Stellar Blade

It's about time we had another hack-and-slash game. Stellar Blade is getting straight to the point in bringing immersive, high-octane action back to your console, where big production in the genre has felt like it's been missing for a long time. Or at least it feels that way. It's been a while since we've had a title that's ticked all the right boxes in terms of gameplay.

Here, we have a game set shortly, where aliens have invaded Earth, and humans have lost the war. The player's role is to take up arms and reclaim their homeland for their distraught civilization—the perfect set-up for some hack-and-slash action. Let's see how this major production fairs up in a genre that can become stale quickly.

Thy Blade as a Witness

Let's give a bit of background to Stellar Blade. Our protagonist, Eve, and her courageous squad emerge from the Colony, determined to reclaim Earth from the clutches of the relentless NA:tives. The plot takes an intriguing turn when Eve encounters a resilient survivor named Adam, who becomes a crucial ally in her quest. Together, they uncover Xion, the last bastion of humanity on Earth.

There, we have our setting, so how does gameplay weigh up? The combat aspect of Stellar Blade revolves around strategic engagement, requiring players to counter enemy attacks adeptly. Success in battle unlocks combo skills and items essential to overcoming adversaries. The acquisition of these skills is tied to the clever utilization of the Beta Gauge (BG), earned through skillful parrying and evading maneuvers.

The dynamic combat mechanics make the game more interesting, paired with a half-decent narrative that ropes players in. However, there's still that feeling of something missing to make the game complete. The expansive world doesn't feel full enough when exploring a fallen Earth. The narrative may not feel compelling enough to tell a convincing tale.

Take your pick. Behind the layers of fantastic, fluid production, there's a lackluster feeling. Unfortunately, Stellar Blade falls into the same pit as most hack-and-slash games, where combat becomes repetitive. Eventually, everything about the game feels like a grind. It's a noble effort in relative terms, but it isn't enough to overcome the genre challenges many similar titles face.

Far From Stellar

The core question about Stellar Blade is whether it's worth investing in. The game is decent enough to entertain combat-driven players for a few hours, but it can learn much in polishing. Titles like Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice come to mind as a point of reference in what you should be doing to deliver an engaging modern hack-and-slash title.

Round-Up - Pros & Cons

Pros:

• Dynamic hack-and-slash mechanics
• Lovely visuals with fluid animations
• A decent-sized world to explore

Cons:

• Combat ultimately gets repetitive
• The game will eventually feel like a grind
• The narrative spark dies out after a while