Stellar Blade review: this PS5 game is more than just a pretty face

Stellar Blade is easily one of the best PS5 games to date and a breath of fresh air

(Credit: Shift Up)

Update 04/26/24: Stellar Blade has since received a day one patch that makes the game even better. A New Game Plus mode has been added, which lets you tackle the game’s Hard mode with all your skill tree unlocks and any upgrades you’ve purchased. You also gain new skill tree slots to make EVE even more powerful – handy, considering the enemies will be even tougher than before. The drone can be upgraded further, too.

What’s more, the game’s input latency has been reduced which should make parrying and dodging more consistent, and an option to toggle film grain and chromatic aberration on or off has been added. If that wasn’t enough, players can look forward to earning new costumes for EVE to wear and new enemy placements will also make your second playthrough a little more unpredictable. Read our full Stellar Blade review below.

Review Score: 5 out of 5 🏆

🏅 Editor’s Choice Award

Pros:

• ✅ Incredible graphics and animation throughout

• ✅ The story will keep you gripped until the end

• ✅ Combat continues to entertain, even after several hours

• ✅ Delightful DualSense implementation

• ✅ Pleasing amount of puzzles

• ✅ Plenty to unlock for completionists

• ✅ Sensational soundtrack

• ✅ Perfectly placed checkpoints

• ✅ No microtransactions to speak of

• ✅ Practically bug-free with only the rare performance hiccup

Cons:

• ❌ The English voiceover isn’t great

• ❌ Enemy variety could be better

• ❌ Item selection is a bit of a pain

The Shortcut Review

Stellar Blade joins the likes of Returnal, Gran Turismo 7, and Astro’s Playroom as one of the best PS5 games I’ve played this generation. It feels like a showcase title for PlayStation 5, taking full advantage of the console’s powerful hardware, unique DualSense controller, and super-fast load times.

You play as EVE, an unashamedly gorgeous member of the 7th Airborne Squad who has been sent to Earth to save humankind from a gruesome, devasting force known as the Naytiba. As you learn to harness your skills and overcome the deadly enemies that stand in your way, you’ll slowly discover there’s more to EVE’s mission than it seems and forge unbreakable relationships with the people you meet along the way.

• Platform: PS5

• Developer: Shift Up

• Publisher: Sony Interactive Entertainment

• Price: $69.99

• Install size: 30.45GB

• Release date: April 26, 2024

Combat in Stellar Blade revolves around three core tenants: parrying, dodging, and unleashing spectacular combos. You’ll need to master all three elements as enemies will attack you relentlessly, mixing up their offensive moves with unblockable strikes, throws, and other methods to do you harm. What unfolds with each battle is a delicate dance between defense and attack that always keeps you on the edge of your seat, no matter how small the encounter.

It all culminates in an excellent and engaging combat action game that can go blow-for-blow with the likes of Nier Automata, Bayonetta, and Devil May Cry without coming across as a mere tribute act. Stellar Blade stands proudly on its own two feet (or high heels) and delivers a captivating experience from beginning to end.

What’s more, Stellar Blade doesn’t fall into the usual pitfalls that have plagued other games in recent years. There’s no predatory monetization, the story isn’t convoluted or drawn out, and it’s incredibly polished with next to no bugs or performance issues. That’s sadly a rarity these days so it’s well worth highlighting.

• ⚔️ Best DualSense Edge settings for Stellar Blade

It should be noted that EVE’s character model has drawn a lot of attention before the game’s release for being “too sexy” and even objectifying women. That fear quickly subsides as you play the game, as Stellar Blade isn’t stuffed with fan service or lewd camera angles to titillate. Yes, some of the costumes are more revealing than others, but EVE is a wholly convincing, powerful, and instantly likable character who isn’t afraid to be vulnerable, either. There’s nothing wrong with having beautiful feminine characters in a video game, and I’m glad Shift Up didn’t pander or compromise on their original vision.

Crucially, I found that I wanted to keep playing Stellar Blade even after the credits rolled. It never grew tedious or felt like a chore to play, something that has become a common occurrence with other titles I’ve reviewed in the past. It’s easy to lose yourself in the game’s wonderfully-crafted world and if you enjoyed the game’s free demo on the PlayStation Store, there’s no doubt you’ll fall in love with EVE and developer Shift Up’s amazing debut game for consoles. Read my full Stellar Blade review below.

