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

Code Name: S.T.E.A.M. is a turn-based strategy game from Intelligent Systems, the makers of Fire Emblem, which brings the genre into a steampunk world inspired by classic literature – the main characters bear names like Tin Man, Henry Fleming or Captain Nemo. Battles take place on three-dimensional maps stylized with comic-book graphics featuring bold shaded outlines, and the combat system combines taking cover behind obstacles, a shared steam gauge that limits the number of actions per turn, and an interrupt-fire system in which an enemy can react to a character's movement with immediate shooting. Each character also controls their own robotic companion powered by the same steam, expanding the possibilities for combined attack and defense within a single turn.

This emphasis on risk with every step makes for a noticeably more cautious and tactical experience than classic turn-based strategy games, where the player moves with confidence. The 3DS version uses stereoscopic 3D to emphasize the depth of the battlefield, and the top screen is complemented by the bottom touch display for an overview of the map and planning turns, letting the player easily track enemy range as well as the team's remaining steam supply.

Although the game received mixed-to-positive reviews at release – some players criticized the slower pace of battles, while others praised the originality of the concept, the literary characters and the Victorian steampunk atmosphere – today Code Name: S.T.E.A.M. is seen as one of the more interesting and overlooked experiments in the 3DS catalog, showing that Intelligent Systems could push turn-based strategy beyond the tried-and-tested waters of Fire Emblem and offer players a markedly different, riskier way of thinking about battle.