Stellar Blade ha sido una de las grandes sorpresas del año, y me ha brindado una experiencia sumamente disfrutable. Para ser el primer juego triple A del estudio surcoreano Shift Up, han hecho un trabajo excepcional. Este título representa una evolución perfecta del género hack and slash, combinando diversión y desafío en igual medida. ¡Muy recomendado!
This review contains spoilers
I highly dislike Souls-like games. I bought Dark Souls and it pissed me off for 4 hours straight. So I went into this game slightly anxious. Reviewers told it was not as difficult as souls-likes and I trusted that.
I was not disappointed.
Starting the game it went straight into the frey. No exposition. That is refreshing compared to Western games that can't help themselves with letting me in on everything from the start.
I struggled from out of the gate with getting a grip on the game. I knew parry and dodge was important so I jumped on that.
I did get somewhat better. Parrying came naturally to me. Weird that in FFVII rebirth I was dodging and not parrying.
My game first started to get better when I met Abaddon where I was getting my ass handed to me, until I really got pretty good at parry, dodge and blink.
There was a lot of design variety and Asian designs are different but so cool.
I died a lot in this game. A lot. Normally I would not be having that but this game did not let go of me.
I think it is due to the game not punishing me too bad on death, but also due to the battle mechanics being very clear so I knew why I died. It was because I did not do what I was supposed to and I knew exactly which move I should have done or that I needed to be better at performing the move. That is paramount for me it seems. The enemies are mostly telegraphing clearly and colour circles tell what type of move I should be doing.
Some people may think this makes it too easy but I found it perfect. I still need to perform the specific move at the right moment. Sometimes blink would f with me as it would fail even if a I knew I did it right. I obviously didn't and at the end of the game I had it nailed.
The fights when one on one are so fun and awesome that I just needed to keep playing. I have played every day since I started the game.
When doing multiple enemies the mechanics immediately slapped you in the face. Luckily there was not much of it and also layer on you get AOE skills that can mop up these battles, or else this would have detracted more.
Another part of the game they should work on for a sequel is traversal. I died so many times due to jumping that my potty mouth had to be washed. As reactive and fluent EVE feels in combat as unresponsive and awkward she feels when in need of precise movement while airbourne. It was not horrible. It was adequate but still bad enough that it detracts from the experience.
The boss battles (elites and alphas) were very very fun for the most part. And their designs so great.
My worst battle was the final battle against a Mech. It was just so over the top aggressive while the giant mech often hid it's telegraphs behind moving parts and being so fast that trying to keep up was mute.
The best fight was by far against Raven. I died so many times against her due to her aggression and her many different moves that I needed to memories, but I still kept on trying until I won.
The score during that fight was also my favorite. Raven rules.
The game alternates between linear content and open world content, like Batman Arkham Asylum. This is my favorite kind of mix as open world games today mostly suck as they often make the Ubisoft/EA mistake of just scattering hundreds of repetitive shite all over the place. Stellar Blade was for me the right mixture.
I got 31 nano suits in my first playthrough. I got most other collectibles of gear and mods, maxed out all stats, while I failed on the cans. I will do the rest in NG+ for sure.
Even me just thinking about doing the game again is not normal. I really like this game.
I was not disappointed.
Starting the game it went straight into the frey. No exposition. That is refreshing compared to Western games that can't help themselves with letting me in on everything from the start.
I struggled from out of the gate with getting a grip on the game. I knew parry and dodge was important so I jumped on that.
I did get somewhat better. Parrying came naturally to me. Weird that in FFVII rebirth I was dodging and not parrying.
My game first started to get better when I met Abaddon where I was getting my ass handed to me, until I really got pretty good at parry, dodge and blink.
There was a lot of design variety and Asian designs are different but so cool.
I died a lot in this game. A lot. Normally I would not be having that but this game did not let go of me.
I think it is due to the game not punishing me too bad on death, but also due to the battle mechanics being very clear so I knew why I died. It was because I did not do what I was supposed to and I knew exactly which move I should have done or that I needed to be better at performing the move. That is paramount for me it seems. The enemies are mostly telegraphing clearly and colour circles tell what type of move I should be doing.
Some people may think this makes it too easy but I found it perfect. I still need to perform the specific move at the right moment. Sometimes blink would f with me as it would fail even if a I knew I did it right. I obviously didn't and at the end of the game I had it nailed.
The fights when one on one are so fun and awesome that I just needed to keep playing. I have played every day since I started the game.
When doing multiple enemies the mechanics immediately slapped you in the face. Luckily there was not much of it and also layer on you get AOE skills that can mop up these battles, or else this would have detracted more.
Another part of the game they should work on for a sequel is traversal. I died so many times due to jumping that my potty mouth had to be washed. As reactive and fluent EVE feels in combat as unresponsive and awkward she feels when in need of precise movement while airbourne. It was not horrible. It was adequate but still bad enough that it detracts from the experience.
The boss battles (elites and alphas) were very very fun for the most part. And their designs so great.
My worst battle was the final battle against a Mech. It was just so over the top aggressive while the giant mech often hid it's telegraphs behind moving parts and being so fast that trying to keep up was mute.
The best fight was by far against Raven. I died so many times against her due to her aggression and her many different moves that I needed to memories, but I still kept on trying until I won.
The score during that fight was also my favorite. Raven rules.
The game alternates between linear content and open world content, like Batman Arkham Asylum. This is my favorite kind of mix as open world games today mostly suck as they often make the Ubisoft/EA mistake of just scattering hundreds of repetitive shite all over the place. Stellar Blade was for me the right mixture.
I got 31 nano suits in my first playthrough. I got most other collectibles of gear and mods, maxed out all stats, while I failed on the cans. I will do the rest in NG+ for sure.
Even me just thinking about doing the game again is not normal. I really like this game.
só um hack n slash com uma rabuda, parece ser bom pelo pouco que joguei
Um jogo de ação muito bem feito, gostei da gameplay, trilha sonora, a história é um pouco blockbuster demais, mas não enjoa, é decente, ainda abre margem para continuações.
