Stellar Blade

If you’re seeking a challenging yet rewarding third person action game, this title hits the mark and more than likely Game of the Year.

Much seems familiar and sometimes a tad uniform, but a strong combat system, excellent boss fights, an exciting scenario, the motivating environmental exploration and many well thought out ideas make Stellar Blade an excellent solo adventure.

Stellar Blade stands out as one of the best action-adventure games of its generation. Its combat system is both deep and multilayered, ensuring that every encounter is an exhilarating experience. Offering a range of options, players can tackle enemies in several ways, be it through offensive maneuvers or defensive strategies. Whether opting to dodge, parry, or create distance, the choices are intuitively designed. Coupled with its captivating narrative and cinematic presentation, Stellar Blade is an essential exclusive.

Stellar Blade absorbed the best developments of the genre created over the last 10 years, skillfully combining them with science fiction and sexy characters.

Stellar Blade is nowhere near perfect, however, some of its imperfections help us, the players, to understand and admire the game's strengths while also acknowledging its drawbacks. The combat is awesome, albeit there is a slight discomfort with how the Dodge mechanic works. Another strong point of Stellar Blade is how it incorporates the musical tracks throughout the game, thus giving us a sneak peek of what the developers are capable of when it comes to producing brilliant soundtrack design in their video games. Overall, Stellar Blade is not a game for everyone, however, it largely manages to capture the hearts of souls-like players and newcomers to begin their journey in this genre by mowing down the enemies with grace through the lenses of Eve.

Stellar Blade is a game that stands out for its excellent character design and lore, but its appeal goes beyond the beautiful visual aspect. It's a really fun experience that we enjoyed due to its exceptional combat system, epic boss battles and enjoyable exploration. It's a brave game that dares to challenge many current trends to become one of the top South Korean representatives in the gaming industry.

Shift Up Studio surprised me very positively, clearly creating out of a passion for electronic entertainment, which is difficult to see in the works of large corporations. I wish there were more games like this.

Stellar Blade seems to get the wrong reputation and marketing on the internet nowadays, what we have here is a marvel of current gen graphics and feature usage on the PS5 with gameplay and world that would appeal to Nier and Souls fans alike.

EVE has come to conquer the hearts of fans. Shift Up has built a very beautiful game that, although it presents a somewhat weak story, is capable of catching anyone with its mechanics and fluid combat. Stellar Blade is a game that will remain in the memory for a long time.

Taking a step back from Kim Hung Tae's character designs for a moment, Stellar Blade is a phenomenal action RPG that evolves from the framework of NieR Replicant and NieR Automata to become one of the next cult classics.

Fun combat, spectacular action sequences, an atmospheric world, glorious visuals, an intriguing story and loads of interesting model choices are all the vitamins a developing gamer needs. A truly stellar experience.

For a first console development effort, Shift Up knocked it out of the park with Stellar Blade. They crafted a fascinating world, combat system that felt so good to the point where I would seek it out encounters less I was running low on health items. As stated in the previous statement, players will be surprised by Eve’s characterization and she will probably find her footing amongst other female protagonists such Samus Aran, 2B and Bayonetta. Much like Round8’s Lies of P helped put a spotlight on the South Korean Games Development scene, Shift Up’s effort will just make that light brighter. Shift Up certainly stepped up!

The near-naked main character is unsurprisingly stealing a lot of attention, but remove that element from the equation and what's left is an absolutely incredible action game that provides a satisfying challenge and rewarding melee combat. Simply put, Stellar Blade is the next great action game and one of the PS5's best exclusives.

Stellar Blade is a welcome experiment to the PlayStation brand. Developer SHIFT UP has created an action game that should catch eyes for more than just its female protagonist. Though not a risky game in its own right, a complex web of combat skills and harrowing enemies breathe life into a mysterious world that provides just enough intrigue. Nostalgic in all the right ways and evocative of an era where the bizarre and bombastic thrived, Stellar Blade is a satisfying distraction.

Stellar Blade wasn't initially a game on my radar but it’s ended up being one of my favourite games of 2024 so far. Aside from all of the potentially-polarising outfits, this is an epic action adventure from start to finish that kept me engaged and wanting to come back for more. It doesn't do a great deal to reinvent the wheel but it doesn't need to. This gorgeous and fun game knows exactly what it is. Stellar Blade is an absolute blast and I’ve not had this much fun in the genre since Devil May Cry 5. If for whatever reason Stellar Blade flew under your radar, it needs to be added to your 2024 to-play list right now.

