In some ways, Stellar Blade is superior. The motion is superior, the soundtrack is superior, the world is superior. Nonetheless, once you peel again the curtain only a bit and peer behind all of the flash and magnificence, you discover that Shift Up’s character motion recreation may also be fairly tedious. It’s a recreation of dichotomies, one which’s stunning but flat, pleasing but irritating, huge but shallow. There’s lots to like about Stellar Blade, however equally, there’s lots to dislike, and after 30ish hours of slashing and dashing as Eve, I got here away from the sport wishing it have been extra refined in some regards and more difficult in others.
Stellar Blade follows Eve, a soldier of the Airborne Squad 7 regiment, who will get despatched all the way down to Earth to eradicate an invasion of freakish aliens referred to as Naytibas. As Eve battles these monstrosities within the hopes of saving humanity from annihilation, she stumbles upon a conspiracy in regards to the true origin of the Naytibas. It seems (shock!) issues aren’t fairly as they appear, and shortly, Eve is flying from zone to zone, using her blade like a skateboard, and taking a brief little journey to house to uncover the reality behind all the pieces: the Naytibas, the final vestiges of humanity, the opposite Airborne Squad members, even herself. It’s a windy narrative that, whereas predictable, has some introspective moments alongside the form of high-octane motion you may see in one thing like Naughty Canine’s Uncharted. Sadly, this cool story is hampered by stale characters and irritating platforming.
Stellar world, unstellar platforming
The sport’s world is fascinating. There’s the primary hub space, Xion, that’s acquired these stereotypical (however cool) “final human outpost” vibes: empty streets, dilapidated houses, buildings comprised of transport containers, deserted belongings like books and guitars. That is the place most missions start and finish, in addition to the place plenty of characterization occurs, since lots of the NPCs you work together with reside right here. Sadly, the characters themselves all really feel one-dimensional. The English voice appearing leaves lots to be desired, notably throughout emotional moments and tense conditions. There’s zero urgency behind the road supply, which hollows out pivotal situations into shallow nothingness. There’s actual magnificence to behold in Stellar Blade, particularly within the character fashions and environmental particulars, however as a result of characters are extra 2D than 3D (metaphorically talking), interactions with them come throughout as flat and lifeless whatever the emotional weight packed into the writing.
![Stellar Blade protagonist Eve strikes a pose with a sword in her right hand after killing an alien monster.](https://i.kinja-img.com/image/upload/c_fit,q_60,w_645/8bcde6dc81667fbec098136ca25d4b7c.jpg)
Exterior of Xion, there are a number of open zones so that you can discover, every relating a unique pure component: grass, grime, stone, water. These open zones are enormous, full of loads of enemies to struggle, sights to see, gadgets to gather, and aspect targets to finish. It’s straightforward to get misplaced in these locales, and I don’t imply that in a foul manner. Positive, you may actually get misplaced. Lots of the areas twist into one another, with pathways folding over and underneath the opposite, making navigation a ache. However as a result of there’s a lot to do and a lot to see in Stellar Blade, you don’t thoughts getting misplaced typically. Likelihood is that, when you do, you’ll encounter an non-compulsory boss, a surprising outfit, a stunning vista, or that one merchandise deep within the ocean depths so as to lastly full that one aspect quest, dammit. Sorry, that was a projection. What I imply is, Stellar Blade is full of stuff. Turning over each stone right here is enthralling as a result of it’s all useful in a method or one other.
It’s only a disgrace, then, that platforming on this recreation, nicely…it fucking sucks. Eve has such a bizarre weight to her. Regardless of her petite body, she appears like a sack of potatoes. On the similar time, although, she’s acquired this lightness that enables her to air sprint and double bounce. She’s each too heavy and too gentle, which makes the precision platforming Stellar Blade asks of you a irritating expertise. A slight tilt of the left stick and Eve is shifting, however when you let go of the left stick, Eve doesn’t come to a direct cease. She, as a substitute, winds down, like a automotive slowly creeping as much as a crimson gentle.
Good luck judging bounce distances with that, as her momentum makes even the tiniest bits of platforming a headache. And since she’s fast to go however gradual to cease, and vaulting over ledges is computerized once you’re near them, Eve will clamber over all kinds of obstacles and surfaces with out your wanting to take action. After I let you know I’ve died extra instances as a consequence of momentum points whereas platforming than to anybody enemy, not to mention the bosses, I imply it. It’s not Gollum ranges of unhealthy, however I had flashes of that recreation from behind my eyelids. Fortunately, not like Sméagol, Eve can put up one helluva struggle.
