A turn-based mech roguelite with outpost building and an escalating campaign, planned for Q1 2027.

Starni Games and Palaye have released a 12-minute gameplay walkthrough of STEEL CORE, an upcoming turn-based mech strategy game, just ahead of its first closed playtest. The video is developer-led and gives an extended look at the core loop: you manage an outpost, customize your mechs and fight increasingly dangerous waves of alien creatures called Xenoinsects in turn-based grid combat. The studio, based in Kyiv, Ukraine, also published new screenshots of the game’s biomes, enemies and mech designs.

Developer walkthrough of STEEL CORE.

Build Your Mechs Piece by Piece

Customization is a big part of the pitch. Each machine is assembled from a chassis, arms, legs, shoulder mounts, internal cartridges and micro-modules, and it can carry up to four weapons. Parts come in rarity grades, and perks roll differently on every mech, so two squads built from the same parts rarely play the same way.

In battle, you spend action points and work firing lines around terrain and your own units. You can arc grenades over cover and lay down flame walls and toxic smoke, and according to the studio, the strongest weapons are the ones that force you to stand somewhere dangerous.

🖱️ Grid tactics reward precise clicks. A large mouse pad gives your mouse room to move while you plan every turn.

Build by Day, Fight by Night

Between fights, you turn mining outposts into fortresses, with walls, gates, watchtowers your mechs can climb and fire from, automated turrets, power plants and drilling rigs. The catch is that every resource spent on defenses is a resource not spent on the squad. The loop follows the sun: you prepare while it’s up, study the incoming attack at dusk and hold the line until morning.

Resources are always short, and so is power, so every night you decide which buildings stay online. You also harvest Fibonite from dead aliens to make your machines stronger. On top of that sits a roguelite campaign, where you travel between hostile planets and moons. Each environment brings deadlier enemies, new hazards and a boss that changes how the fight works. Research carries over between runs, and so does the difficulty.

The Playtest and What’s Next

The first STEEL CORE playtest starts on November 5. You can request access on the game’s Steam page, and selected participants will receive further instructions before the test begins. The game is planned for PC, and the release is scheduled for Q1 2027.

🖥️ Planning a long roguelite campaign? A second monitor keeps guides and notes open while you manage your outpost.

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