Stellar Blade combines great looks with thrilling fights. The game regularly borrows from the greatest games of today and combines that into an entertaining mix that will keep you on the edge of your seat.

Stellar Blade sets a high bar, and its combination of exhilarating combat, sumptuous graphics, and deep systems makes it flourish in an era chock-full of high-class contemporaries.

Stellar Blade is an above-average title. Well-developed, with a captivating story from the first moment, and most importantly engaging due to thoroughly well-planned and competently executed gameplay. The South Korean studio Shift Up performed exceptionally well, and despite my initial skepticism, I ultimately saw it as one of the top games of 2024.

Despite not vibing too well with the demo, we were utterly in love with Stellar Blade by the time the credits rolled. Shift Up has done a tremendous job with their first triple A project and sets a high bar for modern action role playing games. There are some pacing issues, and the narrative's delivery stumbles, but the game as a whole is near perfect: the themes, the visuals, the music, the combat, the exploration, the world, and the technical performance. A modern masterpiece.

There's a hell of a lot going on in Stellar Blade, but it remains a surprisingly elegant and exciting adventure throughout.

Stellar Blade delivers masterclass gameplay, spectacular visuals and a compelling universe. It no doubt will draw comparisons to Nier and its successor, but what Shift Up has done is improved upon the formula greatly in creating one of the best action games of the year.

A beautiful, yet deadly action game that combines fast-paced action with the tension of a Souls-like experience. the game also caters to various gaming tastes with beginner-friendly features and puzzles. While the lack of story buildup and the short length are disappointing, and the details of close-range to long-range combat swaps can be cumbersome, overall it's an impressive piece.

All of this makes Stellar Blade a complete and highly enjoyable experience for hack and slash enthusiasts. As a fan of Nier Automata, Stellar Blade's world, story, and soundtrack captivated me and left me eager for a sequel or, at the very least, to keep an eye out for the next release from SHIFT UP studio.

Stellar Blade is an ambitious action adventure boasting a masterful boss design and compelling gameplay progression. Between the addictive exploration and finely tuned sense of weight and speed ingrained in each of Eve's swings, it's indisputable that this is a lovingly crafted journey.

Stellar Blade is an excellent PlayStation 5 action game that blends tight defense and stylish combat in an impressive post-apocalyptic package.

Stellar Blade recalls the classic era of character-action games in truly inspired fashion. It might struggle to deliver on its core narrative, and its platforming is often more frustrating than it isn't, but neither of those things are enough to bring down a thoroughly enjoyable action experience. It wears its inspirations on its sleeve, but manages to build on them in engaging fashion with a deliciously layered combat system and gorgeous presentation to boot.

Stellar Blade is a great action game with an interesting story. It's challenging and its content is varied enough to keep the player entertained. However, certain combat mechanics require some adjustments. Furthermore, the main campaign is somewhat short, and can be completed in around 10 to 15 hours (the side content compensates the situation, potentially doubling this number).

Though its narrative pacing and world-building may falter slightly, Stellar Blade as a whole is an action-packed marvel and a wonderful addition to PlayStation’s exclusive gaming family.

Thankfully, Stellar Blade was worth the wait, as it's one of the best action-RPGs released since NieR: Automata.

Stellar Blade is a phenomenal action game with slick, dazzlingly animated combat and impressive enemy variety.

Stellar Blade is an amazing and challenging game, featuring a beautiful soundtrack, action-packed moments, and a good storyline. Of course, it has some minor flaws, but nothing that significantly impacts the overall experience. It's an excellent debut for Shift Up on consoles. Another great option for PlayStation players.

The further I played into Stellar Blade, the more it surprised me with the depth of its action and the breadth of play experiences. The story never clicked for me, but the world-building, top-notch art, and silky animation certainly did. Even when certain devastating bosses made me curse, it was always because I made a mistake and was left eager to dive back in for another shot. I loved the gradual mastery I developed as I explored its many interlocking systems of combos and special moves. Stellar Blade is unabashed in its titillating approach to sex and violence, but unlike so many games that use those appeals as a crutch, it’s also a top-notch action experience that can easily stand with the big girls.

Ultimately, Stellar Blade met most of my expectations, though it did fall short with the story and pacing. The combat, music, and world design are something special, and the monster design feels straight out of a cosmic horror game. While Stellar Blade is heavily influenced by NieR: Automata, it fails to take its crown. To end on a painfully unoriginal pun, Stellar Blade is ‘NieR enough‘ to tide fans over until Yoko Taro manages to extort more money out of Square Enix. It may feel unfair to constantly compare Stellar Blade to NieR: Automata, yet with such blatant influence, it would be a disservice to ignore the developer’s clear and beloved inspiration.

