Stela

 Switch
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

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  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. 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 inhibitStela 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.    … Expand
  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 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.

Critic Reviews

All reviews »
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]
  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.
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  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.
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