This game is REALLY good. I was actually nervous about it because when it was first revealed everyone basically called it a Nier knockoff and I... do not like Nier. But this game isn't a Nier knockoff. It's Nier improved. Almost every complaint I had with Nier is either not present in this game, or not a big enough complaint to hamper it. The combat is immaculate and only gets better the longer you play. The side quests are wonderful and cover a large amount of repeat NPCs who you'll grow a bond with the longer you're around. The world is gorgeous (even if I do wish there were more area "archetypes"). The level layouts are wonderful and really encourage exploration, while not feeling like a checklist of menial tasks. The lore of the world is superb. The boss fights are REALLY fun, especially in the back half of the game. The customization is phenomenal. The story is... fine? I don't think it's one of the best, most compelling stories I've experienced but I was invested enough, and the twists left me pleasantly surprised. I think my biggest gripe is the characters. Our playable character and two supporting cast members are unfortunately pretty flat. They do sort of have an "arc" but it always feels more like it's happening in the background. It's something that gets brought up on occasion and the characters sort of talk about it, then drop it, over and over until the climax. I do think EVE, your player character, is still the best characterized after seeing her interact with a lot of the side content, but in the main plot she feels like... well.... like a slightly more expressive 2B.

Usually, for me, a game is carried by its characters. This is the rare exception where everything else about the game is just SO damn good that I can overlook our main cast being a bit flavorless.

If you want a game that's sort of a blend of Sekiro and DMC, get this game. But just expect the story and characters to also sort of fall in line with those games, too.

Even as someone who was very excited for the game since the demo dropped, I didn't expect to be THIS in love with the final product. It's genuinely unbelievable that it's Shift Up's first console project. This is a technical marvel packed with eyecandy environments, models and effects that still runs at 60fps the whole time at a 30GB file size. In a lot of ways it feels like the first true 9th generation game I've experienced, and finally not a remake or sequel of anything else. So many moments where I was genuinely blown away by what I was seeing and experiencing, like arriving in the main city for the first time. Still shocking that SIE decided to back this so hard in publishing and promotion as it seems to go against everything the company is about in recent years but it's a move I'm thankful for.

Stellar Blade harks back to the PS2 era, unashamed of being a video game and prioritising gameplay above all else, with a ton of unlockable outfits and new game+ free on day one. Not to say that its design is primitive in any way as it incorporates all the best parts of modern gaming too. Areas are a mix of linear setpiece based levels and more open exploration. I liked how the side missions took you to new locations and had actually great rewards, and in general it's not a ridiculous time sink like a lot of modern games. Combat is an absolute blast, a fusion of other great actions like Sekiro, Bayonetta, even Resident Evil at times. Very reflex heavy swordplay wth a variety of different ranged firearms as well. With the amount of skills and specialized equipment you can collect you'd think it would get too easy after a point, but you will still get put in your place by the brutal boss fights at the end of the story. The grotesque monster designs and the elaborate animations for dismembering them are just on another level, every encounter sticks out in my memory. And I've seen criticism of it but I personally loved the parkour and Uncharted style climbing around the world. I felt like there was such a huge variety to what I was doing for my whole 40 hours played and it was mixing multiple genres I love perfectly. Finally if this game doesn't at least take nominations for best OST of the year it will be an absolute crime because it's constantly hitting your ears with objectively heavenly sounds, the most atmospheric emotional vocal songs seamlessly switching to more intense versions when fighting. Combined with the landscapes and art design you just gotta stop and take it all in sometimes.

This achievement has been overshadowed by some REALLY braindead controversies over the last few months and I've also seen a lot of hate from fans of the other series that clearly inspired it. It's a new IP so harsh critics are to be expected but I look forward to more people warming to it and realizing how it's actually a love letter to those things and an amazing game in its own right, and I hope EVE will be respected one day like Bayonetta, 2B etc have come to be. This singlehandedly made me feel less doomer about the game industry, if we can still get stuff like this every once in a while we may be alright. I will be eagerly awaiting whatever these devs make next on console

This game is full of SOUL.

+ Stellar art direction
+ Stellar vibes
+ Stellar combat
+ Stellar Bosses
+ Stellar Soundtrack
+ Stellar presentation
+ Stellar performance and optimization
+ Fun dress up game tbh
+ Puzzle Variety
+ Rule of Cool the whole way through

- Fairly mediocre storytelling and characters, but the actual world and story is still cool in concept.
- One of the final boss options is pretty lame compared to the other, its also the only boss in the game that felt slightly buggy. Kinda weird. The other boss is SUUUUPER rad though.

I very much enjoyed playing this game. Great combat, great graphics ( I played on balanced ), incredible soundtrack, and found the story to be fine.

Combat is probably what I loved the most in this game, parrying and dodging feels very satisfying, and the final few bosses can genuinely be hard.

Soundtrack is incredible, hanging around the camp and hearing the music just feels very nostalgic for some reason.

I liked the level designs, but felt that it peaked with the first area ( Eidos 7 ). Character designs are great, and I love Eve's outfits.

I played on balanced mode, and while the levels are mostly 60fps, in the main hub and in like two boss areas, the frame drops can be pretty noticeable.

Story is fine, but a bit on the shorter side. Can definitely complete it in about 10-15 hours.

Dragons Dogma 2 feels like the world I used to imagine while reading fantasy books as a kid. The cozy open world freedom combined with fantastic combat & an addictive loot/ upgrade system. Going off the deep end in post-game to divine other worldly levels alongside some superb dungeon crawling encounters. It's got a much nicer after taste than other superb but frontloaded RPGs. There’s something about the atmosphere of Dragons Dogma, the perfect darkness, the physical things, such as having to use a lantern after nightfall or getting hit with shock DMG if soaked in water, the wizards and warriors casting a skill for almost 30 seconds straight... it just feels very real & old school. Going on a quest at sundown, surviving a hard fought night, watching the sun come up as you reach the final destination. DD2 might have best magic system in any rpg , prolly the most visually appealing magic in video games, the melee combat is also great. Basically it's a setting I like and the combat seemed like a more appealing dark souls. One of my all time favorites, if not the favorite RPG. The pawn system as a party shtick that I love in stuff like Goblin slayer and berserk & other peak fantasy media. Long hands give + attack range with swords, heavy characters are knocked around less & can pin down enemies (large/small), small characters consume less stamina when climbing enemies, long legs gives +movement speed, etc. so peak. Rant over. Play Dragonsdogma