Stellar Blade shows a very complete and demanding combat, with plenty of habilities and tough enemies... but it's more than that. Platforms, puzzles... Its great pace of gameplay completes a set able to satisfy every fan of the greatest action games.

Stellar Blade is one of the best action oriented experiences on PS5 and manages to meet pretty high standards in most of its aspects. However, even if Stellar Blade is able to stand on its own two feet, more often than not it tends to remind you of other video games. In the end, there's a few little things that prevent Stellar Blade from becoming a memorable experience.

Stellar Blade offers a solid and satisfying journey for action lovers thanks to its challenging and unbridled gameplay, offering an immersive experience that leaves all controversies aside.

Stellar Blade is a well-finished action game that has a lot to offer. There is extensive combat that tests both your thinking and reaction skills, spectacular graphics and performance, a fascinating story in a world with a lot of lore and, in addition to the more serious moments, also a good dose of fun with collectibles and side missions. It may not be for everyone due to the over-the-top fanservice, lifeless NPCs, and character and boss reskins that are quite unnecessary. If this doesn't really matter to you and you're looking for challenge, splendor and splendor, then you've come to the right place.

Visually it is good and there are minor problems in some textures, performance and resolution are great.

Stellar Blade does not hide its inspirations, but it presents all these elements with such a beautiful make-up and successful application that it is hard not to admire.

Stellar Blade is undoubtedly one of the most compelling games of the year, and what's even more pleasing is that it excels in every way. The combat system is both exhilarating and deep enough to give players, regardless of their action game experience, a great deal of enjoyment. The game has created a world similar to Nier: Automata, striking a perfect balance between the bleakness of a post-apocalyptic setting and a sense of hope. In addition, Stellar Blade offers players a degree of freedom that allows them to fully immerse themselves in the thrill of exploration and helping others.

In the end, Stellar Blade is clearly a unique title that managed to sneak onto the scene, take the best of modern video games and glue it all together into one consistently breathtaking experience.

Stellar Blade likes to exaggerate at times, but is essentially a sophisticated action game with stylish battles and a touching story.

Stellar Blade has an excellent combat system, rich and lengthy content and an extended bestiary to support its longevity. The developers, Shift Up, created a soulslike with its own identity thanks to its well made post-apocalyptic, sci-fi setting and a good balance between linear and open-world segments that never outstay their welcome.

Stellar Blade has great merit when we see it from a production point of view and as Shift Up's letter of introduction to the international market. As an exclusive to the PlayStation 5, it lets us see that the industry is willing to expand and show us the AAA proposals that other regions have for us. Despite its positive points, the title offers us a generic story and gameplay mechanics that lack depth, although the presentation and production levels are impressive.

Stellar Blade bursts out of the gate looking stunning, full of jaw-dropping set pieces, intense action and gory violence, and maintains that pace throughout. Underneath this flashy action game are a lot of systems that we’ve seen before, but despite what can feel like a lack of innovation at times, it never feels stale or unenticing due to its overwhelming sense of style and polished, gratifying combat. For every familiar puzzle or annoying platforming section, there’s a brutal boss battle or incredible over-the-top sequence that pulled me back in. Stellar Blade is a joy, a deliciously crafted adventure jam-packed with dramatic thrills.

During our preview, we decreed that Stellar Blade could become the new star of action gaming. Today, after more than thirty hours of play, we are able to confirm it as the clever mix of genres it offers us keeps us in suspense from start to finish, despite the multiple hiccups highlighted in our test . If we had had expectations about it for months and months, Stellar Blade easily exceeds them. The gameplay continues to get more spicy, the styles of play increase tenfold the way of approaching combat, the universe and the graphics carry us away and the joint work of Shift Up and Monaca on the music really makes it an adventure that has nothing to be ashamed of in the face of NieR: Automata or the other big names.

As a first-time console and genre effort from a developer best known for making the self-proclaimed, “one handed shooting game”, Stellar Blade is an extraordinary effort that impressed from beginning to end with an expert mix of story, combat, and exploration.

Stellar Blade is a fantastic addition to the PlayStation-exclusive library. The combat is slick and fun, the story deep and interesting, and the set pieces all bigger than the last. It's obvious why Sony scooped this one up, fitting into its story-rich third-party pedigree of titles.

Stellar Blade presents a novel new vision of post-apocalyptic Earth, utilizing some familiar conventions as it strives for new heights.