O design dos monstros padrões do jogo eu achei mediano, agora dos boss, é incrível, principalmente os últimos.
Os personagens foram um ponto baixo pra mim, inclusive a própria Eve, os outros dois secundários não me pegaram muito, eu gosto de jogos em que nossos amigos são importantes e fazem algo de importante na história, o que não é o caso aqui. A animação facial também é um ponto negativo, achei bem mais ou menos.
Em questão do fanservice ou sexualização, eu só notei nos trajes, mas, é evitado pelo jogador ao não utilizar determinados trajes, que foi o que eu fiz, vi gente falando que em alguns momentos do jogo possuia sexualização desncessária, eu pelo menos, não notei nada disso.
Pontos positivos:
-Gameplay de ação muito boa
-Dificuldade na medida certa
-Boss Fight
-Desing dos boss
-Trilha sonora
Pontos negativos
-Expressão facial
-Personagens
-Inimigos repetitivos e com designs repetitivos
-Alguns trajes realmente tem um fanservice além do normal
-Senti falta de um vilão mais presente no jogo
-História é contada de maneira simples, mesmo tendo um grande backstory
O design dos monstros padrões do jogo eu achei mediano, agora dos boss, é incrível, principalmente os últimos.
Os personagens foram um ponto baixo pra mim, inclusive a própria Eve, os outros dois secundários não me pegaram muito, eu gosto de jogos em que nossos amigos são importantes e fazem algo de importante na história, o que não é o caso aqui. A animação facial também é um ponto negativo, achei bem mais ou menos.
Em questão do fanservice ou sexualização, eu só notei nos trajes, mas, é evitado pelo jogador ao não utilizar determinados trajes, que foi o que eu fiz, vi gente falando que em alguns momentos do jogo possuia sexualização desncessária, eu pelo menos, não notei nada disso.
Pontos positivos:
-Gameplay de ação muito boa
-Dificuldade na medida certa
-Boss Fight
-Desing dos boss
-Trilha sonora
Pontos negativos
-Expressão facial
-Personagens
-Inimigos repetitivos e com designs repetitivos
-Alguns trajes realmente tem um fanservice além do normal
-Senti falta de um vilão mais presente no jogo
-História é contada de maneira simples, mesmo tendo um grande backstory
This review contains spoilers
Stellar Blade was one of my most anticipated games, as I had been excited over several years to try this game that seemed perfect for me. The gameplay is undeniably the highlight, offering a fluid, stylish, and satisfying combat system. It reminds me of a mix between Sekiro and Bayonetta, with its parry-focused mechanics and combo potential. That being said, the game ultimately had some disappointments to me, and while it is not necessarily a bad game, it is leaning towards being a mixed bag for me.
Let's start with the positives. The variety and design of enemies are commendable, with over 48 unique types that keep the combat fresh, engaging, and visually impressive. Boss fights in particular are intense and rewarding, pushing you to master the game's abundance of mechanics. The introduction of new combat tools throughout the 20+ hour campaign keeps the action feeling fresh and exhilarating.
The world design is another strong point. The post-apocalyptic sci-fi setting is stunning, with highly detailed environments that showcase the power of the PS5. Exploring these areas is an experience in itself with breathtaking music and hidden collectibles with cosmetic items that add a layer of depth to the journey with Eve.
The soundtrack perfectly complements the gameplay, featuring a mix of electronic and orchestral tracks that enhance both the action and the emotional beats. With around 100 tracks in total, the music is a collaborative effort between Shift Up's in-house team and the acclaimed studio Monaca, led by Nier series composer Keiichi Okabe. Specific tracks like Everglow, Shelter, and The Song of the Sirens are standouts, featuring beautiful vocals and instrumentation.
Boss battle themes like those for the Democrawler and Belial receive special praise from me for their intensity and epic scale, perfectly complementing the impressive visual designs of these encounters. The main themes for the city of Xion and the Wasteland are other memorable pieces once they evolve. The light, emotional tone of many tracks provides a fitting juxtaposition to the dark, post-apocalyptic setting, enhancing the sense of melancholy and beauty amidst the ruin. It's easily one of my favorite game soundtracks in years. I will definitely be keeping it on some playlists.
Despite these strengths, Stellar Blade stumbles significantly in its storytelling and character development. The narrative feels like a poor man's Nier: Automata. It attempts to explore themes of artificial intelligence and human coexistence with existential dread but it falls short. And it doesn't just fall, it trips over itself and faceplants.
The story is predictable, with major plot twists being telegraphed far too early and lacking the impact they should have. The game waits until the last minute to dump most of its lore through long, drawn-out cutscenes, which makes the revelations feel unearned and out of left field. Character development is another major issue. The protagonist, Eve, comes across as emotionless and lacks a compelling arc, making it difficult to connect with her. Supporting characters are equally underdeveloped, with minimal backstory or growth. Adam, who is supposed to be a helpful companion, fails to leave a mark due to his lack of personality and charm. The late-game reveal of his true identity as Raphael Marks, the creator of key elements in the story, feels abrupt and poorly foreshadowed, further diminishing the narrative impact.
The pacing and structure also leave much to be desired. Side quests are repetitive and often involve tedious backtracking with little meaningful reward. Platforming sections are frustrating due to floaty controls and unclear hazard boundaries, which detracts from the overall experience. The upgrade system and RPG elements are poorly explained and balanced, leading to uneven progression that can be frustrating. The game's multiple endings are another point of contention. The ending I received, where Lily died, felt abrupt and unsatisfying, as if it was leading to something more that never came. The requirement to start a New Game+ (due to a lack of multiple saves) to achieve the true ending is frustrating and ultimately led me to delete the game out of disappointment.
Stellar Blade excels in its stylish combat, impressive visuals, immersive atmosphere, and outstanding audio design. Because of the many positives, I decided to go with this score despite how it fails to delivering a proper narrative, well-developed characters, and consistent pacing. Even though it doesn't reach the heights of its inspirations, it's still an enjoyable action game carried by its strengths, making for an intense action gauntlet, especially for Shift Up's first big game. I certainly will try a sequel with proper expectations, but I believe they can take all feedback and make an outstanding sequel one day with a much better story. If you can overlook the narrative shortcomings, the gameplay, graphics and soundtrack alone makes it worth a try.
