Stellar Blade

I was actually hyped about playing this game. The influence of this game is absolutely obvious: Nier: Automata. I actually haven't played the game in a good seven years or so. I certainly remember enjoying it quite a lot, however. Perhaps it's time to give it another playthrough. But I gotta get through this backlog.... Anyways, I was hyped because of this influence and I am a total sucker for post-apocalyptic cyberpunk. I also enjoy mutated monstrosities for enemies to hack through. Any gamer loves a big, bad boss battle, too. Finally, Eve is a highly attractive female that's pleasing to the eyes. Call me a backwards neanderthal, but I prefer sexy women. Despite being hyped, my expectations wheren't exactly high. I expected a shallower version of Nier: Automata and that's definitely what I got. However, I must elaborate on just how much fun this game is.

Story Premise

The setting is about as typical as you can get. Earth has been conquered by mutated monstrosities known as the Naytibas. They've driven humanity to the stars so they can rule over the ashes of civilization and a perpetual wasteland of a planet. Humanity regroups as they orbit in space. They send in squadrons of angels to wage war against the Naytibas and reclaim Earth for humanity. You are Eve, a soldier as part of 7th Airborne Squadron sent in strike down supremely powerful Naytibas, known as alpha Naytibas. Your team must also hunt down the most supreme of the all: the Elder Naytiba. Unfortunately, everything goes wrong almost immediately. All of your squadmates are killed. You are rescued at the last minute by a local who nurses you back to health. Once you are back on your feet, the mission remains the same: hunt down and kill the alpha and elder Naytibas.

Questing

The background to this simple premise is a beautiful post-apocalyptic world. It maintains all of the hallmarks: dilapidated buildings, decaying technology centers, barren wastelands, and destitute people. Not to mention hostile creatures running about. In fact, these Naytibas have completely overrun the planet. There is only a single holdout: a single city where a number of humans failed to be selected to live in the outer space colony are forced to carve out a living. Some live in resent that Mother Sphere didn't select them, others have hope that will travel to live in the colony one day, and still others accept their troublesome fate. You can help these people with side quests and be rewarded with outfits, powerups, loot, and good karma. Some of the quests are actually interesting. There's one where you must discover the fate of her sister and another where a couple risks a little too much to improve the life of his lover. It's not exactly epic novel writing, but they do carry a surprising amount of charm.

Stimulating Vistas

As I mentioned previously, the ruins of the final war on Earth are beautiful. The art direction manages to capture the dire situation of a scorched Earth as well as the sleek cyberpunk futurism that caused it. I also appreciate paradisical touches such as the oasis and the lake in the cave that capture a glimpse into a past that once was. In fact, the lover's quest that sends to an ancient and destroyed opera also captures the world that was lost. The city of Xion is your average large dwelling constructed together with whatever material they can find in a wretched environment. It's completely rundown, dirty, and gritty, but also futuristic and soaked in neon. I'm a sucker for these type of visuals, and I find it's very well done here.

Captivating Combat

The star of the game is the combat itself. It is indeed good old fashion hack n' slash. However, you also cannot just charge into enemies and just mindlessly spam the attack button. You will get punished if you pursue this strategy. No, you will have to dodge, parry, and coordinate your attacks to maximize your combos and damage. It gets even trickier when you are surrounded by enemies. You will have to use your powerful beta or burst attacks. And not just any beta or burst attacks, but precisely the ones the perform area damage as there are others that inflict concentrated and targeted damage. There's a litany of powerups, too. Some are defensive and increase your shield and reduce damage. Others favor offence and increase damage and attack speed. When you unlock more slots, you can mix and match. In addition to good old fashion hacking and slashing, there are ranged attacks. You have machine gun, shotgun, explosive shells, missiles, and laser. You have the liberty to engage in combat in most any way you wish.

Enjoyable

Stellar Blade is indeed a shallower version of Nier: Automata. However, I must confess that I haven't played Nier in a good seven years or so. So, even that statement might be false. Regardless, Stellar Blade is an absolute blast to play. There's nothing truly original and the fan service may very well prevent you from bragging about playing it to your academic friends. But academians don't actually play good games. Even though it doesn't offer a brand new or unique experience, it's still nevertheless a highly enjoyable and fun experience. I already started a new game+ because I enjoyed it so much. My admittedly low expectations where shattered completely.