Stellar Blade takes the best of the Soulslike genre and the NieR: Automata game to give us a game full of unbridled action whose protagonist will win the hearts of all of us. It is a challenging game that encourages you to be risky and has very grotesque-looking enemy designs.

Stellar Blade is an excellent action-game. And could have been even better without the sexist shenanigans regarding the female cast. Nonetheless, the overall gameplay is more than solid with combat and variety in level-design standing out.

Stellar Blade delivers a great narrative that, despite not being deep or emotional, is quite competent and drives a rich gameplay. The main highlight goes to the combat, which is fun and challenging in the perfect dose, offering the player terrifying confrontations, especially in boss battles, which are a beast of their own combined with the music and all the set pieces that make them up. The game's only flaw is the sexualization of EVE, who doesn't need it to be an incredible and strong protagonist.

Stellar Blade is a good game, plain and simple. It feels like so much love and passion has been poured into it, and even if the story doesn't quite reach the heights of Nier Automata and the like, Eve's tale kept me interested until the credits rolled, and made me eager for more. There are some minor issues, and I would have loved to see a little more environment variety, but snappy combat, terrific music and visuals, and a world almost as enchanting as her protagonist make Stellar Blade very easy to recommend.

Perfect mix between Bayonetta, Nier Automata and Sekiro, this Stellar Blade immediately stands out as a serious candidate to be among the best action games on the PS5 in 2024. Yes, the Shift Up studio has chosen a female character very sexualized appearance, but be assured, Stellar Blade is above all a game where the gameplay is solid and elaborate. And you just have to see how advanced the mechanics are, that the combos are satisfying and that the interest is focused on timing management to understand that the game will not be there just to look pretty. It's just the exploration part and the platform sequences that are not optimal, but the universe and its many references are a real positive point.

In a year when Sony's marquee first-party offerings seem to be almost distressingly thin, Stellar Blade's dogged pursuit of an engaging and polished single-player action adventure experience is more welcome than ever - even if much of it feels like a loving greatest hits interpretation of past genre luminaries. Nonetheless fans of gorgeously rendered, high-octane action adventures with style to spare will find much to enjoy in Shift Up's stellar PlayStation debut.

One of the best combat systems in recent years provides adrenaline-pumping action in a successful post-apocalypse setting and makes minor gameplay failures and flat characters easily fade away.

Stellar Blade ticks all the boxes for a good action adventure. However, developer Shift Up's console debut also has a few flaws that could be avoided. Especially when it comes to exploration and “quality of life” features. Nevertheless, Stellar Blade definitely satisfies the craving for fast, exciting and challenging combat. Hopefully there will be a sequel because Shift Up has now proven that they have great potential to deliver more action hits.

It's one of the best-looking action games out there, and it's definitely worth your time … and some pain.

Stellar Blade's producer team, Shift Up, has successfully passed the first AAA game test with its exciting action sections, interesting story and eye-catching graphics.

It's much easier than we expected, and it lacks really fresh ideas, but Stellar Blade is a very solid first effort from korean team Shift Up and a bold new IP for the Playstation Studios, thanks to a fast and furious combat system and solid performances. We're sincerely eager to see in which direction the devs will go from here in the future.

Entertaining sci-fi action based on great role models, but with few ideas of its own.

There’s a lot to see here! [Issue#264,p.48]

Beyond its superficial presentation, Stellar Blade offers very entertaining and challenging combat mechanics. The progression is a feature that will keep you very busy looking for the best skills Eve can have. In terms of story, Stellar Blade needs more argument, as its plot does not delve deeply into or empower its characters. Overall, it is a good gaming experience that could have been better. It is like the student from whom you expected a perfect grade but who ended up with a good mark and nothing more.

Even with all its flaws, Stellar Blade is still an entertaining game. As Shift Up’s first major release, it delivers enough to be considered a success and paves the way for potentially bigger and better games in the future.

The less said about its unconvincing voice-acting the better and the plot holds few surprises. But even those foibles can be overlooked when Stellar Blade gets its hooks in and you glance at the clock only to realise it’s 3am. Damn you, you adorable mongrel.

Stellar Blade is, above all, a collection of ideas borrowed from other titles, but combined in such an intelligent and fresh way that it turned out to be a full-fledged game undoubtedly worth giving a chance. I had a fantastic time playing it and will probably revisit it one day.

Stellar Blade is collage filtered through kaleidoscope, its myriad influences bleeding together in a neon swirl that produces vibrant new colours and dull familiar ones at an uneven pace. When it chooses to use its building blocks to reach new heights it’s a dizzying achievement in combat presentation and approachability, with EVE’s toolset fun and varied enough to carry the weight of the game’s lesser components. It leaves you wanting to see what else this studio could accomplish, even if they’ve gotten this far on borrowed wings.

