We’ve got a brand new game coming. Stellar Blade is a forthcoming action-adventure game for the PlayStation 5 this April 26, 2024. It is a PS5 exclusive title from the fairly unknown South Korean studio Shift Up.
Its stunning graphics and challenging gameplay have been creating buzz around the game. But is Stellar Blade going to be a great game? So far, let’s review what we know.
Beautiful Yet Gruesome World
The most instantly noticeable feature of Stellar Blade would be its visuals and art style. It is set in a post-apocalyptic world ruled by hordes of aliens called the Naytiba. The environments are a combination of dark futuristic landscapes and crumbling structures.
The character designs are also very impressive. While there are only a few human characters, the developers used advanced 3D scanning to create highly realistic models.
The protagonist Eve in particular has drawn attention for her stunningly beautiful yet realistic design. In contrast, the enemy creatures feature grotesque and viscerally detailed models that look appropriately menacing.
A Souls-Like Combat Challenge
Where Stellar Blade really shines is in its challenging combat system inspired by games like Sekiro and the Souls series. Precise timing and a mix of parrying, dodging, and combos are essential to overcome enemies and bosses.
Stellar Blade‘s combat has been praised as exhilarating yet balanced, rewarding skilled play without being punishingly difficult.
The game seems to not have a vast variety of combat styles. However, there is a deep skill tree system that allows players to customize their abilities and find their preferred approach.
Overall, the focus is on mastering the tight, well-crafted combat mechanics rather than a breadth of gameplay styles.
A Somewhat Generic But Intriguing Story
The story premise of Stellar Blade is fairly standard post-apocalyptic sci-fi fare. As a member of an airborne military squad, the player controls Eve on a mission to reclaim a ravaged Earth.
While not groundbreaking, early impressions indicate the storyline has an appealing cast of characters and world-building that could take the narrative in intriguing directions.
A Retro-Inspired Delight?
In many ways, Stellar Blade is shaping up to be a nostalgic callback to the challenging action games of previous eras. The level-based structure, lack of open-world distractions, and minimal handholding all harken back to the games of the early 2000s and before.
This old-school approach combined with Stellar Blade’s stunning modern visuals and tight combat system could make for a truly special experience.
There are still some potential areas for improvement noted in the demo impressions. These include occasionally clunky platforming and inconsistencies in defensive moves like dodging and healing.
But overall, Stellar Blade is generating incredibly positive buzz from those who have played the demo. If this stylistic and challenging nostalgia trip can deliver on its full potential, Stellar Blade could end up as one of 2024’s biggest surprises and must-play action games.
