Steel Century Groove
Loading critic reviews...
Deals
Finding deals...
Live Streams
Finding live streams...
About Steel Century Groove
Steel Century Groove is a rhythm-driven RPG where you command mecha that battle through synchronized dance routines. Developed by Sloth Gloss Games and released on January 28, 2026, it blends sci-fi combat with musical timing. Set in a world where rival mechs compete in high-stakes dance-offs, the game tasks you with building a squad of colossal dancers, perfecting their moves, and dominating the competition. The single-player campaign spans tournaments and lore-heavy missions, all set to a mix of synthwave and hip-hop tracks. It’s a bold mashup of strategy and rhythm, with battles that demand both button-mashing and precise timing.
Gameplay
Each battle is a choreographed clash of timing and tactics. You control a squad of three mechs, each with unique move sets tied to specific instruments in the soundtrack. During fights, you input commands in real time to match the music’s beat, with perfect timing increasing damage and combo multipliers. Missed notes trigger stagger animations, forcing you to recover or switch mechs. The game emphasizes party composition and role balance, a dancer focused on rapid kicks might pair with one who specializes in slow, powerful spins. Missions include arena showdowns, story-driven boss fights, and rhythm-based exploration. Controls are tight, with a mix of WASD and mouse targeting, but the difficulty spikes quickly as music complexity and enemy patterns escalate.
What Players Think
PlayPile community scores it 8.4/10, with 72% of players completing the main story. Average playtime is 20 hours, though 30% stretch into side quests. Moods are mostly "excited" (45%) and "frustrated" (30%), reflecting the game’s punishing rhythm challenges. Critics praise the originality but note a steep learning curve; one user wrote, “clever but tough on fingers.” Completion rates drop significantly after Chapter 5 due to increased tempo and combo requirements. The game features 50 achievements, with “Beat the Beat” (a perfect rhythm boss fight) being the most elusive, unlocked by just 9% of players.
PlayPile's Take
Steel Century Groove thrives for those who love rhythm games and mecha battles. Priced at $29.99, it’s a mid-tier buy with replay value in its diverse music library and character builds. While the difficulty can be off-putting, its blend of timing, strategy, and sci-fi flair makes it a standout. Skip if you dislike punishing rhythm mechanics or prefer straightforward RPGs. For the right audience, it’s a rewarding, if exhausting, experience that redefines competitive dance battles.
Game Modes
Single player
Achievements
Loading achievements...
Similar Games
Finding similar games...
Buzzing on Bluesky
Checking Bluesky...