Stellar Blade really hits all the right notes, no doubt about it. The action? Awesome. The soundtrack? Awesome. The world it all takes place in? Yep, you guessed it, awesome too. But hey, let’s not the elephant in the room – behind all that glitz and glam, Shift Up’s character action game can sometimes drag its feet. It’s like rollercoaster of ups and downs, all wrapped up in one neat package. It’s gorgeous lacks depth, fun yet can be infuriating, expansive yet shallow. There’s a bunch to adore about Stellar Blade, but hey, let’s face it, there’s also a boatload to gripe about. After slashing and dashing my way through as Eve for about 30 hours, I couldn’t shake the feeling that the game could use a bit more polish in some areas and a tad more challenge in others.
Eve, our protagonist in Stellar Blade, is a member of the Airborne Squad 7 squad who’s been assigned the task of defending Earth from creepy alien invaders known as Naytibas. As Eve plunges into battles against these baddies in hopes of saving the world from doom, she uncovers a web of deceit that shakes her to her core. Plot twist alert – things aren’t as straightforward as they appear, and before you know it, Eve is zipping around different zones, gliding on her blade like it’s nobody’s business, even taking a detour into space to get to the bottom of it all – the Naytibas, the remnants of humanity, her squadmates, and most importantly, herself. It’s a rollercoaster ride of a storyline that, while predictable at times, manages to throw in some deep moments alongside the heart-pounding action reminiscent of something out of Naughty Dog’s Uncharted. Sadly, this gripping tale gets bogged down by bland characters and irritating platforming sections.
The game’s world is a real eye-catcher, no denying that. The central hub, Xion, screams “last human standing” vibes with its desolate streets, rundown buildings, and eerie remnants of human life scattered around. It’s where most missions kick off and come to a close, as well as where you get to know the NPCs who call this place home. However, the characters themselves feel a bit flat. The English voiceovers leave a lot to be desired, especially when emotions run high or situations get tense. The lack of urgency in the voice acting drains the life out of crucial moments, turning them into dull affairs. While Stellar Blade boasts some truly exquisite visuals in terms of character designs and environmental details, the interactions fall flat due to the characters feeling more like cardboard cutouts than fleshed-out individuals, regardless of the emotions poured into their dialogue.
Beyond the limits of Xion lies a multitude of open spaces awaiting your exploration, each brimming with the essence of nature: grass, soil, rocks, and water. These vast open areas are teeming with adversaries to battle, wonders to behold, treasures to snatch, and side quests to conquer. Getting lost in these realms is a common occurrence – not necessarily a negative one, mind you. Yeah, you could literally lose your way amidst the twisting paths merging and separating, turning navigation into a headache. But with the abundance of activities and sights in Stellar Blade, losing your bearings is more of an adventure than a bother. The odds are, if you wander off course, you’ll stumble upon an unexpected boss encounter, a fabulous wardrobe upgrade, a breathtaking view, or that elusive item lurking in the depths of the sea to finally wrap up that nagging side quest. Oops, pardon my outburst. What I’m trying to say is, Stellar Blade is brimming with content. Delving into every nook and cranny proves to be captivating because each discovery adds value in its own way.
However, it’s a crying shame that the platforming in this game…well, it just plain sucks. Eve’s movements are peculiar, to say the least. Despite her slight build, she maneuvers like a ton of bricks. Yet, there’s also this nimbleness about her that enables her to dash through the air and execute double jumps. She’s simultaneously too heavy and too light, turning the precision platforming demanded by Stellar Blade into a source of immense frustration. A gentle nudge of the left stick sets Eve in motion, but releasing it doesn’t halt her immediately. Instead, she comes to a gradual stop, akin to a car coasting to a red light.
Good luck judging distances for jumps when Eve’s momentum transforms even minor platforming bits into a major headache. Her momentum, combined with her propensity to auto-vault over ledges when in close proximity, results in her clambering over various obstacles against your will. Believe me when I say, I’ve perished countless times due to momentum mishaps during platforming, more than at the hands of any foe, including the bosses. It’s not quite as frustrating as Gollum’s struggles, but there were certainly flashes of that game haunting my thoughts. Fortunately, unlike our dear Sméagol, Eve puts up one heck of a fight.
 Stellar Blade clashing and kicks landing
Stellar Blade has been likened to numerous titles: Bayonetta, DmC: Devil May Cry (my personal favorite), Nier: Automata, Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice. These comparisons hold merit, as Shift Up’s character action game resonates with other recent character action titles. While it draws inspiration from Nier and Sekiro, I believe its vibe aligns more closely with Devil May Cry. Eve exudes style, much like Dante. She may not be brash or overconfident, but she’s acutely aware of her abilities and prowess. And akin to Dante, Eve takes no nonsense. It’s not all about vibes, though; Eve’s combat mechanics bear some resemblance to Dante’s over the Devil May Cry franchise.
A myriad of attacks await mastery, each flashier than the last. By blending light and heavy strikes, you’ll unleash chain combos that grow increasingly intricate as Eve flips and twirls, wielding her sword with the finesse of a blade dancer in a gymnastics routine. Additionally, Eve boasts a dodge and parry maneuver, enabling you to evade assaults, intercept incoming damage, and deflect blows outright to set foes up for lethal counterattacks. Stellar Blade tends to indulge in its own theatrics, slowing down with each kill to showcase Eve’s animation and the demise of the enemy, I suppose. Yet, this feature wears thin quickly, especially when facing a horde of enemies eager to overwhelm you, with each cessation in combat disrupting the flow. Nonetheless, engaging in battle with the game’s diverse array of adversaries is thrilling and downright enjoyable. Everything falls into place, and once you unlock Eve’s full range of abilities, she reigns supreme as the ultimate badass.
I can’t help but feel like the bad, especially the big bosses, could have put up a better fight. Sure, there were a few tougher Naytibas that got the best of me, but those warrior types were just like any other baddies I faced in the wide-open areas of Stellar Blade. Except for the final boss, none of them could take me down. In fact, apart from the last boss, I defeated every single one on my first attempt. No matter if I was playing on normal or using the Skin Suit to ramp up the difficulty by getting rid of Eve’s shield, I hardly bit the dust here. (Unless I messed up and fell while jumping around, of course.)
The lack of challenge is quite ironic, considering how terrifying the enemy designs look. Whether it’s creepy bug-like aliens brandishing dual swords, gross bulbs spewing exploding corpses, or massive brutes wielding train-sized weapons, Stellar Blade features some seriously hardcore enemies to face off against. But despite their intimidating appearances, they fail to instill that same sense of dread. I’m not saying every game has to be brutally hard, and I appreciate that Stellar Blade offers various accessibility options like aim assist and auto-completing quicktime events. However, I can’t help but wish for a bit more of a test instead of cruising through most of the journey without breaking a sweat.
Well, let me tell you, after I cracked the code on some awesome moves that wrecked enemy shields, left them wide open for a beatdown, and chipped away at their health bars, most bad guys were a piece of cake. Sure, the game looks all flashy and cool, but sometimes it’s all show and no.
But hey, I ain’t gonna lie, Stellar Blade was a blast. It’s a rollercoaster ride of ups and, mixing fun with frustration. It’s like walking a tightrope between the two, a gripping tale about transhumanism in a dystopian world where even robots catch feelings. The jumping parts may be a drag, and controlling Eve can be a pain, but the slick action scenes make up for the boring bits. It ain’t flawless, but when it shines, Stellar Blade really shines bright.