All in all, if you love action games, I think you’ll have a great time with Stellar Blade. You might find yourself zoning out during the cut scenes, but you’ll enjoy being in the zone during that flowing combat fun.

I mostly had a great time with Stellar Blade with its combat being the real star of the show. Although exploration doesn't offer much exciting, it's still a worthwhile action adventure game that you're sure to have a lot of fun with.

There’s a lot of fun to be had with Stellar Blade’s combat, which is exhilarating and also offers a sense of accomplishment. The unique visuals and soundtrack are of high quality as well. While its game design might not shine with originality, Stellar Blade is a well made videogame overall. That being said, while taking a story-focused approach, Stellar Blade’s scenario and world-building felt clichéd and left us disappointed. With some boss battles being reused and tedious side quests, the experience started to drag a bit during the latter half.

ShiftUp has every reason to be proud of its first console game, an excellent action game and a solid proposition in its other aspects.

Despite having a lot of references that are far from subtle, Stellar Blade still finds its identity in greatly designed villains and, mainly, excellent, flashy combat. Bringing together elements from NieR, Devil May Cry and Bayonetta, and a sip of the soulslike genre, it stumbles on clunky platforming, but delivers a pleasant experience with a wide variety of combos and skills.

Stellar Blade is an action game with a lot of style and electricity. Visually superb, it's inspired by various works, mixes technology with religion in ways that pique your curiosity, while EVE's combat and sensuality keep you playing without ever being able to put the controller down. It's hard to believe it's the first console game from a Korean producer.

Stellar Blade has a fair bit of weirdness, but its killer tunes and vibey, flow-state combat - plus a transformative hard mode - are enough to leave you entranced.

By pulling on the strings of many a modern classic they’ve been able to deliver a fun, tough, playable title that’s addictive and enjoyable. But it can be improved on in both image style and gameplay if there is a sequel.

This is inevitably going to be a divisive title. There’s no two ways about it – we’ve already seen exhaustive social posts bemoaning certain aspects (and assets) of the game. And while a lot of that criticism has justifiable ground, there is still a lot to enjoy once you get past the flashes of flesh. Personally, I found Stellar Blade to be a solid, engaging experience. Regardless of how often I booted it up, I’d still laugh at the fact that “ponytail length” found itself a home in the main settings menu (I’m on team Short Ponytail, for what it’s worth), and it’ll never get old seeing EVE draw a full-length sword out of said ponytail.

Stellar Blade is a video game that simply takes the best of many works, expanding the concepts in its own way. It's a warm and long-lived production, satisfying and with real action, which could certainly do its best with a second chapter. SHIFT UP Corporation, carefully packaging its work, has given life to a new series and created a character that could surprise in the future.

Stellar Blade is a very good and generous action game. Short of being transcendent and going all the way, this PS5 exclusive makes a point of succeeding in everything it touches, ticking all the boxes of the perfect AAA. Dynamic, demanding combat, exploration, a bit of open-world action and top-notch graphics - it's all there. On the other hand, like its heroine, the game is superficial. It over-sexualizes its central character without ever taking care of her or exploiting her full potential, and it always wisely stays within the box, never taking any risks. Too bad, because Stellar Blade has a lot to offer. If it proves a success, we'll no doubt be seeing more of Eve in the near future.

In a nutshell, Stellar Blade is just that – a game with exceptionally stylish combat that is both challenging and accessible. The narrative and characterization won’t land with every audience, but developer Shift Up has made a noteworthy console debut.

Great, entertaining hack 'n' slash that could use some trimming and refining of certain design elements. However, its fun combat system and a slew of creatively grotesque enemies outweigh the studio's beginner mistakes.

Fluid and adrenaline-fueled combat make Stellar Blade an intriguing experience.

Stellar Blade is a good game, not a (don’t say stellar) fantastic one. Its peers do a lot of the things it does but better, though that doesn’t mean it’s not enjoyable in its own right. Don’t go in expecting a revolution, but this may be the start of a solid series and could make Eve a Bayonetta/2B-esque star. The ensuing discourse about this game is going to be exhausting, as it has been already, but divorced from that, the game itself is solid, and that’s what matters the most.

If you can stomach that pesky cake-carrying elephant, Stellar Blade is well worth your time. It's not perfect - there's room for improvement, sure - but having experienced Shift Up's first venture into a triple-A console release I'm along for the ride from here on out.

