Discussing humans versus machines is an age-old topic, creating dividing and polarizing conversations and opinions. Should machines become sentient, will AI take over and become just curious enough to question its existence? AI is only as powerful as the people who create it, and on that same token curiosity is obtained only if it’s put into the android's programming. Stellar Blade tells a story of androids that became curious enough, who were lied to, and believe humans do not create them, but that they are human themselves. The story, the mechanics, and the overall flow of the game create a harmonious and well-thought-out experience, allowing all parts to run equally, leaving no aspect of the game to suffer.
A balancing act:
Going into a new game is probably one of the most exciting things to experience, that and good calzone. Stellar Blade takes its time with the player, escorting them through a bounty of slow-paced world-building, and crafting certain characters so that a steady connection is built. Unfortunately, not all the characters you travel with get the same love as Eve and Lily did in terms of how the relationship between the player and the character was nurtured. Adams's character was just ok, I felt that he lacked emotion, and drive, and didn’t give me a reason to hate him or like him for that matter, he was a very numbly approached character.
The story of this game was a balancing act of ethics, religious references, and intricately done mechanics, so having a character who is the main villain save you, then betray you is supposed to have more weight, but his character was bland and someone that I feel rather indifferent about. Lily, however, was spunky, adorable, and truly empathic I loved how she created this space for Eve to just exist and cheered her on but also questioned things in the haze of her disbelief about the creation of the androids. The story as a whole brought a new meaning to what an existential crisis is, at the very end seeing how you can choose to take Adams's side or do things on your own references religion in a very unique way. It’s no coincidence that two of the main characters are named Adam and Eve, giving the whole underlying message of the story a psychological undertone of needing to know about creation and who created us, the “us” in this instance, the androids. To top it all off, the endings of the game were so vastly different and well done, if you take Adams's hand Eve and Adam unite as one entity, if you refuse you’re fighting the father of humanity.
The story as a whole I feel will either be continued or capped off in the next Stellar Blade game, for right now there is a steady base to work with. From downloading memories to moving the story forward every time you rest. The narrative design and how this game managed to incorporate themes of longing to understand creation (of both humans and androids), to seeing humanity crumble and what humans turned into as a means of survival, the Naytibas.
It’s kind of like Sekiro:
The mechanics and the way the controls were designed in this game were incredible. It’s like Skeiro when it comes to the parrying and how “on top” of the enemies you have to be. You need to have an almost overly aggressive play style when confronting the bosses. Each boss is different in terms of how you need to approach it, and if you like insane enemies and difficult bosses you’re in for a treat. Now, just to be clear, THIS GAME IS NOT LIKE A SOULS GAME. I’m sorry to put all caps but just because a game is difficult, doesn’t make it souls-like. I will say, the difficulty of the game will be easier if you’ve played games like Sekiro or Elden Ring considering those games have very aggressive bosses that test the skill of a player. The bosses also vary in how to approach them and how you should parry their attacks, some will be easier than others. Belial, Raven, and Elder Naytiba will be the ones you will want to pay attention to seeing as during my playtime they were the ones that caused me the most trouble and took the most time to fight. If you’re not accustomed to difficult games and it’s your first time playing something as aggressive in play style as this the biggest advice I can give is to pay attention to the quick time queues on the screen and learn the move set of the bosses. It also pays to upgrade and learn about the upgrading system for Eve, it can be personalized to your play style since there’s so much to choose from when enhancing her and her attacks.
There are also things in the game that might make you want to go into this title head first or steer clear of it. If you enjoy puzzles, some platforming, and a heavy reliance on not knowing when something might happen so you’ll need to be ready, then this title will be a joy for you. I know some doing puzzles, so just to make you aware some are optional, and some aren’t.
The aesthetics of the boss as well as their corresponding scores that played over top of the fight felt like a cinematic dream. Each score was different, conveying different emotions throughout the experience. The Unidentified Naytiba was my personal favorite in its creature design, it was incredible to look at. But Tachy and Raven were my favorites in terms of mechanics and how well some of the boss fights were done. It was like fighting another version of Eve, so it was challenging and incredibly fun to face off against that character.
Who are we?:
From browsing shops and side quests in Xion, to changing outfits because you need the perfect gear to save the world, to fighting unique bosses, or even just existing in photo mode for a bit this game as a whole offers so much substance and immersive storytelling. Eve is a badass who just wants to help others in need, as she slowly starts to see the truth and unravels the story alongside the player we get a glimpse into a unique narrative design that questions existence in the most fun and honest way, the discussion on humans versus machines being revitalized and given new meaning is refreshing. If a game can motivate people to question the meaning of life healthily, it’s a game worth playing.
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