![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.gameinformer.com\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/body_default\/public\/2024\/04\/23\/0eef3c86\/stellar_blade_4.jpg\")
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\n Reviewed on:<\/b>
\n PlayStation 5
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Platform:<\/b>
\n PlayStation 5
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Publisher:<\/b>
\n Sony Interactive Entertainment
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Developer:<\/b>
\n ShiftUp
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Stellar Blade\u2019s opening minutes are an apt encapsulation of the game ahead. A beautifully rendered but confusing cinematic sets up big sci-fi stakes. A splashy character intro moment focuses on the lead character\u2019s sex appeal. A bombastic action sequence leads into a stylish and visually arresting boss battle. It\u2019s truth in advertising from the very start, and developer Shift Up seems to be making a statement in those opening minutes: This is what we\u2019re about \u2013 climb aboard, or jump ship \u2013 the choice is yours.<\/p>\n
The extraordinarily versatile and rewarding action steals the show in the many hours ahead. Dedicated action gamers should have little trouble recognizing the apparent influences, from Nier: Automata and Bayonetta to the protective parrying of Soulslike games like Sekiro. Stellar Blade teeters back and forth between a fast-moving \u201cstylish action\u201d experience and a focus on enemy observation and tight timing windows for attack and defense. I found combat consistently challenging and exciting, with a steady curve of trickier enemies and bosses to balance against an impressive array of unlockable skills. Battle animations are smooth and varied, enemies are fascinating and grotesque, and the pace of any given fight has a film-like quality. It\u2019s great fun.<\/p>\n
While combat is critical, other action and exploration experiences round things out. Platforming can be enjoyable, with thoughtfully hidden optional secrets to discover. The jumping sometimes feels floaty, and it\u2019s too easy to get caught on geometry in the environment, but it only rarely causes big problems. Other sequences, like grinding at high speed down a rollercoaster or slipping past a laser security grid, help to keep things fresh, if occasionally frustrating.<\/p>\n
I enjoy the unusual pace and flow of the game, which gleefully meanders from linear strings of combat to moments of open-world side quest adventures and through brief excursions into horror-fueled infiltrations where your melee options are stripped away. Stellar Blade keeps the player guessing right up through a brutal sequence of final boss battles that aim to test everything you\u2019ve learned so far. Even if there were times when things felt uneven, I was frequently just happy to be kept on my toes.<\/p>\n