Not quite as stellar
Stellar Blade was one of my favorite games when it dropped two years ago on PlayStation 5. It was one of the few games I spent hours on, collecting everything and doing all the side content, something I don’t often do. Since then, it has been slowly trickling onto other platforms with the PC version dropping last year, and now Nintendo’s new console is getting in on the action. Stellar Blade on Switch 2 is a decent port with some extra features and a few shortcomings. Still, if you have yet to experience this action title, this port will get the job done.
Breaking down the narrative of Stellar Blade feels like a challenge. While the core premise is simple, it goes places, and even after beating it multiple times, I am still not sure what some of it meant. The basic idea is that the world has been overtaken by creatures known as Naytibas and a corps of super soldiers are dispatched to take them out. Eve ends up being the only one that survives, and she works with a couple of locals to rid the planet of these creatures.
MSRP: $59.99
Platforms: Switch (reviewed), PlayStation, PC
Price I’d Pay: $49.99
Obviously, there is a lot more nuance as players progress through the game, but it is packed with some far-out anime-style twists and turns. It has confusing moments that seem to be there more for flash than substance. Still, it is interesting enough to keep players engaged throughout the entire journey.
I am not going to dive deep into everything as we have already covered the game on the site. You can go back and read our initial review of the game on PS5, but let’s do a quick recap of how things work here. Stellar Blade is a character action game first and foremost. Eve has a pretty standard set of moves with a light and heavy attack, a parry/block mechanic, and a set of special moves. Combos feel good but take a bit to acclimate to. It feels more like a flow in combat than a button masher, and I appreciate that.
The game also has a smidge of Souls style game play. Enemies respawn after resting at a save point and the levels open up to wrap back around on each other as you progress. Boss encounters also require adapting to their patterns and feel more like puzzles as opposed to standard combat encounters. It isn’t overwhelming with its Souls inspiration though, as I rarely got overly frustrated with sections. Eve can also be upgraded with skill points that unlock new combat abilities and collect items to increase your health throughout the game.
Outfits also play a large role, but it is entirely cosmetic. There are tons of costumes scattered around the world that Eve can collect. Once the bigger levels open up, there is even a stylist that can change hairstyles. This version also includes all the DLC including the Nier one, which is nice. The game definitely comes packed with content.
The biggest issue with this port is in its performance and visual fidelity. For starters the game is running on Switch 2, which is not overly powerful. This means the developers opted for frame generation to hit the 60fps target. This introduces lag into the mix that is extremely noticeable. After spending nearly 50 hours in the PS5 version, this one just feels off. They have left in a 40fps mode that definitely feels better, but you lost that crisp framerate I have come to expect.
The visuals are also a bit muddy as the Switch 2 simply cannot keep up. The game peaks at 1080p in docked mode, which makes some of the textures a little blurry at times. Things just aren’t as sharp as I remember. Yes, we are using inferior hardware, but I feel like concessions could have been made elsewhere to keep the consistent framerate without frame generation. Still, for a Switch game, it looks good, just not as sharp as I was hoping for. The music remains excellent and is one of the best original scores for a game in the past few years.
Stellar Blade is a fantastic game, but the Switch 2 port just seems to struggle to deliver the ideal version. The graphics can be blurry at times, and the frame generation actually affects gameplay. Still, if you have been waiting for this version, it is still an outstanding game and worth checking out. Just prepare to adjust to the input lag and enjoy the new Bayonetta costumes. This is still one of the best action games released this generation.
Review copy of game provided by publisher.