Stellar Blade has exceeded our expectations, once again demonstrating how the Korean development ecosystem is not lacking in talented teams. It's certainly not a flawless game, and it suffers somewhat from direct comparison with its main inspirations, never really reaching their heights. However, it is a fast-paced action game, extremely solid and technically impeccable. It's a very promising first attempt in this field for Shift Up, which bodes well for the team's future projects.

Its main character is an embarrassment to gaming but if you can ignore that this is a very competent action game, that borrows wisely from both Bayonetta and Dark Souls.

Stellar Blade has landed a critical hit, successfully slicing through the crowd of well-established action-adventure game giants. If you’re a fan of sleek and stylish combat, with sprinklings of Soulsborne and Nier Automata vibes, you’ll feel right at home when playing Shift Up’s triumphant console debut.

All in all, I think Stellar Blade is actually a pleasant surprise and a pretty exciting game. It doesn't follow the usual templates for how action games should be put together and that means some strange and sudden changes in style along the way - but in the end, it's actually very refreshing.

Though Stellar Blade draws some ideas from FromSoftware's games, it's immediately clear that Shift Up is following its own path. It's action-packed science-fiction served with a philosophical and... sexy sauce. A sauce that makes it taste like a dish you've never eaten before.

While its buxom hero Eve may be a key draw, Shift Up's "Stellar Blade" has far more to offer than its protagonist's physique.

For those who wished that God of War Ragnarok offered a bit more challenge or that Bayonetta had a bit more weight to its combat, this slick sci-fi slasher is the perfect tonic, offering both the perfect entry point into the Souls-like genre and a refreshing refinement of the well-worn character action formula. It may lack the naval gazing intelligence of the excellent Nier Automata, but when you’re having this much fun, it’s hard to care.

Stellar Blade is shallow in terms of narrative and has a problematic protagonist, but it has great graphics, soundtrack and action gameplay. The package delivers less than promised, but it is possible to have fun with the game.

Stellar Blade is a good game. It’s not unforgettable but what it does it does well! Its gameplay is neat, with an in-depth combat system and the encounters with the bosses are intense, probably a little too much in the last part of the game because they are poorly balanced in terms of difficulty. In addition, it is visually very impressive and offers an extremely attractive universe that we enjoy exploring, even if its story is classic. A very demanding Soul’s Like experience, in which we take pleasure in suffering.

Beneath the fanservice and comparisons to NieR Automata and the Bayonetta games, Stellar Blade boasts some surprisingly involved combat systems and fantastic creature designs all in a relatively compact experience.

If you're a fan of games with a unique and compelling narrative, Stellar Blade has fired on all cylinders in that regard.

In so many ways Stellar Blade comes across as reactionary. It’s a rejection of the way that modern games aim to be accessible with crystal clear wayfinding, easy-to-solve puzzles and an easy mode that plays itself. It’s also a rejection of the idea that video game characters should be humanised and “realistic”, instead opting for the mannequin look with hyper-idealised femininity. It resolutely refuses to be profound or meaningful, or be anything other than a wildly entertaining video game. It’s all exceptionally well made and achieves everything that it sets out to, and it’s a genuinely good experience. The developers have totally successfully delivered what they intended to but it is also fascinating that Sony of all companies chose to pick it up and publish it, because more than anything else Stellar Blade feels like a response to everything that Sony has been driving towards over the past decade.

Stellar Blade is flashy, fast-paced and fun, harkening back to some of the great hack and slash games of old. The journey could do with a better story, cleaner voice acting and a more engaging skill tree, but still manages to deliver a whole lot of great action.

There is a nagging question, though, that sticks in the back of my mind: Does this game rise to the heights its inspirers achieved? The conclusion I came to is no, but that it attempts so without falling on its face is remarkable enough. That it manages to be a great game in that pursuit is a true testament to the power of being galvanized by those that came before.

Stellar Blade is an exceptionally well-crafted game that has learned from its influences and honed their teachings to a highly polished standard that can only be commended.

Stellar Blade is an action-packed adventure that offers much more than initially meets the eye. If you're a true souls-like fan, arm yourself with patience and dive into an adventure you won't soon forget.

The mixture of philosophical science fiction, horror creatures and angelic heroine hits my nerve exactly - and also that of a very specific target group. They will be able to ignore a few criticisms of the pacing and the somewhat restrained storytelling. Furthermore, Eve not only divides monsters, but also the community with her erotic outfits. For me personally, however, the game is still one of the action RPG highlights of the year, and I found myself humming the wonderful soundtrack long after the credits had rolled.

