Before I start, I want to preface with I'm currently doing a New Game + run of the game, since I missed the secret area and true ending of the game, if it changes my opinion on the game, I'll update this later.

Stellar Blade was a game I had my eye on in since Project Eve's announcement in 2022, and for the most part I was not let down! I have a lot to say about this game, so please bear with me as I ramble on about this games strengths and shortcomings.

First and foremost, the combat was absolutely the best part of the game. Flashy, challenging, and rewarding, Stellar Blades combat never had a dull moment, from all the unique specials, abilities, combos, and everything in-between, each battle with the Naytiba was as tense as could be and I wouldn't have it any other way. The enemy design was for the most part great as well, and the variety of enemies makes the combat remain fresh, and will help in subsequent playthroughs. The parrying and dodging felt so satisfying to pull off, and the overall structure just flowed so well together, even with the difficulty spike of late game bosses. Only gripe here is in some cases being swarmed by enemies was annoying, but otherwise it's a flawless system.

The level design was overall pretty good too! They are fairly linear but still give you enough room to explore and find hidden rewards here and there, and the open world levels were pretty fun to mess around in too! That being said, I do wish the open worlds weren't both deserts, any other biome would've been nice just for variety. Also I do wish there were more surfing opportunities because that is SO much fun.

The game itself was gorgeous too. The graphics were what you'd expect from a next gen game, and the setting was genuinely stunning, the city biomes were usually my favorite but the world was always breathtaking, I caught myself just vibing in the camps just taking in the scenery a bit more than I probably should've. This is also probably because the music is non pun intended, stellar. Not a single bad track in the game and it just gets you in the perfect mood, whether it be for battle or exploration.

All these positives being said, I did have a few issues with the game, the biggest being its story. While the worldbuilding is interesting enough, the story is bare-bones, I really didn't want to compare this game to NieR at all, but admittedly, the story does take numerous beats from both replicant and automata, and fails at understanding what made those stories so good. It's an almost painful 2D story that's plot twist and ending could've ben predicted miles away, which is a shame because once again, the lore and worldbuilding were pretty unique! But it feels like shift-up was too afraid to take risks and played it safe, sadly leading to a generic story. The pacing at times (the very odd point of no return felt wayyyyy too soon, a couple more levels could have helped a lot) did not help this dry narrative either. The cast isn't better either. Eve seemingly has no personality and is incredibly boring as a protagonist, and her companions aren't great either. Adam felt like a robot at times and Lily at least had a personality, but not much else going for. The English also could've been heavily improved upon but that may just be me. ALSO locking a additional area and the supposed true ending beyond a system never discussed in game, and one that you can't check manually and gets locked around a little over halfway through the game is incredibly frustrating.

All in All, for shift-up's first console game, this is a incredible entry point for them and I'm excited to see what they do next(If were lucky, a sequel with improved pacing and storytelling could be peak). This game was absolute blast, and the gameplay combat and music more than make up for the dull narrative.

I want to start off by saying no, this game is not perfect, I don't think any game is, I do wish side quests offered more and that you could play as other party members (albeit I understand why you can't) but with that aside. FFXVI has managed to do something I've wanted from a RPG for so long, I felt so immersed in this world, in this experience. From the beautifully crafted story, immaculate worldbuilding, phenomenal gameplay and combat, and dare I say the best boss battles I have ever witnessed in a video game, this game does it all. There wasn't a moment in this game where I wasn't enthralled by the sheer spectacle this game put me through. The cast and their dynamics were beautiful, especially between the two brothers, the world building was so thick yet so easily accessible, I felt like I could get lost just reading about Valisthea and it's history, and god man, when this game peaked it peaked. Each boss battle had me exhilarated and on the edge of my seat, and the soundtrack as well was just gorgeous, captured exactly how the scene felt every time. And the flexibility of the gameplay allows for even the longest battles to never get dull. I am trying to be vague so I won't go into spoiler territory, but I wish I could just list ever single time Clive's Journey took my breath away. Please play this game, you will not regret it.

The rising tide is an amazing final farewell to FF16. The new Eikon is incredibly fun and versatile, and the boss fights, as always, are immaculate. Misidia is also a perfect contrast to the rest of the games world. It really does show what all the crystals have taken from the land by showing what COULD be, a lush peaceful environment compared to the dying war torn twins. I will say I do wish the expansion was longer, I beat it in 2 sittings and was kind of hoping for more, and I did NOT like the DPS phase of the final boss, but besides that, it was a wonderful farewell to FFXVI, I'll miss this game so much.