How I tested Stellar Blade 🧪

(Credit: Adam Vjestica/The Shortcut)

I played Stellar Blade on ‘Normal Mode’ and it took me 21 hours to complete according to the PS5’s built-in time tracker.

I settled on the game’s ‘Balanced’ display mode, which provided the best compromise between resolution and frame rate. ‘Prioritise Resolution’ and ‘Priortise Performance’ display modes are also available, though the former drops the game to 30fps and the latter sets the resolution to 1080p which does produce quite a bit more aliasing.

I played the game on my LG CX 55-inch OLED with HDR enabled. I used a pair of SteelSeries Nova Pro wireless headphones during my playthrough and also wore the Audeze Maxwell from time to time. I went with the standard DualSense controller over the DualSense Edge.

A review code of the game was provided by Sony Interactive Entertainment.

What I loved about Stellar Blade ❤️

(Credit: Shift Up)

• 😍 Impeccable graphics and animation. Stellar Blade is the best-looking PS5 game I’ve played yet. It’s impossible to take your eyes off the game’s stunning main character EVE along with the game’s arresting environments and impeccable attention to detail throughout. The futuristic setting and amazing costume designs are also paired with sublime animation work that makes every strike in combat feel impactful and believable. Performance remains rocksteady throughout and the game’s diverse locations are each as enthralling as the last. Stellar Blade is an astonishing technical achievement in every regard and a true showcase of what the PS5 can do.

• 📖 A well-paced story. There’s nothing worse than a story that outstays its welcome, but thankfully that isn’t the case with Stellar Blade. While I didn’t meticulously read every single log I came across (there are hundreds, after all), the game’s intriguing story kept me guessing and hooked until the very end. It helps that the facial animations are the best I’ve seen in this generation, too, avoiding the often troublesome uncanny valley that can take you out of the experience.

• ⚔️ Satisfying combat. Stellar Blade would be nothing without its combat, but thankfully it’s top-notch. There is a learning curve as you get to grips with the game’s dodge, parry, combos, and special moves, but when it clicks it’s immensely gratifying. It also looks fantastic. I appreciate that there isn’t the usual ‘Style’ rating after each encounter that some games employ, as it lets you play your way without trying to appease a ranking system.

• ⛺ It isn’t just another Soulsborne. Even though Stellar Blade has camps where you can rest, upgrade your skills, and buy items, it isn’t a typical Soulsborne. Enemies in the area will respawn after using a camp, but the combat isn’t as crushingly difficult and you won’t lose any experience points you’ve gained if you die. That’s a relief, as I think the Soulsborne genre has become oversaturated in recent years.

• 💀 Epic boss fights. Stellar Blade’s boss fights are a highlight, and there are plenty of hulking monstrosities to defeat. Each boss is impressively detailed and will require you to utilize all your skills if you’re to beat them. The Alpha Natiybas are particularly eye-catching and the game slowly increases the challenge as you progress without any brutal difficulty spikes that can sometimes stop you in your tracks.

• 🎬 Superbly choreographed cutscenes. Watching EVE somersault into the air and then drive her blade into a gruesome monster never gets old, as it’s executed with such grace and devasting beauty. Stellar Blade’s cutscenes are integrated seamlessly into the gameplay experience, so you never feel like you’re being wrestled off the controller. They’re short, deliciously sweet, and a feast for the eyes.

• 🎮 Delightful use of the DualSense controller. Stellar Blade makes full use of DualSense’s capabilities. Haptic feedback is employed generously, making every explosion, well-timed parry, and physical action feel all the more pleasing. The adaptive triggers take on a more secondary role, as they should, and are only used when using EVE’s ranged attacks. While it won’t do the PS5 controller battery life any favors, it’s great to see a developer take advantage of one of the PS5’s best features.

(Credit: Shift Up)

• 👍 Quick-time events are used sparingly. Unlike God of War Ragnarok, which couldn’t help but throw in a quick-time event at every opportunity, Stellar Blade uses them sparingly. There’s also an option to auto-complete them in the menu, but as they’re an effective means to keep you on your toes during some of the more bombastic cutscenes, I found they didn’t overstay their welcome and they usually only required one button press to complete.

