If you spent any time on the internet in early 2024, you probably saw the discourse. People weren't really talking about the mechanics of Shift Up's new title. They were talking about Eve’s outfits. Or the "physics." Or whether a South Korean mobile developer could actually pull off a AAA console exclusive.
Fast forward to 2026. The dust has settled. We’ve seen the PC port explode on Steam, selling over 2.4 million copies in record time. We’ve seen the "Complete Edition" hit shelves. And honestly? The question of is Stellar Blade good has been answered by the sheer weight of its 9.2 Metacritic user score and 6.1 million total units sold.
It’s great. But it’s also weird.
The Sekiro-Lite Combat That Actually Works
Don't let the flashy trailers fool you into thinking this is just another button-masher like Devil May Cry. It isn't. If you try to play it like a pure "character action" game, you are going to see the "Game Over" screen a lot.
The heart of the game is defensive. You have to parry. You have to dodge. It feels much closer to Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice than people expected, though it's arguably more forgiving.
When you land a perfect parry, you hear that satisfying metallic clink. Your Beta Gauge fills up. You unleash a "Lacerating Edge" or some other high-damage skill. It creates a rhythm. Attack, parry, dodge, counter. It’s a dance.
Wait. There’s a catch.
The input timing can feel a bit "heavy." Some players call it clunky; others call it deliberate. You can't just animation-cancel your way out of every mistake. You have to commit to your swings.
Why the Boss Fights are the Real Star
Honestly, the regular mobs are just there to fill space. The bosses? They're incredible. There are over 48 types of Naytiba (the game’s grotesque monsters), and the major encounters are spectacles.
- The Spectacle: Massive, biological nightmares that look like something out of a Cronenberg movie.
- The Soundtrack: Music changes phases as the boss loses health. It’s mostly vocal-heavy, K-Pop-adjacent, and ethereal.
- The Mechanics: You’ll face bosses that require you to switch to the drone’s long-range gun mode, turning the game into a temporary third-person shooter.
It keeps things fresh for the 25 to 30 hours it takes to beat the main story.
Is the Story Actually Any Good?
Here is where things get a bit polarizing. If you’re looking for the philosophical depth of NieR: Automata, you might be disappointed. Director Hyung-Tae Kim has been pretty open about being a "visualist" first and a storyteller second.
It shows.
The dialogue can be stiff. The English voice acting for Eve sometimes feels a bit detached, though the Korean and Japanese tracks are much more expressive. You’re essentially playing through a "greatest hits" of sci-fi tropes: post-apocalyptic Earth, a mysterious "Mother Sphere" AI, and the last human city, Xion.
But then, the world-building starts to creep in.
If you bother to read the data logs and side quest notes, there’s a much darker, more interesting lore underneath. There’s a side quest involving a man and a singing android that honestly hits harder than most of the main cutscenes. It’s a game that rewards curiosity even if the main plot is a bit of a "save the world" cliché.
The "Complete Edition" and the 2026 Perspective
If you’re just picking this up now on PS5 or PC, you’re getting the best version.
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Early players had to deal with some input lag and a lack of endgame content. Now? You’ve got a Boss Challenge mode that is brutally difficult. You’ve got the Goddess of Victory: Nikke crossover content. You’ve got over 30 outfits that don’t cost a dime in microtransactions—you just find them by exploring or finishing challenges.
That’s a rarity in 2026. A single-player game that feels "finished" at launch (and then gets free updates) is why Shift Up is currently the darling of the industry. They even gave their employees PS5 Pros and bonuses after the game hit its sales targets. That kind of developer energy usually translates into a game made with actual passion.
What Most People Get Wrong About the Difficulty
"Is it a Soulslike?"
Sort of. It has the "bonfire" mechanics (Supply Camps) where enemies respawn when you rest. It has the high damage. But it also has a "Story Mode" with an "Action Assist" feature.
If you struggle with parry windows, the game will literally slow down time and show you a button prompt. It’s the most accessible "hard" game I’ve played in years. You can make it as punishing or as breezy as you want.
Final Verdict: Should You Buy It?
If you like high-fidelity action and don't mind a story that takes a backseat to the gameplay, then yes, is Stellar Blade good is an understatement—it's essential.
Actionable Tips for New Players:
- Get the "Reflection" and "Focus" skills first. These make the parry and dodge windows much wider. Without them, the game feels twice as hard.
- Don't skip the "Cans." Finding the collectible soda cans across the world actually upgrades your healing item capacity. It’s not just for trophies.
- Switch to the Korean VO. Even if you don't speak the language, the emotional delivery fits the character archetypes much better than the English dub.
- Explore Xion thoroughly. Some of the best lore and equipment are hidden in the back alleys of the last city, not on the main path.
If you’ve already cleared the campaign, it’s time to head into New Game Plus. It adds new skill tiers and even more "Nano Suits" that weren't available in the first run. The sequel is already in production, so now is the perfect time to see why this IP has become Sony’s biggest surprise hit of the decade.