Shift Up's newest IP overcomes the odds!
Stellar Blade is a massive hit! As Shift Up's first console game, this is a huge achievement for them. And despite some controversies, Stellar Blade has been well-received by critics and players alike.
The game is performing well commercially. It has sold a million copies worldwide. Stellar Blade was also sold out in Japan for several weeks. The game has been in Famitsu’s top 10 software sales for multiple weeks. Nowadays, it’s quite impressive for a new IP.
What is it that makes Stellar Blade that huge hit? I will be diving deep into that topic. And I'll be sharing my thoughts about Stellar Blade.
Presentation
Design
Stellar Blade is the most gorgeous game that I have ever played. The visuals are stunning. And the designs of the characters are the best I have ever seen. Each character design is not only distinct, but they are visually appealing.
The Natyibas's designs are an art of work. These grotesque creatures are unique. I have never seen such beautiful yet gross designs of enemies until Stellar Blade. Creating the Naytibas with 3D models was a brilliant method of craftsmanship.
The biomes and locations are rendered with exquisite detail. It gives you an impression of a bygone age when humanity once thrived. And the ruins of a past civilization never look so beautiful.
Performance
Stellar Blade’s performance is perfect. I played the game in Performance mode. There were no bugs or frame rate drops during my playthrough. The game ran smoothly, and I had no problems whatsoever.
The game has a balanced mode which I tried. And I had no issues with it either. Plus, it provides a good mix of performance and graphic modes. Balanced mode is for people who don’t want to sacrifice fidelity or performance.
Music
One of the strongest elements in Stellar Blade is the music. The musical score is strong yet beautiful. The background music of every biome is fitting yet unforgettable.
And this goes for the boss fights too. These boss themes are unforgettable bangers.
There is not one boss theme that I have forgotten. All the music in Stellar Blade creates distinct memories of each event, boss battle, and location. There are a lot of tracks that I keep listening to nonstop.
Stellar Blade’s soundtrack also has the most beautiful ballads of any video game I have played. These songs are relaxing and emotional too. One example is the song, “Beyond Fate.” Beyond Fate is an incredible and exquisite song.
Gameplay
Combat
Stellar Blade’s greatest aspect is combat. Combat is a happy medium between a hack-and-slash game and a Souls game. It takes influences from Nier Automata, Sekiro, God of War, and Jedi Survivor.
Eve can perform combos with the square and triangle buttons. Square is for light attacks and Triangle is for heavy attacks. Players can use one button for combos, or they can use both buttons. Having two buttons for combos allows for a lot of variations.
Parrying and Dodging
First, you have to pay attention to your enemies’ movements. Once you know their attack patterns, you can block your enemies’ attacks. Blocking an enemy attack perfectly counts as a perfect parry. Each perfect parry decreases your opponent’s balance.
Once their balance has been completely depleted, they will be helpless. This helplessness opens enemies up to a brutal yet stylish retribution from Eve. Retribution attacks will cause massive damage to your enemies.
In addition to parrying, Eve can also achieve perfect dodges. Perfect dodging allows you to avoid damage from an enemy attack or combo. Perfect dodges allow Eve to counter with the right skills.
Blink and Reprise
Blink allows Eve to dodge a devastating attack. When Blink is executed, Eve teleports behind the enemy. She is free to counterattack.
Reprise works similarly to Blink. Eve knocks the enemy back canceling their big move. A successful reprisal stuns an enemy while revealing their weakness. This is the time to use your ranged attacks to devastate them.
Beta Skills
Eve also has access to Beta skills. Beta Skills are Eve’s special attacks. These skills can inflict a lot of damage. And they can disrupt your enemies’ actions. Furthermore, each Beta skill has a special effect.
For example, Triplet, my favorite skill, lowers an enemy’s balance. A Triplet can also inflict some massive damage. Slash is good for crowd control. I used Slash to get rid of the small fry quickly.
Beta skills have a lot of power. More importantly, they have a lot of utility. Knowing when to use them will make your journey through Stellar Blade more enjoyable.
Beta Skills are not the only skills Eve can learn. She will gain access to Burst skills. Furthermore, she will gain a special mode that allows her to use special combos and moves unique to that mode. Eve's speed and power will also be enhanced in this mode.
Action Elements
Range Attacks
Thanks to Lily, Eve can use the drone to attack enemies from a distance. Eve can fire a different assortment of rounds. The ammo that Eve uses has unique effects.
There are sections of the game where you can only range attacks. So you'll be making good use of the drone's long-range capabilities. You must be even more vigilant in these range-only sections as any creature can jump out at you without warning.
