Stellar Blade is the little exclusivity of Sony Interactive Entertainment which is available exclusively on PlayStation 5. The title is developed by a South Korean studio, SHIFT UPand has spilled a lot of ink on the Web concerning the design of the characters and the outfits that we can wear in-game. A demo was released on the PlayStation Store and seems, in the end, to convince the players. A gripping and fun adventure? This is the big question of the day. We have finished the game, so we give you our impressions of this new experience. So, an empty shell with pretty packaging?
Incredibly gripping!
Let's talk little, let's talk well, the visual part has something to tickle the eyes although defects are present. Above all, know that we loved the artistic direction and this futuristic and tragic atmosphere that emerges from this production. The team was influenced by Japanese pop culture because there are so many inspirations. Evangelion, Ghost in the Shell, Bayonetta, NieR: Automata, Gunnm… You will inevitably think of one of these licenses while dragging your feet in this universe. Incredibly gripping! Let’s get to the heart of the matter a little more, are the graphics explosive? Clearly. Our friends did a great job on the environments and lighting effects.
Advertisement
Indeed, colored particles swirl in all directions during the clashes, and the shadow play, explosions, and smoke are controlled. The textures are clear, even if certain assets have been copy-pasted on the floor/walls, and at times exhibit a very photo-realistic rendering. The animations of our heroine are superb, and the hemoglobins swirl in the air. Brief, enough to titillate a few pupils. What about imperfections? The facial expressions are a bit frozen (except during the cutscenes), the movements of the NPC are rigid and mechanical, and we encountered collision bugs. Some areas are large, our enemies have been blocked in rocks and we have been immobilized in a wall; forcing us to restart the game. These little hassles are not numerous, but it is always good to note them.
In addition and not to change, we have the choice of resolutions in the options. First of all, Performance produces a slightly blurred rendering, but Stellar Blade is at 60 fps without jerking. then, we have Balance which brings a clean and fluid image, with a frame rate flickering around 60 fps; some falls, not very disturbing, appear when things panic on the screen. Resolution is the last parameter and offers native 4K, to enjoy flashy textures, with a number of frames per second blocked at 30. So you have the choice… What do we recommend? Balanced, you can enjoy good resolution and frame rate decent. And for good reason, the title is abrupt and lively, sometimes demanding, a smooth image is a game changer, especially when it comes to counterattacking, dodging and defending. If you prefer Resolution and its 30 fps, it takes a little time for the eye to adapt to understand and anticipate opponent offensives, but it's not unplayable.