Summary
Stellar Blade, the debut title from new studio Shift Up, is an AAA third-person RPG action/adventure that is the latest in a long line of high-profile single-player experiences exclusive to PlayStation.Stellar Bladewas stated by the developers to be influenced by titles likeNier: Automata, as well as having various Soulslike elements, particularly in its combat design that pulls heavily fromSekiro: Shadows Die Twice. However, it also shares some commonalities with another highly regarded first-party Sony franchise: Guerrilla Games’Horizon.
While certainresemblances betweenStellar BladeandHorizonwere noted in the lead-up to launch, now that players can dive headfirst into it, it’s apparent that the world-building in both titles is extensive and detailed, with each providing immersive and captivating settings and stories.Stellar BladeandHorizoncan be said to mirror each other in myriad fashions in this regard, going well beyond initial appearances, while also diverging in some key aspects.
Stellar Blade’s stunning visualshave led to fans requesting a full photo mode, something thatHorizonalso made good use of.
How Stellar Blade’s Post-Apocalypse Setting Compares to Horizon’s
Horizon and Stellar Blade’s Similar Setups and Stylings Explained
On the surface, there are a couple of generalities inStellar Bladethat heavily mirror those seen inHorizon. For starters, both are obvious post-apocalyptic Earth where an outside threat to humanity has ravaged the planet, forcing the survivors to fend off these menaces using any available means.HorizonandStellar Bladeprotagonists, Aloy and Eve, respectively, also fulfill quite similar roles within the lore and narrative of each, having been essentially tailor-made and trained to be best suited to deal with them.
Stellar Blade’s alien-like Naytibabring to mind almost Lovecraftian creature designs, whereasHorizon’s antagonists come in the form of the rampant AI machines that are built to resemble a mix of wild animals such as deer and bears, while channeling dinosaurs and other prehistoric beasts in their appearance. In both cases, though, they pose a massive danger to the populations, which Eve and Aloy set out to remedy. Other smaller but striking examples, likeHorizon’s massive Cradle facilities, have their reflection inStellar Blade’s areas, like the Altess Levoire and Matrix 11, where the secret remnants and relics of the past hold answers to greater mysteries.
Differences Between Stellar Bade and Horizon’s Worlds
Though both take place in a post-apocalypse,Stellar Bladedifferentiates itself fromHorizon’s in various ways.Horizon’s overall visual designis grounded in a more natural and organic flavor, with wildlife having overtaken much of its landscapes, resulting in numerous vibrant and lush areas, making for some impressive vistas. WhereasStellar Bladeis more toned down, with central locations being largely dusty and desolate canyons and the like, though still punctured by isolated pockets of greenery.
Stellar Blade’s Xion is the last city and bastion of humanity, where those left on Earth have taken refuge to eke out an existence.Stellar Bladeembraces its own version of a cyberpunk society, with almost every NPC citizen of Xion having been cybernetically altered to some degree, and certain ones to an extreme amount. This isn’t always the boon it seems to be, however, as the decaying state of Earth and the roaming Naytibas means that supplies are often in short supply, and those who are in dire need of upkeeping often have to make do with makeshift solutions, or simply go without until Eve arrives to assist.
Conversely,Horizon’s varied and fractured tribesare scattered throughout what is the former Mid-American and far Western states. Humanity has lost much of the knowledge of technology that led to the creation of the machines, leaving them to scavenge and use what remains, usually resulting in haphazard items cobbled together from scrapped machines and other detritus from the past. Still,Stellar BladeandHorizonoffer interesting takes on a number of comparable beats, while remaining distinct enough that gamers can enjoy the nuances of both while simultaneously appreciating their parallel components.
Stellar Blade
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RECLAIM EARTH FOR HUMANKIND The future of humanity hangs in the balance in Stellar Blade, an all-new story-driven action adventure. Ravaged by strange, powerful creatures, Earth has been abandoned, and what is left of the decimated human race has fled to a Colony in outer space. After travelling from the Colony, 7th Airborne Squad member EVE arrives on the desolate remains of our planet with a clear-cut mission: to save humankind by reclaiming Earth from the Naytiba – the malevolent force that has devastated it. But as EVE tackles the Naytiba one-by-one, piecing together the mysteries of the past in the ruins of human civilization, she realizes that her mission is far from straightforward. In fact, almost nothing is as it seems…
