Stellar Blade was given an April 26 launch date after missing the initial 2023 release window. However, over a month to the new release date, a 41-minute video has surfaced, giving players a peek into what is to come.
Stellar Blade was developed by Shift Up Corporation. After the first scenes involving spaceships, players will get to meet the highly talked about Eve, reportedly created from a 3D scan of a Korean model.
After Eve’s pod lands, players will be required to attempt to open the pod only to discover that the door is now jammed. However, Eve eventually gets help from a character known as Tachy who will also guide you through the first 10 minutes before being slaughtered by a bird-like creature called Alpha Naytiba.
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The first thing I noticed about Stellar Blade was how it throws players into the thick of the action from the very first minute you take over control. Unlike other games that will throw small challenges to assist players through the learning curve, Stellar Blade simply assumes that the player is an avid gamer.
Although players still get button cues, the battles are intense with a boss fight in the first 10 minutes. That is pretty wild if you ask me. Boss fights in most AAA games usually come up after an hour—or more—of playing. The exception I have seen recently is Marvel’s Spider-Man 2 where you fight the Sandman in the opening scene. However, since it is a sequel, it is easier to imagine that players must have mastered the controls from the first game.
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To many, playing Stellar Blade will be a new experience. Not because of the graphics fidelity, the worlds, or Eve’s curves, but because of the intensity. Stellar Blade is a third-person, post-apocalyptic action adventure that will be coming exclusively to PlayStation.
Stellar Blade combines unique and borrowed properties
The 41-minute Stellar Blade “demo” is believed to be related to the trial product that was “accidentally” published on the PlayStation store recently. After watching the first few minutes, I couldn’t help but notice the game’s uniqueness and other areas where it appears to have borrowed elements.
The character at the center of it all, Eve, reminded me a lot about Chun-Li, the female martial arts expert in Street Fighter. Although Eve fights predominantly with a sword, she has some martial arts skills which she showcases when dodging during combat.
Eve’s breasts also move around—subtly, thankfully—so that it is not as jarring as earlier anticipated. However, it is not the first time I have seen bouncing breasts in a video game. Dead or Alive had an option called bouncing breasts which could be toggled on or off. My brothers and I used to keep it on just so we would have a good laugh.
From what I noticed, Stellar Blade is the kind of game where you need to go all-out attack, particularly on smaller enemies. Once you start slashing your sword, make sure you don’t break the flow until their health meter is drained. Small enemies can do serious damage if given a breather.
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With larger enemies, the tactics are different. Firstly, you need to learn their attack patterns. Secondly, you need to have your hands always on the parry button and be ready to move when they want to execute heavy hits that cannot be parried.
One of the hints in the game said, “Enemies deliver a blow that cannot be guarded or parried after glowing yellow. You must Dodge these attacks”. Interestingly, even smaller enemies can glow yellow which is why you shouldn’t give them the space to do that.
My greatest fear with Stellar Blade is that, like Final Fantasy 7: Rebirth, music is always playing in the background which could present an issue for streamers. Hopefully, the background track will not come with any copyright claims. Have a look at the 41-minute video below—that is if you don’t mind spoilers.
