Stellar Blade: A Visually Impressive Action-Adventure with Clear Strengths and Weaknesses
Shift Up’s Stellar Blade is a PS5-exclusive action-adventure that showcases the power of Unreal Engine 4. Upon entering the main menu, players are greeted with three performance modes: Resolution Mode, Performance Mode, and Balanced Mode. Each mode delivers on its promise, with Resolution Mode prioritizing pixel count, Performance Mode targeting smooth and high performance, and Balanced Mode offering a compromise between the two.
Visual Fidelity and Performance
Visually, Stellar Blade impresses with its highly detailed character models, dynamic lighting, and stunning particle effects. Eve, the main character, exhibits realistic skin tones and flowing physics-based hair, while the game’s enemies showcase a diverse range of designs and animations. The game’s environments span a wide variety of locales, from lush greenery to underwater tunnels, all of which are rendered with impressive detail.
In terms of performance, Stellar Blade delivers a mostly flawless experience. Resolution Mode maintains a locked 30fps, while Performance Mode targets a steady 60fps. Balanced Mode fluctuates slightly between 50-60fps, but it remains smooth and responsive thanks to its use of variable refresh rate (VRR) technology.
Combat and Exploration
At its core, Stellar Blade is a skill-based action game with a combat system inspired by Sekiro. Players engage in fast-paced and fluid battles against a variety of enemies, from mutated creatures to hulking bosses. The game encourages exploration with plenty of hidden goodies and rewards for venturing off the beaten path.
Story and RPG Elements
While Stellar Blade’s visuals and gameplay shine, its story and RPG elements fall short. The narrative lacks substance, and the side quests often require backtracking through previous levels without much incentive. Additionally, the game’s voice acting can be repetitive and detract from the overall experience.
Minor Drawbacks
Despite its strengths, Stellar Blade has some minor drawbacks. Textures on incidental objects can lack detail, and some character animations outside of combat can appear stiff. The game also occasionally suffers from graphical inconsistencies, such as low polygon counts and uneven volumetric lighting.
Conclusion
Overall, Stellar Blade is a promising debut for Shift Up, delivering a visually impressive and enjoyable action-adventure experience. Its core combat system and stunning visuals are its main highlights, but the game’s story and RPG elements could use improvement. With its impressive scale and variety, Stellar Blade is likely to be a memorable addition to the PS5 library.