Let's start with the positives. The variety and design of enemies are commendable, with over 48 unique types that keep the combat fresh, engaging, and visually impressive. Boss fights in particular are intense and rewarding, pushing you to master the game's abundance of mechanics. The introduction of new combat tools throughout the 20+ hour campaign keeps the action feeling fresh and exhilarating.
The world design is another strong point. The post-apocalyptic sci-fi setting is stunning, with highly detailed environments that showcase the power of the PS5. Exploring these areas is an experience in itself with breathtaking music and hidden collectibles with cosmetic items that add a layer of depth to the journey with Eve.
The soundtrack perfectly complements the gameplay, featuring a mix of electronic and orchestral tracks that enhance both the action and the emotional beats. With around 100 tracks in total, the music is a collaborative effort between Shift Up's in-house team and the acclaimed studio Monaca, led by Nier series composer Keiichi Okabe. Specific tracks like Everglow, Shelter, and The Song of the Sirens are standouts, featuring beautiful vocals and instrumentation.
Boss battle themes like those for the Democrawler and Belial receive special praise from me for their intensity and epic scale, perfectly complementing the impressive visual designs of these encounters. The main themes for the city of Xion and the Wasteland are other memorable pieces once they evolve. The light, emotional tone of many tracks provides a fitting juxtaposition to the dark, post-apocalyptic setting, enhancing the sense of melancholy and beauty amidst the ruin. It's easily one of my favorite game soundtracks in years. I will definitely be keeping it on some playlists.
Despite these strengths, Stellar Blade stumbles significantly in its storytelling and character development. The narrative feels like a poor man's Nier: Automata. It attempts to explore themes of artificial intelligence and human coexistence with existential dread but it falls short. And it doesn't just fall, it trips over itself and faceplants.
The story is predictable, with major plot twists being telegraphed far too early and lacking the impact they should have. The game waits until the last minute to dump most of its lore through long, drawn-out cutscenes, which makes the revelations feel unearned and out of left field. Character development is another major issue. The protagonist, Eve, comes across as emotionless and lacks a compelling arc, making it difficult to connect with her. Supporting characters are equally underdeveloped, with minimal backstory or growth. Adam, who is supposed to be a helpful companion, fails to leave a mark due to his lack of personality and charm. The late-game reveal of his true identity as Raphael Marks, the creator of key elements in the story, feels abrupt and poorly foreshadowed, further diminishing the narrative impact.
The pacing and structure also leave much to be desired. Side quests are repetitive and often involve tedious backtracking with little meaningful reward. Platforming sections are frustrating due to floaty controls and unclear hazard boundaries, which detracts from the overall experience. The upgrade system and RPG elements are poorly explained and balanced, leading to uneven progression that can be frustrating. The game's multiple endings are another point of contention. The ending I received, where Lily died, felt abrupt and unsatisfying, as if it was leading to something more that never came. The requirement to start a New Game+ (due to a lack of multiple saves) to achieve the true ending is frustrating and ultimately led me to delete the game out of disappointment.
Stellar Blade excels in its stylish combat, impressive visuals, immersive atmosphere, and outstanding audio design. Because of the many positives, I decided to go with this score despite how it fails to delivering a proper narrative, well-developed characters, and consistent pacing. Even though it doesn't reach the heights of its inspirations, it's still an enjoyable action game carried by its strengths, making for an intense action gauntlet, especially for Shift Up's first big game. I certainly will try a sequel with proper expectations, but I believe they can take all feedback and make an outstanding sequel one day with a much better story. If you can overlook the narrative shortcomings, the gameplay, graphics and soundtrack alone makes it worth a try.
the game that was supposed to end woke ends up being one of the most neutral and directionless games ive played in a long time
I am impressed for a couple of reasons..one is that there is basically no story or real art design so much so that it’s actually kind of awesome..this thing is smoother than a marvel movie
Second is that the combat rocks..it is actually really fun…if you’re not engaging with platforming the way it plays is great lol it has a better parry than lies of p even w that weird delay
Also the music is fucking incredible but we knew that would prob be the case
I really liked this game and want to see another one w better movement and no platforming…the second half of its run really shined and there’s something here to chew on
Shift up is wild tho and I will miss calling this bbl sekiro
I am impressed for a couple of reasons..one is that there is basically no story or real art design so much so that it’s actually kind of awesome..this thing is smoother than a marvel movie
Second is that the combat rocks..it is actually really fun…if you’re not engaging with platforming the way it plays is great lol it has a better parry than lies of p even w that weird delay
Also the music is fucking incredible but we knew that would prob be the case
I really liked this game and want to see another one w better movement and no platforming…the second half of its run really shined and there’s something here to chew on
Shift up is wild tho and I will miss calling this bbl sekiro
Stellar Blade had much more substance than many give it credit for. The art design is gorgeous, and despite clearly taking inspiration from several different series and genres, it all comes together to make something unique. The story was a highlight for me, even if it’s presentation felt off at times.
The difficulty spikes dramatically at the very end of the game, and despite the encounters feeling mostly fair, it was touch higher than I would have liked and brought the game’s pace to a pretty dramatic halt. This was a fun experience and is definitely a game that would hold up in repeat playthroughs.
The difficulty spikes dramatically at the very end of the game, and despite the encounters feeling mostly fair, it was touch higher than I would have liked and brought the game’s pace to a pretty dramatic halt. This was a fun experience and is definitely a game that would hold up in repeat playthroughs.
É estranho falar assim, mas Stellar Blade foi o motivo de eu ter comprado um PlayStation 5. Desde o primeiro anúncio, eu fiquei na expectativa e no anseio para o lançamento do jogo.
