Summary
Among 2024’s PlayStation-bound exclusives,Stellar Bladestands out. Developed by the Korean studio SHIFT UP, the game’s rare second-party Sony publishing circumstances set it apart from other first and third-party PlayStation exclusives out this year. Players take control of Eve, a warrior part of a group trying to liberate Earth from the invading Naytibas.Stellar Bladelikely has more going on underneath its surface, but until that comes to light, Eve will join up with Adam and Lily to keep the last human city, Xion, standing against the foreign threat.
Stellar Bladefollows the general “stylish action” tradition more closely than any other confirmed 2024 games, even the Team Ninja-developedRise of the Ronin. The game plays like a hack-and-slash title with some RPG and third-person shooter elements, an uncommon combination that is only partially represented by other 2024 releases likeWarhammer 40,000: Space Marine 2,Granblue Fantasy: Relink, andFinal Fantasy 7 Rebirth. It’s in comparison to past games in that subgenre where aclearer picture ofStellar Bladestarts to form, particularly when it’s set besideBayonetta.
Exploring Stellar Blade’s Biggest Action Influences
SHIFT UP CEO andStellar Bladedirector Kim Hyung Tae outlined the game’s inspirations in a recent interview with Famitsu, and the largest beingNieR: Automata, a collaboration between developer PlatinumGames and director Yoko Taro, is quickly apparent. Eve and 2B both descend to a post-apocalyptic Earth from a space colony to support a war against invaders, and eventually start questioning the nature of humanity. Without even going into granular parallels like support drones and the presence of characters named“Adam and Eve” in both titles,Stellar Bladeowes a lot toNieR: Automata.
Stellar Blade Gaining Bayonetta’s Traits Was Inevitable
However,Automataalso owes a lot to PlatinumGames’ past work, tracing back to the studio’s first breakout hit,Bayonetta. Director Hideki Kamiya, who once directedDevil May Cry 1for Capcom, set the tone for PlatinumGames’ body of work with a slick, sexy, and stylish action game about a witch fighting angels. The game’s success managed to installBayonettaalongsideDMCas a touchstone for action games to come, andBayonettais still considered a must-play entry in the genre even after its tumultuous later years. Even ifStellar Bladeis directly inspired byNieR: Automata, and includes elements of world design from the recentGod of Wartitles, it’s still ultimately following in the footsteps ofBayonetta.
Bayonetta and Stellar Blade Are Cut From The Same Cloth
There are a lot of vibes shared betweenBayonettaandStellar Blade, and they start with each game’s fashionable heroines. Over 20 costumes available for Eve recall the boutique of outfitsBayonettabuilt up across her franchise, and even more cosmetic options have been teased. Going from protagonists to enemies,the Naytibas inStellar Bladeare grotesque and visually diverse in ways reminiscent ofBayonetta’s demons and angels. These monsters, as well as various terms and locations inStellar Blade’s world, add some spiritual touches to the game’s usual ruined future aesthetic, striking a balance betweenBayonettaandNieR: Automata’s influence.
More Bayonetta Links Will Appear As Stellar Blade’s Gameplay Unfolds
What really landsStellar Bladein the role of “2024’sBayonetta,” though, is how it plays. A full open world has already been deconfirmed, suggesting plenty of linear mission areas that are still wide enough to encourage exploration like in a PlatinumGames title. Combat is a fast-paced, predominantly up-close affair with an emphasis on reacting to enemy actions, and includes occasional bouts of cinematic action to heighten excitement like howBayonettaoften infuses its encounters with over-the-top setpieces. IfStellar Bladesticks its landing, stylish action fans will be looking at the genre’s biggest new title since 2022’sBayonetta 3, and that is a proud legacy to carry.
