Shane
Nier Automata, Bayonetta, and pretty much anything Souls-like would be fitting to describe the PlayStation exclusive, Stellar Blade.
Shift Up who are known for mobile games has released their first Triple AAA console game, Stellar Blade which has been in the works since 2019, back then known as ‘Project Eve’.
You take on the role of Eve. An intergalactic warrior who finds herself in over her head as far as the world she finds herself in and the perils that face her.
But the game quickly picks up pace, and as Eve evolves in to the bad-ass fighter you will also discover, combo-up and up-skill along with her.
Weaponry is a bit lax, but Stellar Blade most definitely sees Eve wielding one nasty sword.
And this game is all about the moves. There’s a skill tree where you can hone, fine tune Eve’s moves – the testing out of different fighting techniques makes Eve’s battling abilities unique to you and how you mix and match them.
Graphically, the game is stunning and and after having played through both an early preview and now this full game, I was still left wanting more monsters to slaughter.
Now I mentioned ‘Souls-like’. It is, and it isn’t.
Gameplay is far more forgiving. Sure if you’re not careful you’ll be annihilated over and over again, but making use of stealth, strategy and timed hits you’ll get through. Death places you back at your last checkpoint, depending on how far you progressed at the point of death this can be annoying, enemies all respawn, but you do not lose anything that you have earned.
There’s definitely some influences within Stellar Blade, this said as a JRPG this game still holds it own real well and is one to look out for when it releases.
Released: April
Rating: M15+
Platforms reviewed: PlayStation 5
Genre: JRPG
Developer: Shift Up
Publisher: Sony