Stela

 Switch
Metascore
63

Mixed or average reviews - based on 9 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 2 out of 9
  2. Mixed: 7 out of 9
  3. Negative: 0 out of 9
  1. LEVEL (Czech Republic)
    Jul 22, 2020
    60
    Sounds beautiful, looks beautiful, sometimes plays well, but otherwise it‘s form over content. [Issue#302]
    All this publication's reviews
  2. TheSixthAxis
    Apr 9, 2020
    80
    Stela is a beautifully well-made game, with the score and the background creating a wonderfully immersive atmosphere. Its mysterious setup creates curiosity that would have been lost with a comprehensive storyline, allowing for an unique sensation despite its fairly common game style. While the puzzles aren't overly tough, keeping yourself levelheaded enough in real life to keep going was more than enough challenge for me, making Stela as interesting and fun as it is beautiful and immersive.
  3. Switch Player
    Apr 6, 2020
    80
    It’s not going to win any innovation awards, but Stela is a beautiful audiovisual experience that should be a serious consideration for collections, particularly for fans of genre favourites like INSIDE and Little Nightmares.
  5. Everyeye.it
    Apr 1, 2020
    55
    The progression of the campaign is totally unbalanced between the action phases and those dedicated to puzzle solving, even if the latter manages to emerge more decisively in the end, which is pleasant.
  6. Games.cz
    Mar 23, 2020
    60
    Do we finally get a successor to the brilliant Inside? Unfortunately not. Stela can conjure up a great atmosphere thanks to its interesting environments and a tense soundtrack, but is let down by imprecise controls and puzzles relying on failure.
  7. TheGamer
    Mar 18, 2020
    70
    Platforming is effective, and the puzzles are decent. However, those hoping for the challenging puzzles of Limbo will be disappointed. The game is also rather short considering its price tag. Still, Stela will likely leave more of a positive impression than negative.
  8. Nintendo Life
    Mar 18, 2020
    60
    Stela is a platform-puzzler that's quite clearly been made in Inside's (and indeed Limbo’s) image. It's a serviceable approximation of Playdead's work, with a beautifully strange world and even a couple of neat ideas of its own. But it fails to immerse you in its world in quite the same way courtesy of some unfortunate flat spots.
  9. NintendoWorldReport
    Mar 17, 2020
    50
    Stela feels like a golem, crafted from the bones and sinew of better titles. Sometimes, this can be a successful experiment: Darksiders, for example, may not contain a single unique gameplay concept but manages to forge its own path through its worldbuilding, characters, and art direction. Stela accomplishes no such feat, and so I spent most of my playtime wishing I was playing its inspirations instead.
  10. Pure Nintendo
    Mar 16, 2020
    65
    As a fan of cinematic platformers, I rather enjoyed playing Stela from start to finish. Be that as it may, it didn’t take me long at all, hence one of my leading (but not my only) concerns. At under three hours, and with little replay value to speak of, $19.99 is a lot to launch for on the Nintendo Switch. On sale, this would be one to consider for sure, depending on how burnt out you might be on the subgenre.

User Reviews

All reviews »
User Score
5.0

Mixed or average reviews- based on 7 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 2 out of 7
  2. Mixed: 2 out of 7
  3. Negative: 3 out of 7
  1. PNWgamer
    Aug 21, 2021
    2
    Stela achieves its purpose as a visual stunner, with a great soundtrack to boot. This game is like going to an exhibit at a modern art museum.Stela achieves its purpose as a visual stunner, with a great soundtrack to boot. This game is like going to an exhibit at a modern art museum. BUT what is has in visual appeal, it greatly lacks in substance. I wanted to immerse myself into this visceral world they created, but throughout the gameplay I felt disconnected from both the elaborate landscapes and the creatures that inhibit them. They’re cool to look at but what are they? Why are they there? Why should I care? Honestly I finished the game and im still wondering…

    It’s a straightforward platformer that relies too heavily on gimmicks, traps, and a “trial and error” gameplay that became frustrating. To advance in the game, you have to navigate split second changes in the environment which often means you spend a good chunk of time repeating the same scenario until you figure out what you’re supposed to do, or trying to accurately and precisely land jumps. The gameplay did not flow well and was not intuitive to grab item or manipulate levers. The traversal through levels was not fluid and there is a lot of missed opportunity for the levels themselves. I would have liked to spend more time exploring them instead of just moving from point a to point b. You’re just plopped into a world and have to just keep moving… the controls are basic and not always reliable. The protagonist is just an avatar you control and as a player you have no desire or will for her to succeed. She is just a tool for for progression. She is nameless and overall uninteresting aside from her modern fashion cape. A “stela” is a stone monolith (slab) so it’s a fitting title for a game littered with stelae throughout its levels. But again, these stone columns are fun to look it, but are ultimately meaningless without any context, connection, or significance to the plot. What plot you mean? Exactly there is none. The gameplay is very short (approx. 3 hours) and once I got to the last level, I just wanted it to be over. Save your 19.99 and just watch a play through on YouTube instead. I’m sure that would be more fun anyway.    … Full Review »
  2. TomMonday
    Apr 5, 2022
    4
    When there are so many other moody platformers to choose, why play this clunky game with half-finished art and terrible controls? Seems like aWhen there are so many other moody platformers to choose, why play this clunky game with half-finished art and terrible controls? Seems like a clone of GRIS, a much much better 2D puzzle game with a female protag that blows this limp title out of the water. Play that instead.… Full Review »
  3. River22
    Sep 20, 2020
    8
    Beautiful! Visually intriguing. Great soundtrack. A nice blend of puzzles and action with a exciting dash of horror. The ending is somewhatBeautiful! Visually intriguing. Great soundtrack. A nice blend of puzzles and action with a exciting dash of horror. The ending is somewhat unsatisfactory though and leaves you a little wanting. But the journey mostly makes up for it. Overall, an enjoyable and intriguing game.… Full Review »
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