South Korean studio ShiftUP introduced Stellar Blade back in 2019, simultaneously with the mobile game Goddess of Victory: NIKKE. It was hard to believe that the creators of a “gacha” with an abundance of microtransactions would be able to make a high-quality single-player action game, but the beautiful trailers still inspired hope.
Soon Sony itself drew attention to the game and offered the developers a suitcase with money in exchange for exclusivity for the PlayStation 5. Perhaps this is exactly the case when the exclusive agreement only benefited. After all, initially Stellar Blade (which at that time was called Project Eve) was conceived as a relatively small and linear game, but thanks to the support of the publisher, the project grew to an even larger scale without losing quality.
For the portal MMO13.ru, interest in Stellar Blade was also aroused by the fact that the game director of the game is Kim Hyun-tae, who was previously an artist and art director of the once popular MMORPG Blade & Soul. Despite the different setting (post-apocalyptic versus fantasy), the author’s hand immediately becomes noticeable, at least in the character design. The developers did a great job not only of the main characters, but also of secondary characters, such as merchants and people who give out side quests.
Our protagonist named Eva deserves special attention. It looks really cool, but even if its initial design does not seem particularly original to some, the customization system can fix everything. The heroine simply has a huge number of costumes that are unlocked as you progress. Some are hidden in boxes throughout the levels, while others can be purchased from merchants. You can increase the trust level of NPCs by purchasing items from them, thereby unlocking new goods, including costumes.
In addition to the costume, you are allowed to change your hairstyle, but before that you need to complete the quest to find tools for a hairdresser. You can change both the hairstyle type and hair color. However, the heroine will have a tail in any case – they can only shorten it. In addition, you can choose earrings and glasses.
The graphic part of Stellar Blade is done with “Hurray!” Despite the fact that the game uses the fourth version of the Unreal Engine, it looks really great. The locations turned out beautiful and with many details emphasizing the atmosphere of the post-apocalypse. The musical accompaniment also deserves nothing but praise.
I would call the combat system a mixture of soulslick and slasher. The game itself is lighter than FromSoftware’s creations, but it still offers fairly challenging timing-based gameplay. There is no energy that needs to be constantly monitored, and in case of defeat you do not lose anything. However, it is still very important to dodge and parry attacks, as a mistake can cause you to lose a lot of health.
Thankfully, that doesn’t mean all of Stellar Blade’s gameplay is dodging and attacking. This may be the impression you get after playing the demo, but it doesn’t reflect the essence of the game at all. During battles, you need to take into account the behavior of enemies and many mechanics that are not thrown at you right away, but are revealed gradually, organically complementing the battles. Because of this, the combat system does not seem overloaded, but on the contrary, it becomes more and more interesting every time.
Some mechanics are unlocked through the skill tree. For example, you can unlock moves available after a perfect dodge or block. However, others are given as you progress. At one point, you have the opportunity to avoid the so-called fatal blow by pressing “forward + dodge” or “back + dodge”, depending on the color of the glow. In addition to regular beta skills, special alpha skills are added, for which a separate resource is spent. Even long-range combat had a place here. And in all this, oddly enough, you don’t get confused at all.
In Stellar Blade, the combat system requires players to react quickly and have a deep understanding of parry mechanics. Successfully parrying an enemy’s attacks fills the beta skill gauge and allows you to stun the enemy, opening up the opportunity for a powerful strike. The strategic approach to combat makes every encounter exciting. You have to choose when to attack enemies with a series of attacks, and when to carefully plan each move.
Overall, the developers managed to find the perfect balance in battles. They are not so hardcore that they force you to spend hours memorizing the behavior of enemies, but they are not too easy so that you can relax. At the same time, the combat system turned out to be really rich and exciting.
The locations differ not only visually, but also in game design. The very first place where we find ourselves after starting a new game is reminiscent of Dark Souls in its structure, with many bypasses and shortcuts that allow us to quickly get to this or that place. However, already the second location is completely open and reminiscent of classic open-world action games – there is even a tower, although there is only one. There’s even a section where your melee weapons and scanner are taken away, so you only have to fight at range.
Variety can be found throughout the entire playthrough of Stellar Blade. The game features puzzles, platforming elements, fast-paced chase scenes and exploration. Particularly noteworthy are the boss battles, which are distinguished by their thoughtful design, both visual and gameplay.
Regarding the story of Stellar Blade, it is not that interesting to follow and is only there to provide a specific goal for the player. The stories in side quests can sometimes be even more exciting because they focus on specific characters and immerse you in the world of the game. The most “lazy” ones are the quests from the notice board – they simply give a specific goal without any dialogue – find an item, kill 10 monsters, and so on. Fortunately, they are often completed during the course of the game in one go, so they are not too distracting.
However, despite the not the most outstanding plot, the ShiftUP studio managed to competently present us with a post-apocalyptic Earth, where humanity is on the verge of extinction. The streets are empty, the buildings are destroyed, and biotives rule everywhere – mysterious creatures that have filled the world. The planet seems lifeless, and the futuristic cities that once symbolized dreams of progress now stand deserted and destroyed.
Stellar Blade set a high bar of expectations that it not only managed to achieve, but significantly exceeded. This is a great action game with a really fun and deep combat system, beautiful graphics and great music. The game does not slow down as it progresses, constantly offering something new and interesting. We can only hope that the project will someday be released on PC and even more people will be able to appreciate it.