O jogo foi perfeito para mim, do início ao fim. É tudo lindo, num geral. Cenários são bem detalhados e bem feitos, as músicas são maravilhosas, movimentação do personagem e combate são incríveis, mesmo eu levando um certo tempo para masterizar a acostumar com ele. A história, pode ser até que genérica para muitos, mas me agradou completamente, o plot twist dela a partir de certos pontos me deixou encantado.
Único ponto que me incomodou mesmo, foi a falta de expressões faciais dos personagens principais do jogo. A dublagem PT-BR é muito boa por sinal, mas a sincronia falha em vários momentos e que deixo meio bizarro, mas é fácil desconsiderar erros como esse em meio a outros pontos muitos bons que o jogo entregou.
Foi minha segunda platina conquistada no PlayStation 5 e estou orgulhoso disso, satisfeito com o jogo, satisfeito com os momentos que tive com ele, satisfeito com a história que me agradou profundamente.
Seria um dos jogos que eu apagaria da minha memória e começaria novamente só pra ter mais uma vez a sensação fantástica que foi a primeira jogatina.
O jogo foi perfeito para mim, do início ao fim. É tudo lindo, num geral. Cenários são bem detalhados e bem feitos, as músicas são maravilhosas, movimentação do personagem e combate são incríveis, mesmo eu levando um certo tempo para masterizar a acostumar com ele. A história, pode ser até que genérica para muitos, mas me agradou completamente, o plot twist dela a partir de certos pontos me deixou encantado.
Único ponto que me incomodou mesmo, foi a falta de expressões faciais dos personagens principais do jogo. A dublagem PT-BR é muito boa por sinal, mas a sincronia falha em vários momentos e que deixo meio bizarro, mas é fácil desconsiderar erros como esse em meio a outros pontos muitos bons que o jogo entregou.
Foi minha segunda platina conquistada no PlayStation 5 e estou orgulhoso disso, satisfeito com o jogo, satisfeito com os momentos que tive com ele, satisfeito com a história que me agradou profundamente.
Seria um dos jogos que eu apagaria da minha memória e começaria novamente só pra ter mais uma vez a sensação fantástica que foi a primeira jogatina.
What a great game, imagine it like a mix of Metal Gear Rising and a sprinkle of Dark Souls. I'll very likely do the other endings aswell.
Peak cinema.
This review contains spoilers
Absolutely loved this especially the combat and the ending cutscenes given you get the secret ending
After doing the new game plus and achieving two endings I can easily say that Stellar blade is really good.
I really loved the story ( even with the various flaws and unoriginal bits) the gameplay with the very robust and solid combat system, that takes a lot from other of the genre like Sekiro and DMC but it makes it's own with a lot of style and options to approach and kill the enemy.
The graphics are really impressive with really good looking scenery from desert to abandoned cities and original art style from the monster to eve itself with a lot ( really a lot ) of suits to choose and discover.
The audio it's the one that I would say it's not perfect, the music is perfect, with a lot of tunes that I will put on my playlist for sure but the voice acting was lacking, at least the Italian one ( my native language) I tried to like it but it was really without emotion for me.
Other than that the game is amazing, I can't recommend it enough.
I really loved the story ( even with the various flaws and unoriginal bits) the gameplay with the very robust and solid combat system, that takes a lot from other of the genre like Sekiro and DMC but it makes it's own with a lot of style and options to approach and kill the enemy.
The graphics are really impressive with really good looking scenery from desert to abandoned cities and original art style from the monster to eve itself with a lot ( really a lot ) of suits to choose and discover.
The audio it's the one that I would say it's not perfect, the music is perfect, with a lot of tunes that I will put on my playlist for sure but the voice acting was lacking, at least the Italian one ( my native language) I tried to like it but it was really without emotion for me.
Other than that the game is amazing, I can't recommend it enough.
So far I’m enjoying it, combat is fun and the story is interesting. The music is beautiful and it reminds me a lot of Nier automata.
this game made me straight
This game surprised me. At first I was only interested in this game because Eve was super hot, however i had no intend to pre order it, but i played the demo and i enjoyed the combat and music so i pre ordered it. First, to get some negatives out the way before i start talking about the positives, the story isn't all that special, its an alright story that i'm not gonna get into or analyze, the two open areas were just barren and only there to have side quest happen, however i do like the linear areas in the game, and the balancing of this game is weird not just with bosses as some areas have the worst enemy placement (That secret area you get access to when the lily bar is full and that desert open area had horrible placement) and even some bosses looked like they weren't even play tested just put in. Now on to the good, first of all the obvious is that this game is breathtaking, its so beautiful the graphics look so good and the design of the naytibas are so cool and i love the design for the bosses and it gets better as the game goes on. The combat was so solid and i loved it, the parry and perfect dodge felt solid and the game wants you to be aggressive however the game doesn't have a deep combo system but i don't mind that. The OST was so good, each area had a banger and the boss fight themes went so crazy like it had a range of electronic themes to metal themes to orchestral themes. This game also has a boss challenge and im a huge boss rush mode lover and i love that they let me replay these amazing boss fights without having to do a new game. This game is solid and i recommend it if you love challenging games.
I went into this not expecting to have so much to say
This was actually a blast. I had so much fun with this. WAY more than I expected. First to mention, is I think that game journalists blew the horniness out of proportion. There's some "sexy" outfits (shit, some of them buff Eve's "assets") but I feel the game was trying harder to be "Beautiful" and elegant, more than "sexy as fuck." Most attacks end with elegant twisty strokes, the soundtrack is mostly made up of softer k-pop, which is dynamic with combat, which is so sick. The soundtrack, is PHENOMENAL. A lot of standouts. From k-pop, to dubstep, to straight up metalcore. The combat was tactile, weighty, and deliberate. The negatives I have are some rough english voice acting, and the story being a little too, serious about itself.
But gameplay and aesthetic are really WAY better than expected.