Platforming
There was quite a lot of platforming in Stellar Blade. Something that I did not expect in Stellar Blade. The platforming brought me back to the old-school games when you had to jump on platforms to proceed. And I always had a love-and-hate relationship with platforming.
While I was fine with a good portion of platforming, there were times when I didn’t know where to jump next. As a result, I ended up falling to my death more than I should have. Having markers on where to jump next would be great.
I did enjoy the wall running and jumping. It was another cool feature that I was not expecting. My only critique about wall running is that I wished it was easier to execute.
Puzzle Solving
Stellar Blade has a lot of puzzles. A lot of the puzzles were simple to figure out. However, some took a bit of thinking and experimenting. But I still had fun figuring out a lot of them.
The Playstation puzzle stood out the most. Following the PlayStation buttons in the right sequence was cool. The puzzle also combines sequence with the platforming. It was a cool, innovative way to combine the game action elements with puzzle solving.
Story
Stellar Blade’s story was good. However, I feel the characters and the story have a lot of untapped potential. And the storytelling in the game doesn’t spell out you, especially in the middle portions of the game.
For instance, the beginning of the game is engaging. And it is how you get hooked into Stellar Blade’s world. However, the middle portions of the games are predictable. However, the game’s story is a lot deeper than you realize.
At first, I thought the story was average and predictable but after watching some videos and digging into some of the lore of Stellar Blade. I realize that the story of the Stellar Blade is deep and complex.
Stellar Blade is a thought-provoking story about humanity. And what it takes to be truly human. The game has a lot of biblical references such as gods, humans, evolution, and technology.
The climax of Stellar Blade is full of truth bombs and surprises. I won’t give away spoilers. However, there is a character in the game that makes the game's climax interesting and shocking. And I hope that character returns and has a bigger role.
Stellar Blade does have some good endings. And the true ending leaves a lot of intriguing and potential story elements for a sequel. Shift Up is considering a sequel right now. And with the amount of sales and prestige that Stellar Blade is achieving. A sequel to this game is becoming more of a reality.
Characters
The cast of Stellar Blade is quite likable. However, the cast could have more depth into their background and personalities. Also, I wish there was more bonding between the characters. Those built-up bonds and emotions would make Stellar Blade’s pivotal story beats more impactful.
Eve
I like Eve a lot. And it was great playing as her. At first, it may seem like she is a bland character. This couldn’t be farther from the truth. Eve loses her squad members and Tachy. Tachy was a big sister and mentor to Eve.
Eve has no time to grieve as she’s only the one who can carry out the mission. Eve is likely suffering from PSTD too. As a result, she is initially despondent. Eve locks emotions away to focus on the mission.
Eve becomes more expressive as you progress through the game. Eve’s emotions are unlocked as she helps the people of Xion through the main story and side quests. Eve displays more emotions especially when she learns the truth about everything. Lastly, she goes through a major change that will have heavy implications for the world and herself.
Lily
These characters also have a lot of potential. The only character who reaches their full potential is Lily. Completing Lily’s affinity goes into her backstory and reveals a lot of depth for Lily. Also, Lily brings out hidden sides of Eve. This all made Lily my favorite character of Stellar Blade.
World Building
The world-building of Stellar Blade is the strongest narrative element. The game does an exceptional job of building up Stellar Blade’s world. This is accomplished by the characters, main story, side quests, and lore. Since I love good stories and lore. I ended up falling in love with the world of Stellar Blade.
Side Quests
There is nothing groundbreaking about the side quests in Stellar Blade. Most quests have you looking for objects, missing people, or battling monsters. Most missing people you find are dead. Eve often brings closure to the clients who request the missing persons.
While the tasks of these side quests are predictable, side quests are still worth it. Eve builds a rapport with her clients. And the citizens of Xion open up to her more.
And the rewards of the side quests are worth it. The best things that Eve receives from a successful side mission are access to special shops, merchandise, and facilities. Even better, Eve will get blueprints for different outfits. These outfits are the best rewards since I love dressing up Eve in various attire.
Stellar Blade’s Future
I am ecstatic that Stellar Blade is a massive success! It’s been a while since I have been hyped about a new IP. And this new IP delivered hugely.
Stellar Blade’s massive success is great news for everybody. It’s a huge W for Shift Up, gamers, consoles, and the gaming industry. With Shift Up considering a PC and sequel,
Stellar Blade has the potential to be even greater!
Images and Gameplay Captured In-Game.
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