• 👗 Lots of costumes to unlock. It’s refreshing to unlock new costumes for a character without having to pay real-world currency to do so. Stellar Blade features plenty of alluring and genuinely creative outfits for EVE to wear, and they can all be earned through gameplay, just like in the good old days.

• 🎁 Looting feels rewarding. There’s no point searching every nook and cranny of looting doesn’t evoke a sense of satisfaction, but that’s certainly not the case in Stellar Blade. You’ll find boxes full of orbs that make a delightful musical chime as you pick them up, along with additional lore, upgrades, and collectibles scattered across the game’s richly detailed environments.

• 🌳 Generous skill tree to unlock. Fighting enemies will reward you with SP, which can be used to upgrade EVE’s abilities. You’ll be able to unlock new combos, defensive skills, and special moves that will be essential if you’re to overcome the game’s toughest enemies. It isn’t an overwhelming skill tree, and the game is generous with the amount of SP you earn.

(Credit: Shift Up)

• 🧩 Light puzzle solving. You’ll come across various chests or context-sensitive moments that require a password, keycode, or light puzzle to solve. They’re a nice touch that keeps things engaging and doesn’t require too much brainpower.

• 🎵 Awesome audio. Stellar Blade has a mesmerizing soundtrack that dynamically shifts during combat, menus, and exploration. The selection of vocal tracks makes the game feel similar to Final Fantasy 13, which I still fondly remember to this day. I’ll be listening to Stellar Blade’s toe-tapping OST for many months to come.

• 👏 Smart checkpoints. A badly placed checkpoint can often be the deciding factor as to whether you’ll give a boss battle another go or call it a day. Stellar Blade thankfully ensures that you’re only a stone’s throw away from your last encounter if you die, and you won’t lose any hard-earned progress if you underestimate an opponent and find yourself on the end of a beating.

• 🪲 Practically zero bugs or performance issues. It’s remarkable just how polished Stellar Blade feels, even during the review period. I didn’t encounter any freezes, bugs, broken quests, or glaring technical problems. Apart from the odd audio skip and some dropped frames in the game’s open-world areas, this is one of the smoothest experiences I’ve had to date and that’s worth applauding. A day-one patch will be available, but unlike some titles, it isn’t desperately needed.

What I disliked about Stellar Blade 💔

(Credit: Shift Up)

• 😖 Stilted English voice acting. Do yourself a favor and switch to the Korean voiceover when playing Stellar Blade. The English voice acting is competent enough, but the characters come across as far more stilted and robotic. EVE in particular benefits from the more natural and passionate delivery of the Korean VO, as do the other cast of characters.

• 📦 Too many boxes to move. Stellar Blade’s platforming and traversal sections are generally solid, but one crux it relies on too many times is moving a large orange box into position so you can reach new heights. While the process isn’t itself too out of the ordinary, the boxes themselves are awkward to move around. EVE also looks slightly off when doing it, which is a stark contrast to just how slick and well-animated everything else is in the game.

• 🤷‍♂️ Cumbersome item selection. Even after approaching the last few hours of the game, I never got used to Stellar Blade’s cumbersome item selection. To change health potions, ammo, or offensive items, you need to hold up or down on the D-Pad and then make your selection. That’s generally fine as the onscreen action pauses, but it goes against the fluidity of the game’s combat. The fact you can’t press left or right on the D-Pad to cycle through items in combat is an odd choice, to say the least.

• 👺 Enemies could offer more variety. Stellar Blade will keep you engaged with its visceral combat, but I’d like to have seen a few more enemy types to deal with. Apart from exploding, ranged enemies, and a couple with shields, the Naytiba you’ll face can all be dispatched rather methodically once you’ve mastered the game’s mechanics. A couple more surprises would have been nice, and it would have also made some encounters more tense and unpredictable.

Should you buy Stellar Blade? 🤔

(Credit: Shift Up)

Yes, if…

• ✅ You love dispatching enemies with skill, style, and panache.

• ✅ You want to play one of the best-looking games on PS5.

• ✅ You’re a fan of Bayonetta, Devil May Cry, and Nier Automata.

No, if…

• ❌ You’re not a fan of combat action games.

• ❌ You’re only in it for the story.

• ❌ You didn’t enjoy the free demo.

First published: April 24, 2024