Stellar Blade

This game wouldn't have survived in a release window with stronger competition. As it stands, it's a passable button masher with triple A graphics, tacky design and a ridiculous script.

Our protagonist, a comically modeled schoolgirl dressed like an early elimination from an episode of Drag Race (complete with heels, black lace choker and thirty six inches of virgin remy) rushes about like Danté or Bayonetta hacking up generic Whatevers, while disposable music takes you out of whatever moment the devs were going for.

The script and voice acting vacillate between WAY over the top, and bizarrely calm. It breaks the connection to the character and I'm left feeling that what I'm doing with my controller has nothing to do with what's unfolding on the screen. I don't like the latest iteration of the Tomb Raider series, but character and plot development is something those games do very well: Stellar Blade fails on this front.

Which would be fine if there was some blistering gameplay to sink my teeth into!

Nope. Bash bash bash. Done. And, as one other reviewer pointed out, character movement feels funny - it's stilted and lacks flow.

Stellar Blade isn't the worst PS5 title I own - far from it! - you might get some enjoyment from the campaign mode if you're nursing a hangover, and need something undemanding and basic. But for a full price release, I expect far better than that.