Looking back at my time with Stellar Blade, I believe it has the potential to turn into a franchise instead of just a one-off deal.

Stellar Blade is a great success, with some serious arguments to give you good reasons to play it. It's beautiful, with top-quality production on every level, and the highly satisfying combat is at the heart of the gameplay. The confrontations are as numerous as they are demanding, and players looking for a challenge should only be disappointed by the somewhat limited number of bosses. The world is also interesting to explore, and lasts a long time. In the end, it's the small hiccups, particularly in the story, that break the immersion.

Shift Up's console debut can be called successful. Although you notice that it is the developer's first major console production; for example, dialogues are forced, the game has many minor frustrations and awkwardnesses, the overall package minus these issues stands like a house. The lore is captivating, the gameplay dishes up a spectacle, there are plenty of secrets to discover and the combat is solid. As icing on the cake, you get a wonderful variety of (outstanding designed) enemies and a delightful soundtrack.

Stellar Blade is a slick console debut from a developer clearly on the rise. With an ever-evolving counter-attacking combat system, some superb art direction, and a sensational soundtrack, this is the kind of back-to-basics PS5 outing that fans have been pleading for. A dire English dub and some trite story beats mean the studio still has plenty of room to refine its craft, but Eve’s inaugural outing is largely excellent across the board, and destined to become a firm favourite among PS5 enthusiasts.

Not only has SHIFT UP successfully established itself as a formidable console game developer, but it has provided PS5 players with a worthwhile AAA action game in a year that’s set to be exceptionally quiet for Sony’s first-party studios. Stellar Blade might not pack a narrative punch, but it’s a competent soulslike with satisfying combat and mechanics that make it an exciting challenge from beginning to end.

Stellar Blade is a delightful surprise that comes from a new developer in the AAA scene. It packs a fun gameplay loop, rich content and an exceptional soundtrack. If you are a fan of adventure games with a deep combat system, then this will be tailored to your liking.

Stellar Blade is a game that ambitiously attempts various elements, but not all of them hit the mark equally. Its shining moments come in the form of exhilarating combat, action-packed levels, and epic boss battles. However, its narrative delivery, open-world segments, and secondary missions falter, leaving some ideas underdeveloped, such as underutilized platforming mechanics and a neglected equipment system. Despite its flaws, it ultimately offers an enjoyable, diverse, and entertaining adventure, especially for those seeking straightforward action. While it falls short of its full potential, Stellar Blade remains a title worth considering for its fun factor alone.

Despite its half-baked story, forgettable characters, and insincere world-building, I couldn't help but enjoy my time with Stellar Blade. Perhaps it's because it knows what it is, and I knew what I was getting into. What you see is what you get. The combat is the heart of the experience, but so is playing dress-up with Eve. If you're okay with all of that, Stellar Blade is a game worth your time and money.

Stellar Blade is at war with itself in a conflict between style and substance. Sadly, style wins with merciless regularity, but there’s a strong core of genuinely good gameplay fighting through an ocean of bells and whistles.

Since the action RPG borrows many mechanics from games belonging to very different genres, the risk that Stellar Blade would turn out to be a soulless "map" was very high. Paradoxically, however, the aspect of the product that more than any other has been able to convince us is to be found precisely in its solid combat system, which even without reinventing the wheel has given us great satisfaction. On the downside, the same cannot be said of the plot, which is insipid and affected by very predictable twists, and of the exploratory component, which reuses anachronistic and not at all stimulating environmental puzzles to the point of exhaustion. To the aforementioned problems must be added the frequent recycling of bosses carried out mostly by sidequests, a difficulty level that is not always electrifying and a questionable management of saves. In our opinion, these rough edges are attributable to the naivety and above all the inexperience of the SHIFT UP team, which until now had almost exclusively created titles for mobile devices. If nothing else, Stellar Blade gave us a substantial taste of the great potential of the Korean studio, which if it were to take advantage of the feedback could really surprise us starting from its next project.

Here is “Stellar Blade,” an authentic slice of Korean cyberpunk, like Eve, beautiful in its own absurd way.

Stellar Blade is a great game that entertained me for a good twenty hours. Unfortunately, there are some minor issues. More could have been made of the open world areas, and the acting could have been a bit more convincing. However, these concerns disappear completely when I step back into a fight because the combat is just really enjoyable. It really gives a sense of satisfaction when I parry correctly and can retaliate with an even harder hit. The boss fights were also in a class of their own for me.