This was actually a blast. I had so much fun with this. WAY more than I expected. First to mention, is I think that game journalists blew the horniness out of proportion. There's some "sexy" outfits (shit, some of them buff Eve's "assets") but I feel the game was trying harder to be "Beautiful" and elegant, more than "sexy as fuck." Most attacks end with elegant twisty strokes, the soundtrack is mostly made up of softer k-pop, which is dynamic with combat, which is so sick. The soundtrack, is PHENOMENAL. A lot of standouts. From k-pop, to dubstep, to straight up metalcore. The combat was tactile, weighty, and deliberate. The negatives I have are some rough english voice acting, and the story being a little too, serious about itself.
But gameplay and aesthetic are really WAY better than expected.
Parei no último boss, simplesmente não tenho dano kkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkk foda-se
Stellar Blade is an excellent game. After completing the main story, I can safely say this has been one of my stand out games of this year.
Aesthetically, the game is wonderful. The various landscapes and locations are richly detailed and really lend themselves to the story. The soundtrack is phenomenal with every location having a distinct theme that fits the tone of the landscape. The various outfits unlocked over the course of the game are highly detailed and creatively designed (even if a few are a little risqué).
The voice acting and overarching story could use some work, but the characters grow on you despite this. I feel it is good for a first game in a series and would love to see them flesh out the world in a sequel. Playing in Korean with English subtitles made it feel more organic.
Lastly, the new game plus mode is way better than I expected! Every piece of equipment has a variant option (including outfits) that dramatically boosts your skills and abilities. It made me want to jump right back in after my first playthrough!
It really is a great game and worth a shot if you are on the fence or just looking for a stylish action game. May your memories live on forever!
Aesthetically, the game is wonderful. The various landscapes and locations are richly detailed and really lend themselves to the story. The soundtrack is phenomenal with every location having a distinct theme that fits the tone of the landscape. The various outfits unlocked over the course of the game are highly detailed and creatively designed (even if a few are a little risqué).
The voice acting and overarching story could use some work, but the characters grow on you despite this. I feel it is good for a first game in a series and would love to see them flesh out the world in a sequel. Playing in Korean with English subtitles made it feel more organic.
Lastly, the new game plus mode is way better than I expected! Every piece of equipment has a variant option (including outfits) that dramatically boosts your skills and abilities. It made me want to jump right back in after my first playthrough!
It really is a great game and worth a shot if you are on the fence or just looking for a stylish action game. May your memories live on forever!
Go play Stranger of Paradise instead of this shit.
Swords, waifus, excellent character/outfit designs, amazing music, and fun gameplay. I really don’t need to say anything more than that. Ignore the weird discourse that’s been surrounding this game. Does this game do anything revolutionary? No. But it knows exactly what it is and doesn’t try to be anything else and I appreciate it for that reason. An original IP that‘s just pure fun. Story could have been better but honestly, I ended up loving the characters and the gameplay too much to even care about that by the end. I hope there’s a sequel to this in the future
Also, Eve > 2B
Also, Eve > 2B
This review contains spoilers
TL;DR: If you are:
- A hardcore fan of all slashers and can't play any of the classics because you've beaten them 50 times already
- A die-hard Sony fan who never misses an exclusive (not just from in-house studios, but also games like Final Fantasy, etc.)
- A big fan of butts, boobs, dressing up a sexy girl in various revealing outfits and ogling her butt because she won't pull the camera back like the unapproachable 2B
Then this game is for you!
Here's a detailed account of my impressions:
I'll put it this way: if we're talking about the story (not the gameplay), it's a really cool and interesting game. You, a person from the future, arrive on Earth to deal with the monsters that forced humanity into space, and finally return to your home planet. You arrive and then start uncovering the terrible truth step by step: you're not actually human but an android, and the monsters are humans who resorted to genetic experiments to enhance themselves and wipe out androids. Along your journey, you encounter many of these monsters, you have access to a bunch of super moves, and there are some pretty impressive cutscenes. In the end, there are three different endings and a plot twist. And all this is spiced up with modern graphics. It looks like a solid game, with a mystery and gradual revelation of truth, just like in Attack on Titan.
Right?
For me, the truth is that everything in this game is poorly done. The dialogues, the storytelling, the graphics, the combat, and the platforming. Everything I wanted to play for, and what could have made the game stand out as a game (and not just a boob physics demo for panty shot enthusiasts), disappointed me more than it pleased.
Platforming:
This is the main flaw of the game. If the game itself was 5/5, the platforming would be 1/5, it's that bad (and the game itself is not 5/5). If platforming feels out of place in Doom Eternal, at least it’s not buggy, but here:
Constant pixel-perfect jumps required
Miss-jumps where you either undershoot, overshoot, or jump but then there's an animation after landing, causing the heroine to fall, or she continues running from the momentum after the jump.
Random change of direction. There’s a double jump, and sometimes the second jump sends you in the wrong direction.
Or you jump onto a rope, swing, miss the jump. Go back to the rope, but it’s still swinging, making you miss it again.
Constantly getting stuck in textures (at least early on)
Hints on where to grab beams are not noticeable against the overall poor graphics.
Sometimes you need to press keys 2-3 times to jump or grab something.
This is extremely frustrating as it causes unnecessary deaths and redoing sections. And you'd think, well, the game isn't a platformer, so why expect it to be perfect? Then don’t shove a bunch of platforming sections and try to go deep into platforming if it’s not that important.
Story:
The dialogues here are a mess. In one side mission, someone sneaks up on the protagonist and stabs her in the back. Then a random character starts explaining what great components she's made of and how they'll profit from them. All that's missing is a cringe-worthy "ha-ha-ha" at the end. Oh wait… it’s there!
Or decisions like Tachy (the heroine’s partner) gets infected, and you fight, extract the core, and cut off the infection, and then she’s free, proudly dying in your arms with such cliché phrases. Ugh.
Cringe dialogues or a silly story can be fine. Sometimes they fit the game and atmosphere well, like in Neon White, and sometimes they’re just an addition to great gameplay like in Doom.
But here it’s just awful. There is intrigue, and if you think about the whole plot and world, it could have been presented much more interestingly than it is here. Hello: Horizon Zero Dawn or Nier: Automata. But here you approach an old man, and he’s like, “I see you have a question.” Wow, Sherlock, of course, I have a question, I didn’t just come up to you for nothing 🤣
Gameplay:
So, at least they didn't screw up the gameplay, right? Well, yes and no.
