Stellar Blade: Complete Edition (Switch 2)

Woke: 0.0

Eve is designed exactly the way Shift Up intended, without apology, and the Switch 2 version ships with that vision fully intact. The story doesn't push identity politics, doesn't lecture the player, and doesn't traffic in the kind of moral decay that's become routine in Western-developed titles. The Bayonetta crossover outfits are a fun nod between two franchises that have both faced similar cultural pressure and came out stronger for ignoring it.

Gameplay: 8.5

Eve's moveset is built around parries, dodges, and combo chains that reward timing and patience over button mashing. There's a satisfying rhythm once it clicks: you read an enemy's attack pattern, punish the opening, and string together a sequence that feels earned. The skill tree expands your options at a reasonable pace, and boss encounters are where the system gets tested hardest. A few mid-game enemies lean too heavily on the same telegraphed patterns, and some of the open-world traversal sections between fights drag more than they should. The core loop is tight, though, and the Switch 2 port maintains solid performance in both docked and handheld modes. Some minor frame dips show up in the busiest combat scenarios, but nothing that disrupts the experience.

Story: 7.8

Eve is sent to Earth as part of an airborne squad tasked with reclaiming the planet from creatures called the Naytiba. That setup is familiar sci-fi territory, but Stellar Blade uses it to build a world with real texture. The environmental storytelling is strong: scattered logs, ruins, and survivor settlements fill in a history that the main narrative only sketches. Pacing stumbles in the middle third, where the story slows to accommodate exploration and side quests that don't all pull their weight. The main characters are likable without being particularly deep, and some of the dialogue is stiff in translation. The overall arc lands, though, and the game earns its ending without resorting to cheap twists. It's a coherent, well-intentioned story told with conviction.

Visuals: 8.5

On PS5, Stellar Blade was a showcase title. On Switch 2, it's an impressive port with expected trade-offs. Texture resolution is lower, some lighting effects are simplified, and the draw distance in open areas takes a visible hit. The art direction carries the experience, though. Naytiba creature designs are grotesque and inventive, the ruined cityscapes have a real sense of scale, and Eve's character model remains detailed and expressive throughout. In handheld mode, the smaller screen works in the game's favor: the resolution drop is less noticeable, and the game looks good on the go. Docked, it holds its own against other Switch 2 titles without pretending to be the PS5 version.

Audio: 9.0

The score mixes orchestral weight with electronic textures in a way that fits the game's tone precisely: haunting in the quieter exploration moments, urgent and layered during combat. It translates to Switch 2 without any apparent compression or quality loss. Voice acting is competent across the board, with Eve's performance carrying the emotional beats well enough even when the script doesn't give her much to work with. Sound design on the Naytiba is particularly effective. The creatures sound wrong in a way that reinforces how alien and threatening they're supposed to feel. Playing with headphones in handheld mode is the recommended experience.

Replayability: 8.3

The main campaign runs roughly 25 to 30 hours with a reasonable amount of side content included. The Complete Edition bundles all previously released DLC and adds the new Bayonetta-inspired outfits, which gives returning PS5 players a reason to revisit and new players a complete package out of the box. New Game Plus carries over skills and lets you push into harder difficulty settings, extending the value for players who want to master the combat system. The side quests are hit or miss in terms of quality, and collectible hunting is present but not compelling enough to drive a full second playthrough on its own. The costume variety is a draw for players who care about that layer of the experience, and there's enough here to keep things fresh.