombarded with visual glitches, blender-like sounds mingling with synthesizers, and robotic voices that make you question, “Are we the villains?”

The game’s presentation is impressive: shining corridors ready to be painted with biomechanical fluids and skyscrapers of megacorporations stand in the distance, creating some of the most breathtaking skyboxes we’ve ever seen. As cliché as it sounds, every frame genuinely feels like a painting.

The Reikon team seemed acutely aware of this strength. In-between combat arenas, there are sections where you’re literally on rails, listening to character dialogues while soaring through the skies of planet Vulcan, taking in the hundreds of hours devoted to crafting the universe of METAL EDEN.

Beyond the art direction evident in the models and color palette, METAL EDEN employs aggressive color gradations, such as blue shadows, red neons, and green-blues for the “futuristic” designs. What’s interesting is that Reikon applies them with moderation, defining the game’s identity and ensuring that every screen element fits perfectly. It’s a visual treat.

One of the most exciting announcements from the State of Play in February was the return of composer Sascha Dikiciyan, aka “Sonic Mayhem,” a legendary figure in boomer-shooters, having crafted iconic soundtracks for Prototype, The Long Dark, Deus Ex: Mankind Divided, and, of course, Quake II.

The adrenaline-pumping combat arenas of METAL EDEN, teeming with enemy hordes and resource management, are enhanced by a soundtrack that injects a fierce urge for destruction, keeping us on the edge of our seats. Highly distorted digital sounds, vicious compression, and club rave beats perfectly align with the game’s aesthetic. We’re eagerly awaiting its official release, as it’s a soundtrack that’s perfect for our fantasies of suicide missions. An absolute marvel.

KNEE-DEEP IN LIMBO

Turning to the gameplay, it’s somewhat challenging to articulate how we feel about the game’s loop… but it’s not METAL EDEN‘s fault.

A persistent thought during our time with METAL EDEN was, “We’ve seen this before.” We’re talking about arm hooks and movement reminiscent of Titanfall, ammunition and arena-enemy management akin to Doom Eternal, and transitional sections reminiscent of Ghostrunner.

We don’t mention this as a negative. If you’re going to draw inspiration, why not from gaming titans? The downside is we couldn’t help but feel caught in a limbo where visual ideas are let down by chess pieces that simply fail to communicate with each other.

We had a blast decimating security units with a range of destructive weapons, even though they functioned much like those found in contemporary arena shooters, thanks to the game’s presentation and sound design.

We encountered the classic arsenal patented by id Software: pistols, shotguns, plasma weapons, machine guns, and grenade launchers. We were thrilled to see all our destructive tools remain relevant throughout the campaign. Specifically, the pistol helped us take down drones; the SMG fueled memories of the Nailgun; and the plasma weapons saved us countless times from heavily armored enemies.

Every sound and explosion reverberated as geysers of blood contrasted against spotless environs. Imagine a corporate office hallway, those that smell like gum with bamboo and gel balls in reception; now add 200 tons of gunpowder, plasma, and black currant jelly impacting the corridor.

The visual design of all weapons is unique and filled with delightful details that made us pause multiple times to admire them. We can’t say it enough: the craftsmanship in modeling is top-notch, technically and creatively.

METAL EDEN‘s main issue is the AI populating the combat arenas. Rarely did we need to use all our movement tools or weapon combos because, typically, the answer in any situation was to run in a horseshoe shape to avoid projectiles and exploit the pathfinding of melee-focused enemies.

To differentiate itself, METAL EDEN introduces a gameplay mechanic involving “extracting” cores from enemies to decide whether to enhance the next melee hit or launch it for an instant explosion.

The mechanic sounds intriguing—and it is—but it disappointed with its brutal cooldown. You see, every time you use this ability, you must wait around 30 seconds to reuse it, during which you’re free to use the rest of your arsenal to take down whatever’s in front of you. Eventually, you can upgrade to shorten this recovery time, but by then, you’ve already found better and more efficient means of destruction.

It’s unfortunate because the idea of generating “combos” from this ability alongside your movement capabilities suggests an important distinction from other market games. Yet, its execution leaves us, once again, in a combat limbo where we’re running in circles waiting for a timer’s permission to proceed.

I WAS THE BALL

Maybe our perception is a bit distorted… we’re coming off a streak of brutal video games since 2023, so we can’t help but think METAL EDEN would have broken through a few years ago. Since hindsight is 20/20, we’ll say the game is “fine” at best.

Throughout our time with METAL EDEN, it felt like the epitome of “style over substance” because the story, gameplay loop, and visuals overflow with creativity. This led us to initially salivate with the expectation of something more, but what you see is what you get. There’s no more, but also no less.

Among several mechanics is the “Ball Mode,” which, aesthetically, and as a break from shooting everything, sounds appealing. The reality is, considering the levels are linear, “Ball Mode” serves to unleash the characters’ chatter while traversing lava lakes and shooting enemies scattered through corridors. Ultimately, it leads to a button that opens doors, letting you continue with the game.

We never grew tired of METAL EDEN, nor did we feel it should end—maybe because there simply wasn’t enough time. On the highest difficulty level, even when pausing to take notes or appreciate the scenery, it clocked in at just about 6 hours, with the option to start over without a new game plus or anything like that.

This might sound negative, but we see it as “fine.” We felt the game lasted as long as it needed to—no more, no less. Otherwise, we might have approached this review with some resentment, but METAL EDEN contains no filler; it kept us engaged from start to finish and always valued our time.

A TRIUMPH OF PERSEVERANCE

METAL EDEN is a game that’s among the best visual showcases of Unreal Engine 5, featuring breathtaking visuals, stunning artistic direction, and a performance that leaves no room for complaints. However, it left us with ambiguous thoughts because it didn’t make us feel anything particularly bad or good. The passion comes more from its development, and the fact that we thought it was dead a few months ago. We’re glad that, after the storm Reikon Games endured, they managed to deliver an attractive final product.

We sometimes forget how challenging it is to deliver a project, with endless hours from a passionate team wanting to share their story or show us something impressive crafted by their hands. We would have loved to recommend it more enthusiastically, but it didn’t blow our minds; however, we believe there are worse ways to spend your money.

METAL EDEN isn’t mediocre; its very existence is proof of a resilience rarely seen in the industry, and for that reason alone, we’re indulged to recommend it. Don’t get us wrong: we’re not saying it’s a bad game, nor excellent; it’s one that, in the worst case, you’ll have experienced if you’re a hardcore fan of the genre.

Reikon punches way above its weight with this release, and that’s something we should appreciate. We’ll patiently await what’s next for the Polish studio, hoping they continue to deliver projects as visually impressive as RUINER or METAL EDEN. The studio is filled with ideas that we hope they refine and carry forward over the years.