It's cool that they included a lot of extra moves and a rage mode with its own moves (like transforming into a demon in DMC). This is already better than Nier Automata, from what I remember. But Automata was more about the world and story, and more focused on bullet hell and dodging a bunch of red balls, not combos and super moves.
In this respect, since the story in Stellar is just incredibly dumb, I would have liked to see some solid combat mechanics (since the platforming only reeks of frustration). And the combat here is… okay:
⁃ It's not playing piano on a gamepad like in DMC
⁃ It's not the perfect balance of parrying/blocking/striking like in Sifu/Sekiro (because sometimes enemy attacks are very poorly telegraphed, you get used to it, but seriously, it could have been much better)
Besides platforming and combat, there's also the grind for various collectibles and outfits. It's okay, nothing unusual or particularly interesting (you can collect soda cans, which is cool but more of a neat detail).
Sound:
The music is sometimes good, sometimes okay. And sometimes there's some metal playing as if an action scene is about to happen, but then you get a very calm dialogue. So why the tense music? But the battle with Tahi is atmospheric! But even in sound design, there are dumb mistakes. Like in the great desert, there are places where two different tracks play in the background simultaneously 🤷♂️
Cinematics:
The cutscenes are generally good. I would have liked more of these rather than the dumb semi-open world (UPD from the second playthrough: you can skip all open world segments, which makes it more interesting, but then why did they bother making them if they're so boring).
At some point, you get used to the forgettable monsters (everyone has off days), adapt to the combat, and tune out the dialogues, focusing on the world… And then you have to do timed platforming. Timed platforming, which is just awful here. And you realize how shitty the game is in terms of exploration. Thankfully, it's not part of the main story and can be skipped (unless you're going for platinum).
At some point, you even get used to the monotony and focus on the main missions and cinematics… And then they send you back to the same complex for a second time, where it's supposed to be scary, but you get the same "jump scares" of enemies waiting around the corner 3-4 times in a row. Hello, 2013 with its flood of cheap horror let's plays.
And even though there's an attempt to create decent small side missions and some hidden areas, the game just lacks detailed design. For example, there's an enemy that sneaks up on you by "swimming" in the sand. If you stand on a metal platform nearby, it will sneak up on it too. Is there sand there? Is there even any ground? Why are there particle animations of sand visible, but the enemy isn't under the grating? Who cares 🤷♂️
Yes, there are just a bunch of generic dumb parts. Like a boss teleporting away from your attacks in a cutscene, but during the fight, you beat it easily.
Visuals:
Most of it looks like Resistance 3 (hello, textures covered in crap), and it feels cheap. And if you have a desert, maybe there's no other way? But I didn't have such problems in Horizon or RDR 2. Again, it's disappointing because there are cool, atmospheric locations, but they get lost in the overall mess.
And towards the end, the ashen tones in the monsters look more atmospheric and pleasing than the crappy graphics. But another thought comes to mind: sometimes the visuals seem inconsistent, but maybe I'm just overthinking it.
Conclusion:
It's a shame that the game only gets good towards the end. When you finally get some plot twists (maybe predictable, but still), some decent cinematics, and more pleasing visuals (not just brown haze). But you still have to get to that end. And that's the main challenge of this game.
- A hardcore fan of all slashers and can't play any of the classics because you've beaten them 50 times already
- A die-hard Sony fan who never misses an exclusive (not just from in-house studios, but also games like Final Fantasy, etc.)
- A big fan of butts, boobs, dressing up a sexy girl in various revealing outfits and ogling her butt because she won't pull the camera back like the unapproachable 2B
Then this game is for you!
Here's a detailed account of my impressions:
I'll put it this way: if we're talking about the story (not the gameplay), it's a really cool and interesting game. You, a person from the future, arrive on Earth to deal with the monsters that forced humanity into space, and finally return to your home planet. You arrive and then start uncovering the terrible truth step by step: you're not actually human but an android, and the monsters are humans who resorted to genetic experiments to enhance themselves and wipe out androids. Along your journey, you encounter many of these monsters, you have access to a bunch of super moves, and there are some pretty impressive cutscenes. In the end, there are three different endings and a plot twist. And all this is spiced up with modern graphics. It looks like a solid game, with a mystery and gradual revelation of truth, just like in Attack on Titan.
Right?
For me, the truth is that everything in this game is poorly done. The dialogues, the storytelling, the graphics, the combat, and the platforming. Everything I wanted to play for, and what could have made the game stand out as a game (and not just a boob physics demo for panty shot enthusiasts), disappointed me more than it pleased.
Platforming:
This is the main flaw of the game. If the game itself was 5/5, the platforming would be 1/5, it's that bad (and the game itself is not 5/5). If platforming feels out of place in Doom Eternal, at least it’s not buggy, but here:
Constant pixel-perfect jumps required
Miss-jumps where you either undershoot, overshoot, or jump but then there's an animation after landing, causing the heroine to fall, or she continues running from the momentum after the jump.
Random change of direction. There’s a double jump, and sometimes the second jump sends you in the wrong direction.
Or you jump onto a rope, swing, miss the jump. Go back to the rope, but it’s still swinging, making you miss it again.
Constantly getting stuck in textures (at least early on)
Hints on where to grab beams are not noticeable against the overall poor graphics.
Sometimes you need to press keys 2-3 times to jump or grab something.
This is extremely frustrating as it causes unnecessary deaths and redoing sections. And you'd think, well, the game isn't a platformer, so why expect it to be perfect? Then don’t shove a bunch of platforming sections and try to go deep into platforming if it’s not that important.
Story:
The dialogues here are a mess. In one side mission, someone sneaks up on the protagonist and stabs her in the back. Then a random character starts explaining what great components she's made of and how they'll profit from them. All that's missing is a cringe-worthy "ha-ha-ha" at the end. Oh wait… it’s there!
