Uploaded April 2024 | Updated September 2026, 3 weeks ago
In this review/analysis of Stellar Blade (PS5) I discuss how, despite some frustrations, they just don't make games like this anymore, man.
Support the show on Patreon - patreon.com/writingongames
Podcast - http://anchor.fm/writingongamescast
Second Channel - youtube.com/channel/UC1xxfS_HILi09yaELQdmV1A
---
Early review code provided by PlayStation.
Stellar Blade is a game I had zero expectations for, so when Sony sent me a code, I was basically going in blind. What I found was a game that was often frustrating—shoddy platforming, stiff storytelling, odd puzzles, bad checkpointing—but bolstered by a fantastic combat system that makes you feel like the anime protagonist you're designed as, the game ended up reminding me that I'll take an imperfect game that makes me feel something, over an abundantly clean title that I forget about instantly. Stellar Blade's frustrations are born of its developer's ambition, rather than lack of it, which makes all the difference. In this review/analysis, let's discuss how Stellar Blade surprised me as one of the more memorable gaming experiences I've had this year.
0:00 - Intro
0:10 - Stellar Blade is a NieR-Like
2:31 - A rocky narrative
4:21 – Stellar Blade wants you to feel like an anime hero
7:18 - The many frustrations of Stellar Blade
9:23 - But they just don't make games like this anymore
11:50 - Stellar Blade isn't what you think it is
14:04 - Outro
---
Animated text intro by Isaac Holland - twitter.com/drazgames
In this review/analysis of Stellar Blade (PS5) I discuss how, despite some frustrations, they just don't make games like this anymore, man.
Support the show on Patreon - patreon.com/writingongames
Podcast - http://anchor.fm/writingongamescast
Second Channel - youtube.com/channel/UC1xxfS_HILi09yaELQdmV1A
---
Early review code provided by PlayStation.
Stellar Blade is a game I had zero expectations for, so when Sony sent me a code, I was basically going in blind. What I found was a game that was often frustrating—shoddy platforming, stiff storytelling, odd puzzles, bad checkpointing—but bolstered by a fantastic combat system that makes you feel like the anime protagonist you're designed as, the game ended up reminding me that I'll take an imperfect game that makes me feel something, over an abundantly clean title that I forget about instantly. Stellar Blade's frustrations are born of its developer's ambition, rather than lack of it, which makes all the difference. In this review/analysis, let's discuss how Stellar Blade surprised me as one of the more memorable gaming experiences I've had this year.
0:00 - Intro
0:10 - Stellar Blade is a NieR-Like
2:31 - A rocky narrative
4:21 – Stellar Blade wants you to feel like an anime hero
7:18 - The many frustrations of Stellar Blade
9:23 - But they just don't make games like this anymore
11:50 - Stellar Blade isn't what you think it is
14:04 - Outro
---
Animated text intro by Isaac Holland - twitter.com/drazgames