Killing (aliens) within the title (of drip)
Stellar Blade has been in comparison with plenty of video games: Bayonetta, DmC: Satan Could Cry (my private fave), Nier: Automata, Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice. These comparisons are all apt, as Shift Up’s character motion recreation appears like different character motion video games of latest reminiscence. Nonetheless, whereas it borrows plenty of concepts from Nier and Sekiro, I feel it’s nearer in perspective to Satan Could Cry. Eve is trendy, like Dante. She won’t be boastful or cocky, however she’s nicely conscious of her capabilities and experience. And like Dante, Eve takes no shit. It’s not all vibes, although, as Eve’s fight mechanics even deal with considerably just like Dante’s throughout the Satan Could Cry franchise.
There are many assaults to study, every flashier than the final. By mixing gentle and heavy assaults, you may pull off chain combos that get progressively extra complicated as Eve flips and twirls whereas swinging her sword like a blade dancer in gymnastics class. Eve additionally has a dodge and parry at her disposal, which helps you to evade assaults, block incoming injury, and deflect strikes outright to open enemies up for deadly executions. Stellar Blade is up its personal ass a bit, as each single kill outcomes on this momentary slowdown so you may soak up Eve’s animation and the enemy’s loss of life, I assume. However that will get actual outdated actual quick, particularly when there’s a gang of enemies on the display making an attempt to bury you and every kill…kills your momentum. Nonetheless, scrapping with the sport’s huge array of foes is exhilarating and simply pure enjoyable. The whole lot clicks, and once you unlock her full arsenal, Eve is the baddest bitch round.
Stellar Blade
BACK OF THE BOX QUOTE
“It is giving Bayonetta inside Satan Could Cry.”
TYPE OF GAME
Character action-adventure recreation.
LIKED
The extraordinary motion, trendy outfits, and introspective moments.
DISLIKED
The one-dimensional characters and irritating platforming.
DEVELOPER
Shift Up
PLATFORMS
PlayStation 5
RELEASE DATE
April 26, 2024
PLAYED
Simply shy of 30 hours.
I simply want the enemies, notably the primary bosses, put up extra of a struggle. There have been a handful of extra highly effective Naytibas that took me out, however these, referred to as warriors, have been nonetheless simply regular foes I encountered in Stellar Blade’s many open zones. Apart from the ultimate boss, not a single one managed to kill me. And once more, apart from the ultimate boss, I killed each single one on the primary attempt. Whether or not I performed on regular or outfitted the Pores and skin Go well with, which will increase the sport’s problem by eliminating Eve’s rechargeable protect, I not often died right here. (Until I slipped and died whereas platforming, that’s.)
Nothing was a lot of a problem, which is ironic contemplating how terrifying the enemy designs are. From pincer bug-looking aliens wielding two swords to pus-filled bulbs taking pictures exploding corpses from their mouths to brutes wielding weapons the scale of trains, Stellar Blade has some Bloodborne-ass, Lies of P-serving enemies to struggle. They simply don’t strike worry in the identical manner. I’m not saying each recreation must be punishingly troublesome, and I’m glad to see that Stellar Blade has an honest assortment of accessibility choices for issues like purpose help and auto quicktime occasion completion. Nonetheless, although, I’d’ve preferred a bit extra problem as a substitute of getting to attend until the top of the journey to actually begin sweating. However sadly, as soon as I discovered two or three hard-hitting combos that did wonderful injury to enemy shields, knocked them off stability for faster executions, and took stable chunks out of their well being bars, most enemies have been chumps. Whereas the sport may be very flashy, typically that flashiness is all type, no substance.
![Stellar Blade protagonist Eve, alongside Lilly (middle) and Adam (right), stare at a foreground character named Orcal.](https://i.kinja-img.com/image/upload/c_fit,q_60,w_645/b2ef5ac4ce8c66867615a2d07aac5d86.jpg)
Regardless of all this, I nonetheless had a good time with Stellar Blade. It’s a recreation of dichotomies, one which’s each enjoyable and irritating, however on this kind of center rut it finds a strategy to inform a fascinating story about transhumanism on the finish of the world and the way even robots really feel issues. The platforming may suck and Eve is likely to be unwieldy to regulate at instances, however the trendy motion makes up for the extra tedious components. It isn’t good, however in its finest moments, Stellar Blade remains to be fairly stellar.