Or decisions like Tachy (the heroine’s partner) gets infected, and you fight, extract the core, and cut off the infection, and then she’s free, proudly dying in your arms with such cliché phrases. Ugh.
Cringe dialogues or a silly story can be fine. Sometimes they fit the game and atmosphere well, like in Neon White, and sometimes they’re just an addition to great gameplay like in Doom.
But here it’s just awful. There is intrigue, and if you think about the whole plot and world, it could have been presented much more interestingly than it is here. Hello: Horizon Zero Dawn or Nier: Automata. But here you approach an old man, and he’s like, “I see you have a question.” Wow, Sherlock, of course, I have a question, I didn’t just come up to you for nothing 🤣
Gameplay:
So, at least they didn't screw up the gameplay, right? Well, yes and no.
It's cool that they included a lot of extra moves and a rage mode with its own moves (like transforming into a demon in DMC). This is already better than Nier Automata, from what I remember. But Automata was more about the world and story, and more focused on bullet hell and dodging a bunch of red balls, not combos and super moves.
In this respect, since the story in Stellar is just incredibly dumb, I would have liked to see some solid combat mechanics (since the platforming only reeks of frustration). And the combat here is… okay:
⁃ It's not playing piano on a gamepad like in DMC
⁃ It's not the perfect balance of parrying/blocking/striking like in Sifu/Sekiro (because sometimes enemy attacks are very poorly telegraphed, you get used to it, but seriously, it could have been much better)
Besides platforming and combat, there's also the grind for various collectibles and outfits. It's okay, nothing unusual or particularly interesting (you can collect soda cans, which is cool but more of a neat detail).
Sound:
The music is sometimes good, sometimes okay. And sometimes there's some metal playing as if an action scene is about to happen, but then you get a very calm dialogue. So why the tense music? But the battle with Tahi is atmospheric! But even in sound design, there are dumb mistakes. Like in the great desert, there are places where two different tracks play in the background simultaneously 🤷♂️
Cinematics:
The cutscenes are generally good. I would have liked more of these rather than the dumb semi-open world (UPD from the second playthrough: you can skip all open world segments, which makes it more interesting, but then why did they bother making them if they're so boring).
At some point, you get used to the forgettable monsters (everyone has off days), adapt to the combat, and tune out the dialogues, focusing on the world… And then you have to do timed platforming. Timed platforming, which is just awful here. And you realize how shitty the game is in terms of exploration. Thankfully, it's not part of the main story and can be skipped (unless you're going for platinum).
At some point, you even get used to the monotony and focus on the main missions and cinematics… And then they send you back to the same complex for a second time, where it's supposed to be scary, but you get the same "jump scares" of enemies waiting around the corner 3-4 times in a row. Hello, 2013 with its flood of cheap horror let's plays.
And even though there's an attempt to create decent small side missions and some hidden areas, the game just lacks detailed design. For example, there's an enemy that sneaks up on you by "swimming" in the sand. If you stand on a metal platform nearby, it will sneak up on it too. Is there sand there? Is there even any ground? Why are there particle animations of sand visible, but the enemy isn't under the grating? Who cares 🤷♂️
Yes, there are just a bunch of generic dumb parts. Like a boss teleporting away from your attacks in a cutscene, but during the fight, you beat it easily.
Visuals:
Most of it looks like Resistance 3 (hello, textures covered in crap), and it feels cheap. And if you have a desert, maybe there's no other way? But I didn't have such problems in Horizon or RDR 2. Again, it's disappointing because there are cool, atmospheric locations, but they get lost in the overall mess.
And towards the end, the ashen tones in the monsters look more atmospheric and pleasing than the crappy graphics. But another thought comes to mind: sometimes the visuals seem inconsistent, but maybe I'm just overthinking it.
Conclusion:
It's a shame that the game only gets good towards the end. When you finally get some plot twists (maybe predictable, but still), some decent cinematics, and more pleasing visuals (not just brown haze). But you still have to get to that end. And that's the main challenge of this game.
Slop. It goes down nice and easy, but it's tasteless and lacking in nutrients. Nothing about this game will stay with me.
It is, however, a PS5 exclusive. So I guess it has that going for it.
It is, however, a PS5 exclusive. So I guess it has that going for it.
Another game I feel has been critiqued too harshly and is subsequently being slept on.
Games like these I usually struggle with, but after getting used to the combat mechanics and abilities I really had a blast playing it. The storyline was a bit too predictable so the twists and the reveals were a little lost on me.
The music was amazing and one of my favourite parts about the game, it gave NieR vibes and each track had a distinct vibe and beat that made each area feel unique.
The main character was cool, though at times over sexualised. The enemy design was really good too, having unique ways and attacks to keep combat fresh throughout.
My gripe with the game is the traversal mechanics. At times it felt like the character was stuck on the floor - leading me to over estimate jumps. At times trying to control her in mid air was impossible as it was janky knowing where she was going to land.
Games like these I usually struggle with, but after getting used to the combat mechanics and abilities I really had a blast playing it. The storyline was a bit too predictable so the twists and the reveals were a little lost on me.
The music was amazing and one of my favourite parts about the game, it gave NieR vibes and each track had a distinct vibe and beat that made each area feel unique.
The main character was cool, though at times over sexualised. The enemy design was really good too, having unique ways and attacks to keep combat fresh throughout.
My gripe with the game is the traversal mechanics. At times it felt like the character was stuck on the floor - leading me to over estimate jumps. At times trying to control her in mid air was impossible as it was janky knowing where she was going to land.