Stellar Blade is a mostly enjoyable action game with solid combat, strong presentation, and good enemy designs. Its scantily clad heroine is not very interesting, and neither is the story, but there is enough here to warrant a peek.

Narrative nitpicks and shortfalls aside, Stellar Blade is an action RPG that excels where it matters most: Looking gorgeous and facilitating supremely satisfying combat interactions. Bolstered by the capable fusion of its inspirations, its weaknesses keep it from transcending them. But those willing to make their peace with those disappointments will find a nearly stellar experience.

There's not that much wrong with Stellar Blade, but there's not that much that's great either. The predictable story and empty characters are offset by exciting and fluid combat. Hopefully our imagination will be stimulated a little more in a possible sequel.

A video game where it is more about the appearance of the female protagonist than about the game itself, and that even before its release. No, we are not talking about Lara Croft from Tomb Raider, but about Stellar Blade. And that's a shame, because under that thick layer of controversy lies a fine game.

Stellar Blade loses comparisons to the masterpieces that make up its identity, but that doesn't make it a bad choice: action fans will enjoy a fun combat system, respectable scope and nice things to do.

Although it has some flaws, Stellar Blade is nonetheless a remarkable effort by Shift Up, which has had its biggest challenge to date here. Fundamentally, Stellar Blade is well realised in its core elements, with the only flaw being its inconsistent execution, which translates into boring open-world areas and an uninteresting story. The studio promises that Eve's story won't end here and I personally look forward to seeing what she can achieve in the future.

Stellar Blade is a solid action game that blends rewarding exploration and mesmerizing visuals to create an enjoyable experience, even if the story and world leave a lot to be desired.

Stellar Blade is more ambitious and varied than expected, but also about as clunky as expected, resulting in a stilted action RPG with a level of jank that you just have to accept. Meet it on its terms, and either tune out or embrace the odd sexual veneer, and it's a solid 20 to 30 hours of fun.

I'm as conflicted about Stellar Blade as it seems to be about itself. It's competent and occasionally interesting with combat as unique and rewarding as it is repetitive and frustrating. Less style over substance than it is beauty over brains, there is a good time to be had in Stellar Blade, but it comes at the cost of knowing there are better versions of this game that will never be realised.

Stellar Blade is great in all of the most important ways for an action game, but dull characters, a lackluster story, and several frustrating elements of its RPG mechanics prevent it from soaring along with the best of the genre.

It all contributes to Stellar Blade being a bit of a mixed bag, checking off boxes for what constitutes an action RPG in this modern age. That is not exactly a bad thing per se, but it is most certainly a missed opportunity for positioning the game as the leader of a new generation of experiences that build upon the successes that have come before. This title might not be the sharpest blade around, but it still has an edge that players can enjoy. Come for the visuals, stay for the combat, and try to ignore the suboptimal portions of humankind's latest attempt to take back the Earth.

I often found myself lost for hours in the world of Stellar Blade, but I was also pining for what the game could’ve been. The world-building is excellent, but the dialogue is not up to the same standard, and the story’s illusion of choice funnels you down the same path. There is a lot of promise here, but it fails to convert that into excellence.

Stellar Blade is a pretty enjoyable game to swing your hairband sword at, so long as you don't mind the obvious sexualisation. There's a few rough areas, but nothing to spoil things overall and there’s plenty of interesting story to uncover as you fight your way through giant monsters with circular saws for heads and weird tentacles for legs.

While discussion is sure to be dominated by the sexualisation of lead character Eve, looking past that, Stellar Blade provides a solid action experience for fans of the Souls-like genre.

From beginning to end, 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. Stellar Blade consistently shines in many areas, but any recommendation must come with a heave “your mileage may vary.”

A game that copies the ARPG masters – but isn’t as interesting. Souls-infused combat and a massive unlockable wardrobe are what keep us coming back. [Issue#41, p.76]

There are flashes of brilliance in Stellar Blade, still, most often sparked by the titular weapon. But it's too broad and with that a little underdone. If only Eve's initial clarity of purpose had been more contagious. [Issue#398, p.106]

Stellar Blade is a masterclass in style, but it's lacking substance.

Stellar Blade is a hard game to pin down in the end. The combat really sings in its moments and the boss fights are some of the most memorable you’ll encounter in this genre, but it’s bogged down by a bland story, uninteresting characters and the need to make boobs wobble in every second of every cutscene. There’s some fun to be had in there if you can look past its issues, but in an age of games costing £70 or over, whether it’s worth that is entirely questionable.

If you take just the combat and the music from Stellar Blade, you’ve got a fantastic game. Sadly, this is not the whole package.