Platforms: PlayStation 5
In a far-off post-apocalyptic future, the Naytiba, hideous monsters, have taken over Earth. The last hope humanity has for surviving and taking back our planet is a robotic K-pop idol decked out in skimpy attire and equipped with a sword.
While Stellar Blade has moments of high camp (such as save spots that open up a parasol, drop a dreamcatcher, and start playing smooth jazz when activated), it manages to get away with it because it lives up to its promise of being an incredibly stylish action game. Yes, the game heavily relies on cheesecake with its lead character EVE, who is constantly capitalised, wading into battle in armoured heels and rocking a ponytail long enough to make Ariana Grande jealous. Stellar Blade’s accomplishment is all the more remarkable considering Korean developer Shift Up has virtually no experience in the West; its only previous works are a free-to-play mobile game and a romance visual novel. Not to mention the amazing soundtrack and stunning visuals.
Prior to its release, NieR: Automata from 2017 was frequently compared to Stellar Blade. There’s no denying the similarities, and not just because both games feature slender anime girls as protagonists. Both games have utterly ridiculous plots and offer a variety of experiences that keep the player guessing. These experiences include open exploration, platforming parkour challenges, RPG-style quests for NPCs, linear action runs through carefully designed levels, and much more. A combination of tried-and-true sci-fi and horror tropes, modern AI anxieties, and attempts at class warfare are used to create the apocalyptic themes here. At the core, though, you’re still a cybernetic savior from a space colony trying to reclaim the planet with a sword.
Despite a persistent feeling of familiarity throughout, it was incredibly entertaining in and of itself.
Stellar Blade deceives you into thinking that EVE is truly capable of accomplishing this. The robot’s body permits an infinite customization of its moveset, and its equippable “exospines” enable customization for specific combat roles. While a defense spine and strong attack moves make EVE more of a bruiser, a stealth-focused exospine and the “ambush” skill let you play more like a ninja, sneaking up on enemies and killing them with a single blow. Do you prefer close-quarters fighting? A companion drone can eventually be upgraded into a multi-ammo gun, which can also be comboed into a series of melee attacks.
Regardless of your preference, EVE glides across the battlefield like a dancer and is always incredibly graceful. Even in its basic form, Stellar Blade combat has a fantastic sense of flow, with players exchanging light and heavy attacks to build up “beta energy” for more potent blows. This flow is further enhanced with each new skill that is unlocked. The Blink and Repulse abilities are especially enjoyable since they let you teleport behind or away from enemies based on a visual cue. Once you’ve mastered these, you’ll be able to practically juggle building-sized Naytibas.
Not to be overlooked are the Naytibas themselves, which are without a doubt some of the most creative and strikingly designed monsters in any media. The game features about sixty different enemy types, all of which are unique. These include skittering insectoid grunts, corrupted mechanoids that allude to the true origins of the Naytibas, and a gigantic Alpha whose entire head is a massive ring of grinding, hungry gears.
Despite all of its advantages, Stellar Blade never quite achieves a breakthrough of its own. NieR: Automata is by no means the only game that fans will recognize; there are hints of Dark Souls, Sekiro, and Bayonetta throughout. Although everything is incredibly well-done, there’s a distinct sense that the whole thing is somewhat remixed. It also loses some of its shine due to some genuinely horrible, sub-B-movie dialogue that is painfully flat, at least in the English dub. Nevertheless, it’s almost funny when EVE tells a shopkeeper in a deadpan monotone, “You don’t seem very likeable.”
Nevertheless, despite a persistent feeling of familiarity throughout, Stellar Blade proves to be a promising AAA debut from Shift Up and is incredibly entertaining in and of itself. Take pleasure in it right now and eagerly await the developer’s next move.