Stellar Blade Reviews
Stellar Blade remains consistently wonderful from a presentation perspective, uneven but perfectly well from a gameplay perspective, and lifeless and poorly executed from a narrative perspective.
Whether or not I recommend this game, I really think that Stellar Blade is mediocre, and you can get the same level of enjoyment, if not more, from several other titles of the genre. I did have fun, and this review was clearly a huge read compared to other ones I have written, but that was mostly due to the need to comment on femininity, and this game is nothing to write home about.
Stellar Blade is an action adventure with an intriguing story about Earth's post-apocalyptic state. The world and characters look fantastic. Additionally, it’s rewarding and fun to explore the world by discovering the lore and opening chests (with puzzles). The combat system is extensive, providing intense yet enjoyable battles with the various Naytibas, each requiring a different approach. The bosses are on another level, though manageable except for the last three. I had a great time with Stellar Blade and expect that Shift Up Corporation will match or even exceed their success in the mobile market with this game. It’s definitely recommended if you enjoy action adventures with challenging and entertaining combat.
Review in Dutch | Read full review
Stellar Blade presents an extremely polished experience that seeks inspiration from well-known titles. Fortunately, Shift Up has managed to unify these elements of different natures in a coherent and effective way, making the final result more than just the sum of its parts. The sexualization of the protagonist, although serving a commercial purpose, is also clearly a reflection of the culture of the title's country of origin, and is duly justified during the game. In the end, we can't help but recommend that you try Stellar Blade, so that you can confirm that it is indeed much more than just a pretty face!
Review in Portuguese | Read full review
Stellar Blade is a gorgeous game that carries a lot of interesting factors in gameplay, narrative, and world building. However, it felt like SHIFT UP wasn't all that confident in truly going all out in terms of a more unique execution to tie it all together. As it stands, it's a perfectly enjoyable game on its own but it definitely could've been a lot more special.
There are roughly 64 enemy types, unique attacks and appearances, all as grotesque as each other. One of the spookiest things I came across was a headcrab-type scenario involving a parasitic Naytiba and any corpse it could find lying around. With a vast arsenal of skills, including Beta skills, sweeping combos, ranged attacks and an ultimate that can turn the tides of battle, combat is immensely satisfying.
Stellar Blade is a mind blowing adventure that does almost everything right, exceedingly well.
Stellar Blade is an excellent action game full of memorable moments and excellent bossfights.
Review in Slovak | Read full review
Stellar Blade is a fun and satisfying hack and slash, boasting a fast paced combat that makes the player feel like a badass, although its female representation leaves a lot to be desired.
Review in Portuguese | Read full review
Stellar Blade excels in many areas, making it a remarkable debut for Shift Up. This action-packed, well-crafted action RPG honors its genre and its Korean developers. The game remains thoroughly enjoyable despite some flaws, such as drawn-out sections in the second act and a story that doesn’t hit as intended.
Review in Czech | Read full review
For a developer’s first rodeo, I truly appreciate the unique angle they found in occupying the middle ground between the character action games it apes, and the ever popular modern action game From Software has popularized.
Offering superb combat and rewarding exploration, Stellar Blade is let down only slightly by somewhat flat voice acting, odd quality of life oversights, and a narrative that has a full skeleton, but wants for more meat on the bone. Hopefully a sequel can smooth out these rough edges.
Stellar Blade is a game that does his own thing with mild influences from other games. The game looks great at the top level and it plays well, although it contains quite a challenge. There is a story fashion for those who don't like the challenge. The game will still not interest everyone. Those who do interest it is at least a good time waiting, in this game of quality with beautiful soundtrack.
Review in Dutch | Read full review
In the end, it’s Stellar Blade’s shortcomings that make it a game that would be otherwise passable for me if it weren’t for producing content for the site. Its combat is surely enjoyable and I did have a great time with it for the hours that were played in order to come up with this article. It’s the rest of the package that makes it lacking though, and if I had at least a bit of interest in its story, world and characters, those would make for reason enough to keep at it for a while longer. Sadly, that’s not really the case here.
Even though there were some issues; those things weren't enough to detract from my liking of the game. I still believe that anyone who enjoys action RPGs will adore Stellar Blade. The story could use a bit of work in the end, but I nevertheless relished my experience with it since games like this usually never have a solid ending. SHIFT UP might have preserved some content for future DLCs, as the game felt a bit smaller than I had hoped for. Still, its action-packed gameplay makes up most of those areas, and the game's character designs are definitely outstanding.
Stellar Blade is an unremarkable thrill ride, one with a forgettable story marred by predictable twists and a lack of compelling character development. While it's a visually stunning experience, it's let down by its lackluster cutscene direction and inconsistencies in the character animation. Fortunately, its combat is stellar, offering a rich and varied set of systems that feel endlessly fun. Similarly, exploration is rewarding, albeit a little clunky. If you're looking for a combat-focused experience, then Stellar Blade's 20-25-hour runtime will surely suffice. However, don't expect to come away having had a memorable time.
Stellar Blade was an absolutely stellar, gorgeous experience that was filled to the brim with action while still balancing a somber vibe.
Stellar Blade is a journey through the depths of human resilience and the cost of redemption, and stands as a testament to the power of storytelling in gaming. As players embark on Eve’s quest for truth and justice, they’ll find themselves immersed in a world where every choice carries weight, and the fate of humanity hangs in the balance.
Narrative flaws aside, Stellar Blade shines as a top-tier action title with unforgettable final boss fights, showcasing the best of the genre.
Stellar Blade is a great action title that offers plenty of content as well as incredibly motivating battles and evolving skills. It looks great, sounds like a cousin of the Nier soundtrack and is also a lot of fun thanks to the constant variety. The only thing you shouldn't expect is a well-developed story with good characters, and the many unlockable outfits are probably intended to distract from that.
Review in German | Read full review