Stellar Blade

Stellar Blade is a blast. For external reasons, it'll likely be one of the most talked-about games of the year, so for the sake of brevity, I'll avoid those obvious points and instead get onto what the game itself has to offer.

The world of Stellar Blade is both beautiful and terrifying. The game strikes a nice balance between gorgeous aesthetics in environment design and brutal (and often bloody) enemies and combat. The two meshed quite well for me though, and this pleasant combination was helped by an absolutely phenomenal soundtrack that adds to the future/post-apocalyptic vibes in every level.

Combat is great. While I wouldn't venture as far to say that Stellar Blade is a soulslike, the difficulty in both random enemy encounters and boss fights is comparable, if not quite to the level of intensity that From Software games generally boast. Nonetheless, I found Stellar Blade to be a compelling and rewarding experience all on its own. The combat is quick and dynamic, and relies heavily on its dodge and parry mechanics, which it utilizes to (mostly) great effect. It functions as a risk/reward system that punishes the player severely for mistiming a dodge or a block, but it opens windows to decimate the enemy as well.

World exploration is mostly excellent, with a scanning system that reveals potential threats and secrets in a wide range. Numerous chests, costumes, and power-ups litter the multiple maps, making exploration and side quest-completing very worthwhile. Platforming is enjoyable, but wonky aerial movements and overly-precise detection zones for ropes and ladders can often contribute to frustrating retries that come off as cheap and unnecessarily difficult. It doesn't break the game, but it definitely detracts from an otherwise great setup.

In terms of the story, Stellar Blade walks a fine line between dark and melodramatic, but never quite ventures into standard levels of cheese found in your average JRPG. The characters are well-written and (mostly) well-acted. I can't say much more without spoiling the story, but suffice it to say that it worked for me, and you'll simply have to experience it for yourself.

In short, Stellar Blade is an incredibly promising start to what I hope will become a long-standing franchise. Its combat is excellent, its story and characters are loveable, and apart from a few mechanical hiccups, the world traversal makes for a very engaging experience. Whether you're a fan of tough, soulslike action games or are just looking for an awesome new game to drop 40+ hours into, definitely give this one a try.

Stellar Blade is a masterpiece that delivers on every front. The DualSense haptic feedback pulls you deeper into every fight, making every clash feel real The music is stunning, setting the tone for an epic adventure, while the combat is fluid, dynamic, and endlessly customizable thanks to a deep skill tree. The gorgeous graphics make every environment and character breathtaking, and the customization options; armor, earrings, glasses add a personal touch to the experience.. With engaging combat, a gripping story, and flawless attention to detail, Stellar Blade is an unforgettable journey and SHIFT UP has done a flawless job.

Sex Sells, if you're sick of sweet baby bs, and looking for eye candies, then the game is ok. But it offers nothing but the eye candies.

The lack of a mini-map or proper in-quest guidance turns not only side quests but also main ones into chores, not a challenge. You cloud spend a quarter running your head dizzy without knowing where to go next in a quest, especially with the sad pop music in the background and the dark yellow colour shades (takes you back to ps3 era lmao).

The art style feels like a cliché mashup of Unreal Engine store assets-neon signs, glowing clothes, and brooding back alleys that we've all seen a hundred times before. They should take a research, dive into 2077, blade runner or another cyberpunk style works. Can't just do a cheap style knock-off just because cyberpunk was a hit 4 years ago.

Conversations with NPCs are especially painful: wooden animations, uninspired dialogue, and zero emotional depth. It's like talking to mannequins in a wax museum. The whole thing reeks of surface-level flair without any real soul. If you're looking for a meaningful story or innovative gameplay, look elsewhere. This one will put you to sleep before the credits roll (before you get to the main city really).

Stellar Blade is an amazing game that blends stunning graphics and flawless performance to create a visual masterpiece. The soundtrack is breathtaking due to Okabe (did Nier soundtrack), making every moment have emotional depth. Fans of Nier: Automata will find a similar fusion of philosophical storytelling and stylish gameplay, while the precise parry system takes cues from Sekiro, offering satisfying challenges. The combat is exhilarating, blending hack-and-slash fluidity with tactical depth. Combined with its compelling narrative and immersive world, Stellar Blade is a total must play for action RPG enthusiasts.

Even on story mode it's inanely difficult to move across terrain, let alone fight. Has anyone there in Korea played Tomb Raider? Similar mechanics but I could actually finish Tomb raider. How is this designed for play station when every inch you move there's a controller related hazard? Combat is ridiculous. I don't know afar the attraction to perfect dodge and perfect party are but doing things at the last possible fraction of a second makes for a repetitive bore. That's not perfect. It's stupid. The graphics look great but this game is simply not sun. I'm not going to die 1000's of times just to progress. An epic failure with pretty visuals.