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Stellar Blade is one of those games that’s grown since launch, due to things like post-launch patches with fixes and free content and paid DLC expansions, so with the Complete Edition on Switch 2 we’re getting quite a hefty game. We’re basically getting what could be the best version of an established solid action game for the system. It’s quite a win, though perhaps a bit of a bittersweet one for me, as I fear we could see this kind of creativity and quality disappear if Shift Up adopts generative AI for game development. But in this moment, this port of this game is an admirable one that works better than I expected.
In an attempt to reclaim Earth from deadly Naytibas foes, the Mother Sphere AI in space sends soldiers to the planet to fight back and attempt to retake it. As Stellar Blade begins, the 7th Airborne Squad’s Eve leaves the space colony with her crew in a reclamation attempt. While the group fails, Eve survives and meets a human named Adam, a 5th Airborne Squad survivor and fellow soldier named Lily, and heads to the humans’ last city to hopefully find a way to fight back and complete her mission.
Stellar Blade has been referred to as similar to NieR, particularly NieR: Automata, when it comes to its narrative, characters, and themes. This all holds true. I do think Yoko Taro’s story is the superior one, to be clear. But it’s an interesting enough tale, and I appreciated how our choices for Eve and interactions with people can help shape things. The supplemental DLC ranges from silly to oddly appropriate. Seeing Emil’s Shop roaming around the world is fun, and the costumes from it suit Eve, but there’s not much story to it. Conversely, there are some fun conversations with the Goddess of Victory: NIKKE elements, allowing for some fun interactions with Scarlet and a minigame that attempts to replicate the mechanics from the Shift Up PC and mobile game.
Speaking of coming close to NieR: Automata, but not quite being there, Stellar Blade Complete Edition feels that way with combat too. This is a very combo-heavy, flashy game that rewards you for being good at landing major hits and well-timed dodges. The parry system is also really great, with some well-telegraphed moments that reward you for exactly countering a big hit from a bad guy. I do wish that the enemies weren’t such HP sponges, a fault that persists from the PS5 version from what I recall, but if you get into a one-on-one fight with an Alpha Naytibas opponent or someone like Scarlet in the DLC, that match-up feels really challenging and good.
As for how it looks while doing so, it seemed best at hitting and staying at that 60fps target in ideal situations. One on one match up. Not a huge amount of foes around or really busy or large environment. It works. I did notice dips when the huge hordes come around. And you know there are times when Eve runs into mobs in Stellar Blade Complete Edition on the Switch 2. It still manages to try and stay around that 60fps target and I don’t think I ever saw it go below 30fps. In general, Shift Up did a good job with the port to ensure it is performing well on the Switch 2. Maybe not as consistently strong on other platforms, but it’s still playing well.
Visually, Stellar Blade Complete Edition also looks really good on the Switch 2. It’s not incredible and as phenomenal as it would be on the PS5 and PC. I’d say it is closer to looking on Nintendo’s system the way Final Fantasy VII Remake and Rebirthinstead. Still, it’s very impressive! The character models still feature a lot of details and the setting itself looks good, albeit not as detailed as the other versions.
I do feel the Switch 2-specific features for Stellar Blade Complete Edition are nice complements to the game. Like the PS5 version, the Joy-Con 2 controllers’ offer feedback when doing things like exploring and attacking with Eve. The HD Rumble 2 feels great and works well. I’m not the biggest fan of gyro aiming, but it works well enough for things like the shooting chest challenges. The Bayonetta-themed costumes also look fantastic and perfectly fit in with Eve’s wardrobe.
As with the original PS5 release, Stellar Blade Complete Edition feels quite at home on the Switch 2 and still can feel like a must-play sort of action game. It does feel truly “done” in this form with all of the add-ons available. The extra costumes are nice. While you can tell this wasn’t the “native” system due to it not being as visually impressive as the PS5 version and I do feel allowances were made to get it running on Nintendo’s console, it still goes better than I expected.
Stellar Blade Complete Edition is available for the Switch 2, and it can also be found on the PS5 and PC.
