Summary

• Stellar Blade provides a satisfying sci-fi adventure with engaging gameplay and character growth.
• The game's combat mechanics resemble precise games like Sekiro with rewarding and strategic play.
• Stellar Blade offers players a multitude of techniques, upgrades, and varied combat mods for a fulfilling experience.

Stellar Blade is Shift Up's first console game, but it's hard to believe after a hands-on preview of the stylish and rewarding action, earning many comparisons to the best action RPGs of the last decade. Stellar Blade turned many heads as soon as it was officially announced with a trailer filled with sci-fi third-person action and head-turning character designs.

Stellar Blade was first announced in 2019 as Project Eve, the first AAA action title from Shift Up, a Korean mobile game developer. Impressive trailers featuring cut scenes and fluid gameplay instantly drew comparisons to 2016 title, NieR: Automata. While there are certainly worse games it could garner comparisons to, Stellar Blade takes little time to set itself apart all the same.

Checks All The Right Boxes For A Satisfying And Epic Sci-Fi Adventure

Stellar Blade Developed By Shift Up, Releasing On PS5 April 26, 2024

Not long into the short demo's run, Stellar Blade begins to hit all the right notes for an engaging action game. The beginning of the game's story effectively introduces its main protagonist, Eve, who starts out as a seemingly inexperienced warrior beyond her depth. A timid protagonist, a more confident and skilled mentor figure, and a futuristic city ravaged by monsters and time begin to paint a familiar but effective gameplay narrative.

Satisfying, over-the-top action games have seen a resurgence with titles like the NieR games and the exquisite Devil May Cry 5. While it's evident that Stellar Blade also includes female warriors wearing tight clothing, after facing off against more than a few of the game's mutated monsters, it becomes clear that Stellar Blade's gameplay feels closer to the precise and rewarding combat of games like Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice than the open and indulgent NieR: Automata.

A Stellar Combination Of Modern Action Game's Best Features

While Stellar Blade shouldn't be considered a souls-like, its combat and design should entice players who are into action games that encourage satisfying parries and guard-breaking combos. In the demo's first chunk of the game, Eve is equipped with a sword and not various weapons to chain combos together. Instead, players will earn new moves and combos with an effective skill tree that allows them to test out abilities they are far from unlocking in the Training Simulator. This clever tactic enables players to test new skills effectively and plan how they wish to build Eve into an effective fighter.

Dying in Stellar Blade respawns enemies and returns Eve to the last visited checkpoint. Certain consumable items do not replenish, but experience points do not reset or need to be reclaimed after death.

Much like FromSoftware's beloved action titles like Sekiro and Elden Ring, Stellar Blade rewards patience and observing enemy attack patterns instead of spamming buttons to overwhelm foes. Eve and her enemies are equipped with a block meter that disintegrates with each attack that's taken until it disappears, leaving defenses low and giving foes an opening to score critical damage. Thankfully, controls feel responsive to make combat feel rewarding compared to the clunky and spongey combat that many failed souls-like games released in the last few years contain.

Scoring Stellar Blade's perfect dodges and parries feels rewarding, especially once the skill tree begins to fill out. Abilities like teleporting behind a striking enemy and landing devastating counters after a well-timed dodge are satisfying, while upgrading special attacks and combos provides even more variation to Stellar Blade's combat. So much so that even after the demo's boss is defeated, players will more than likely be anxious to unlock more techniques and test them out against the grotesque monsters they'll face.

Eve May Breathe New Life To The Action Genre

Stellar Blade Has A Strong Chance Of Success

Eve's journey begins as she and her fellow soldiers approach a version of Earth claimed by aliens known as the Naytiba. After a very violent welcome, each of the space carriers and her teammates are wiped out as she crashes onto Earth. With the help of the more experienced Tachy, Eve begins her adventure of growth, discovery, and carnage to reclaim the planet. Exploring the demo's semi-linear city also rewards players with upgrades that can be found in hidden chests and fallen comrades to empower Eve in a mission her fellow female warriors can no longer accomplish themselves.

Trailers have teased several costumes, locations, and enemies that Eve will encounter as she works to free Earth from the mysterious Naytibas. The game's first level is a good indication that Shift Up is more than capable of creating a fair and engaging action experience that effectively borrows features from action games that have set a high bar. If Stellar Blade keeps the momentum that builds throughout the demo, Shift Up may raise that bar with its first complete game.

Screen Rant was provided a PlayStation 5 code to play the Stellar Blade demo early for the purpose of this preview.