A decent action-adventure game with slightly above-average combat, excellent audio, an interesting setting, completely deflated by one of the worst asspull endings I've seen in a while. I may want to replay the earlier sections of this game someday, but it's going to feel really bitter knowing what's going on with some of these characters. It's competent enough that I would bet on Shift Up having a masterpiece up their sleeve, but this is not that game.
this game is praised way too much for having 0 personality.
besides that, it starts out actually quiet promising (not great but at least somewhat "fun") until it decided to torture you with the most lifeless and boring side quests.
if it would have been a fast-paced character action game, that focuses more on exciting set pieces, i think at least the combat would have been better. screw this fucking slow ass combat where you can't even cancel attacks and have to watch long ass animations that suggest something meaningful was going on.
soundtrack also sucked and was boring. like, i’ve heard this so many times in nier before.
but the enemy design is still fantastic, and you get to see some overall amazing visuals.
besides that, it starts out actually quiet promising (not great but at least somewhat "fun") until it decided to torture you with the most lifeless and boring side quests.
if it would have been a fast-paced character action game, that focuses more on exciting set pieces, i think at least the combat would have been better. screw this fucking slow ass combat where you can't even cancel attacks and have to watch long ass animations that suggest something meaningful was going on.
soundtrack also sucked and was boring. like, i’ve heard this so many times in nier before.
but the enemy design is still fantastic, and you get to see some overall amazing visuals.
Overall this is a great first AAA console outing. Amazing combat, Great ost. Was a blast to play. A few thing that held it back from goaty tier were puzzles, platforming and story. I felt like those elements were just fine nothing standout. The elements it's best at more than make up for it's shortcomings though. Look forward to the eventual sequel or next game from shiftup. This studio has tons of promise!
Pretty fun, didn’t like this one platforming section so dropped it. Made me want to play Sekiro
Stellar blade has a lot to love in it. Tons of outfit customization (over 30 outfits not including glasses and earrings) , enjoyable combat system, great music and quite a few interesting side quests (some directly resulting in unlocking entirely new areas). The game gets held back by having a mediocre main cast, average story, a lack of enemy variety and clunky platforming.
Combat in Stellar blade feels very satisfying to pull off. This game's strengths are very similar to a souls games in which one on one feels amazing, and getting swarmed feels god awful. Thankfully you unlock AOE special attacks later on that remove some of the annoyance, it still can feel bad. I found some of the enemy types to be a bit too spongey/annoying to deal with (fuck the shield armed natiyba), and that there weren’t nearly enough variants to fight. You’ll encounter the same few enemies (especially in the big open world maps) over and over to the point where I began to avoid combat (this games biggest strength).
The bosses, while being the highlight of the game, felt far too easy. This is especially confusing when paired with how sudden the difficulty spikes for the last three bosses of the game. If it had stayed as easy the whole time I wouldn’t have brought this up but seeing how hard the fights get (compared to the rest of the game) I wonder why there wasn't a more gradual increase in challenge. Regardless, the one on one fights really showcase how satisfying it is to parry several attacks in a row or responding correctly to dodge an attack. I’m aware they added a boss rush mode which I will definitely check out once I’ve had some time away from the game.
The other main thing I appreciated in this game was its side content. While some are exactly what you'd expect from an RPG, others lead you to unlock surprisingly large areas, or take you into some unexpectedly heavy subject matter. I'm being vague due to not wanting to spoil but there's a few side quests in there that really caught me off guard. This game also has a fishing minigame that uses the PS5 triggers resistance to impede you in reeling in the fish that proved enjoyable enough that I caught every last one of them.
The only aspect of this game I would label as downright bad was platforming. While functional, it never feels good to interface with. Many times upon double jumping EVE would just randomly turn a different direction and cause me to fall. Sometimes when doing the drone jumping challenges she would not grab onto them and fall to her death. I never felt completely in control of what I was doing once I had decided to jump and this caused most of my deaths in my playthrough. While not unplayable, it felt jarringly worse then every other part of the game and were the only parts of the game I disliked playing.
Overall I really enjoyed this game, I collected every can, did every side quest, unlocked all the skills and camps, but the cast and story did not engage me very much. In a few months I'll probably forget most of what happened in this game. Easily an above average game, and if you have lots of disposable income and it interests you, you'll probably have a good time.
Combat in Stellar blade feels very satisfying to pull off. This game's strengths are very similar to a souls games in which one on one feels amazing, and getting swarmed feels god awful. Thankfully you unlock AOE special attacks later on that remove some of the annoyance, it still can feel bad. I found some of the enemy types to be a bit too spongey/annoying to deal with (fuck the shield armed natiyba), and that there weren’t nearly enough variants to fight. You’ll encounter the same few enemies (especially in the big open world maps) over and over to the point where I began to avoid combat (this games biggest strength).
The bosses, while being the highlight of the game, felt far too easy. This is especially confusing when paired with how sudden the difficulty spikes for the last three bosses of the game. If it had stayed as easy the whole time I wouldn’t have brought this up but seeing how hard the fights get (compared to the rest of the game) I wonder why there wasn't a more gradual increase in challenge. Regardless, the one on one fights really showcase how satisfying it is to parry several attacks in a row or responding correctly to dodge an attack. I’m aware they added a boss rush mode which I will definitely check out once I’ve had some time away from the game.
The other main thing I appreciated in this game was its side content. While some are exactly what you'd expect from an RPG, others lead you to unlock surprisingly large areas, or take you into some unexpectedly heavy subject matter. I'm being vague due to not wanting to spoil but there's a few side quests in there that really caught me off guard. This game also has a fishing minigame that uses the PS5 triggers resistance to impede you in reeling in the fish that proved enjoyable enough that I caught every last one of them.
The only aspect of this game I would label as downright bad was platforming. While functional, it never feels good to interface with. Many times upon double jumping EVE would just randomly turn a different direction and cause me to fall. Sometimes when doing the drone jumping challenges she would not grab onto them and fall to her death. I never felt completely in control of what I was doing once I had decided to jump and this caused most of my deaths in my playthrough. While not unplayable, it felt jarringly worse then every other part of the game and were the only parts of the game I disliked playing.
Overall I really enjoyed this game, I collected every can, did every side quest, unlocked all the skills and camps, but the cast and story did not engage me very much. In a few months I'll probably forget most of what happened in this game. Easily an above average game, and if you have lots of disposable income and it interests you, you'll probably have a good time.
The Game Awards trailer made it look cool so i bought, wasn’t expecting too much with all the gooners getting upset about the skins but honestly it was a really fun game with great music
patiko