The Great Desert in Stellar Blade is a massive, sand-choked headache if you're a completionist. You step out into that blinding heat, and suddenly you're hit with the realization that there are dozens of tiny, glowing corpses scattered across the dunes, each holding a piece of data you need for that 100% trophy or just to satisfy your inner lore-hound. Honestly, tracking down every Stellar Blade Great Desert memory stick feels less like a fun side activity and more like a high-stakes scavenger hunt where the prize is not getting stuck at 98% completion because you missed one body hidden behind a rusted-out bus.
Eve's journey through the wasteland is lonely. The memory sticks make it feel a bit more crowded, but in a tragic way. You’re essentially eavesdropping on the final thoughts of people who didn't make it. Some are soldiers, others are just citizens who got caught in the crossfire of the Naytiba invasion. If you’re trying to max out your Data Bank, you’ve got work to do. There are over 20 unique memory sticks in this region alone, and that doesn’t even count the documents or posters that clutter your inventory.
Let's be real: the map in this game is okay, but it doesn’t do you many favors when it comes to verticality or those weird little nooks in the rock formations.
Why the Great Desert Memory Sticks are Such a Pain
The Great Desert is arguably the most open area in the game. Unlike the Wasteland, which has a bit more structure with its canyons, the Desert is a wide-open bowl of "where the heck am I?" One minute you're fighting a Lurker, and the next you've wandered three miles off course because you saw a shiny box.
Most players miss these items because they don't use the scan pulse enough. Or, they use it, see a yellow dot, and then realize it’s on top of a collapsed highway they have no idea how to climb. It’s annoying. You've got to deal with the heat—not gameplay-wise, but just the visual glare—and the fact that several of these sticks are tucked away in the "Buried Ruins" or the "Twin Rocks" areas which are multi-layered nightmares.
The "Memory of a Citizen" or "Patrolman’s Testament" entries aren't just fluff. They provide the context for what happened at the Solar Tower or why the supply lines failed. But if you're just here for the Platinum, you just want the locations.
The Buried Ruins Scavenger Hunt
If you head to the northern section of the map, you'll hit the Buried Ruins. This is where a huge chunk of the Stellar Blade Great Desert memory stick collectibles are concentrated. It’s an urban skeleton. You’ll find one stick—"Lament of the Desperate"—near the entrance where a bunch of ruined buildings lean against each other.
Then there's the one everyone misses. It's inside a collapsed shop that you can only enter by jumping through a specific window. It’s called "A Soldier’s Final Letter." It's grim. Most of these are. But what’s trickier is the stick located near the Rooftop Garden. You have to navigate a series of yellow-painted ledges and swings. If you fall, you’re starting the climb over. It’s classic Stellar Blade platforming: slightly janky but rewarding if you nail the timing.
Don't forget the area near the Waypoint in the center of the ruins. There’s a body slumped against a vending machine. It’s easy to walk past because it blends into the grey textures of the concrete. Scan. Always scan.
The Solar Tower and Surrounding Dunes
The Solar Tower is your landmark. It’s the North Star of the Great Desert. Around the base, you’ll find a couple of easy grabs, mostly fallen guards who were trying to keep the power on. But if you venture out into the "Abyss" area to the west, things get sparse.
There is a specific memory stick called "The Truth of the World" located near a destroyed transport ship. Finding it requires you to deal with a few Hive-type enemies that will knock you off your feet if you aren't careful. The desert isn't just empty space; it's a graveyard.
- Pro Tip: Use the double jump and the air dash combo to reach the elevated platforms near the Twin Rocks. There is a memory stick there belonging to an "Exiled Researcher" that provides some of the best world-building in the zone.
- Keep an Eye Out: Look for the small, blueish glows. In the daylight of the desert, they are hard to see. It’s actually easier to hunt these at night if the game allowed a day/night cycle, but since it doesn't, you've gotta squint.
Dealing with the "Hidden" Sticks
Some memory sticks are locked behind puzzles or mini-bosses. You might see a corpse inside a cage or a locked gate. Often, these require you to find a fuse or hit a series of switches in a specific order. The Great Desert loves its "find three generators" puzzles. One memory stick in the south is located right next to a chest that requires you to play a directional d-pad mini-game.
You’ll also find some near the "Oasis." This is the only place in the Great Desert that doesn't look like a beige nightmare. Check behind the bushes near the water. There’s a "Traveler’s Diary" stick there. It’s one of the few that isn't completely depressing, which is a nice change of pace from the usual "we're all gonna die" vibe of the others.
The Completionist’s Checklist
You really need to be methodical. If you try to just "wing it," you will end up with 18 out of 24 and no idea which ones you're missing. The game doesn't label them by name on the map.
- Check the Buried Ruins thoroughly—top to bottom.
- Circle the entire perimeter of the map. Developers love putting things on the very edge of the world.
- Revisit the area where you fought the Stalker boss. There are often leftovers there.
- Look inside every overturned bus. Seriously.
Why Bother with the Lore?
You might be wondering if it's even worth the effort. Beyond the "Great Desert Adventurer" or similar trophies, these sticks flesh out Mother Sphere’s influence and the human cost of the war against the Naytibas. You learn about the "Airborne Squads" that came before Eve. You realize she wasn't the first, and based on the number of bodies, she's just the luckiest.
The writing in these sticks is surprisingly punchy. It’s not long-winded. It's usually a few sentences of pure desperation. It adds a layer of weight to Eve's mission. You aren't just saving a planet; you're walking over the remains of a civilization that really tried, and failed, to save itself.
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Getting it Done
To wrap this up, the most efficient way to clear the Stellar Blade Great Desert memory stick list is to divide the map into quadrants. Start with the Solar Tower and move clockwise. Use the fast travel phone booths to reset your perspective if you get turned around.
If you're stuck at 95% completion for the region, it’s almost certainly a stick hidden in the Buried Ruins vertical sections or one tucked under a sand dune near the map's southern edge. Go back to the Oasis, rest, and then do one final sweep of the perimeter.
Actionable Next Steps
- Upgrade your Scanner: If you haven't maxed out the scan range in your drone’s skill tree, do it now. It makes the "ping" reach much further, highlighting those blue glows through walls.
- Clear the Naytiba Presence: It’s much easier to search when you aren't being shot at by turret-like enemies or jumped by sand-sharks.
- Focus on the Ruins: Spend 70% of your time in the Buried Ruins; that’s where the density of collectibles is highest.
- Cross-Reference: Check your Data Bank menu. If you see gaps in the numbering of "Memory Sticks," you know exactly how many you are missing in that specific sub-category.