Stellar Blade Might Just Be 2024’s Bayonetta

Among 2024’s PlayStation-bound exclusives, Stellar Blade stands out. Developed by the Korean studio SHIFT UP, the game’s rare second-party Sony publishing circumstances set it apart from other first and third-party PlayStation exclusives out this year. Players take control of Eve, a warrior part of a group trying to liberate Earth from the invading Naytibas. Stellar Blade likely has more going on underneath its surface, but until that comes to light, Eve will join up with Adam and Lily to keep the last human city, Xion, standing against the foreign threat.

Stellar Blade follows the general “stylish action” tradition more closely than any other confirmed 2024 games, even the Team Ninja-developed Rise of the Ronin. The game plays like a hack-and-slash title with some RPG and third-person shooter elements, an uncommon combination that is only partially represented by other 2024 releases like Warhammer 40,000: Space Marine 2, Granblue Fantasy: Relink, and Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth. It’s in comparison to past games in that subgenre where a clearer picture of Stellar Blade starts to form, particularly when it’s set beside Bayonetta.

Exploring Stellar Blade’s Biggest Action Influences

SHIFT UP CEO and Stellar Blade director Kim Hyung Tae outlined the game’s inspirations in a recent interview with Famitsu, and the largest being NieR: Automata, a collaboration between developer PlatinumGames and director Yoko Taro, is quickly apparent. Eve and 2B both descend to a post-apocalyptic Earth from a space colony to support a war against invaders, and eventually start questioning the nature of humanity. Without even going into granular parallels like support drones and the presence of characters named “Adam and Eve” in both titles, Stellar Blade owes a lot to NieR: Automata.

Stellar Blade Gaining Bayonetta’s Traits Was Inevitable

However, Automata also owes a lot to PlatinumGames’ past work, tracing back to the studio’s first breakout hit, Bayonetta. Director Hideki Kamiya, who once directed Devil May Cry 1 for Capcom, set the tone for PlatinumGames’ body of work with a slick, sexy, and stylish action game about a witch fighting angels. The game’s success managed to install Bayonetta alongside DMC as a touchstone for action games to come, and Bayonetta is still considered a must-play entry in the genre even after its tumultuous later years. Even if Stellar Blade is directly inspired by NieR: Automata, and includes elements of world design from the recent God of War titles, it’s still ultimately following in the footsteps of Bayonetta.

Bayonetta and Stellar Blade Are Cut From The Same Cloth

There are a lot of vibes shared between Bayonetta and Stellar Blade, and they start with each game’s fashionable heroines. Over 20 costumes available for Eve recall the boutique of outfits Bayonetta built up across her franchise, and even more cosmetic options have been teased. Going from protagonists to enemies, the Naytibas in Stellar Blade are grotesque and visually diverse in ways reminiscent of Bayonetta’s demons and angels. These monsters, as well as various terms and locations in Stellar Blade’s world, add some spiritual touches to the game’s usual ruined future aesthetic, striking a balance between Bayonetta and NieR: Automata‘s influence.

More Bayonetta Links Will Appear As Stellar Blade’s Gameplay Unfolds

What really lands Stellar Blade in the role of “2024’s Bayonetta,” though, is how it plays. A full open world has already been deconfirmed, suggesting plenty of linear mission areas that are still wide enough to encourage exploration like in a PlatinumGames title. Combat is a fast-paced, predominantly up-close affair with an emphasis on reacting to enemy actions, and includes occasional bouts of cinematic action to heighten excitement like how Bayonetta often infuses its encounters with over-the-top setpieces. If Stellar Blade sticks its landing, stylish action fans will be looking at the genre’s biggest new title since 2022’s Bayonetta 3, and that is a proud legacy to carry.

Stellar Blade

Released

April 26, 2024

Developer(s)

Shift Up

Publisher(s)

Sony Interactive Entertainment

Genre(s)

Action RPG