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

Description

Code Name: S.T.E.A.M. is a turn‑based strategy title presented through a third‑person shooter perspective, drawing frequent comparisons to Sega’s Valkyria Chronicles. Its art direction is styled after Silver Age American comic books, with bold outlines, exaggerated colours, and panel‑like transitions that reinforce its pulp adventure tone.

The narrative imagines a steampunk alternate history where President Abraham Lincoln survives into the late nineteenth century and secretly commands the Agents of S.T.E.A.M. (Strike Team Eliminating the Alien Menace). This eclectic squad is composed of figures drawn from American folklore, literature, and history including Tom Sawyer, the Lion from The Wizard of Oz, and John Henry, who unite to repel an alien invasion threatening Earth. The Japanese subtitle, “Lincoln vs. Aliens,” reflects the pulpy premise of Abraham Lincoln leading a steampunk strike force against extraterrestrial invaders.

Gameplay revolves around the careful management of steam as a resource, which powers both movement and attacks. Each character has a unique weapon and special ability, and players must balance advancing across the map with conserving steam for “overwatch” attacks during the enemy’s turn. Missions range from straightforward elimination to escort and rescue objectives, with medals and gears scattered across maps to encourage exploration.

The game leveraged the 3DS hardware to render fully 3D battlefields navigated in real time, a departure from the grid‑based systems of Fire Emblem, Intelligent Systems’ other flagship strategy series. The use of a third‑person camera gave the action a more immediate, shooter‑like feel, while still retaining the deliberation of turn‑based tactics.

The bold comic‑book aesthetic, inventive premise, and hybrid mechanics gave the title a unique identity. However reception was mixed due to perceived slow pacing, with enemy turns dragging due to the lack of a fast‑forward option at launch (later patched in). The eccentricity also turned some people off, but not everyone is interesting.