Players take on the role of Miranda Bowen, a young woman mutated into a human/alien hybrid, who is humanity's last hope of repelling an alien invasion.

Not long after the start of the war, alien pods rain down from space onto North America, sprouting metallic tentacles upon landing.

Miranda must battle her way through Kansas, Las Vegas, San Francisco, Houston, Cape Canaveral, Washington, the Antarctic, an alien planetoid, and the Moon in an effort to save the Earth.

Reviewers generally praised the uniqueness of Steel Harbinger's player character, particularly her ability to eat the corpses of her victims to replenish energy;[2][3][4] the massive levels and overall length of the game;[2][4][5] and the use of disappearing walls to enhance the 3D view.

"[5] However, Dan Hsu of EGM called it "one of the better mindless shoot-'em-ups out there",[2] Hugh Sterbakov of GameSpot "a grisly, action-packed joyride",[3] and Next Generation "fairly entertaining gameplay well worth a peek or two.