During a recent investor call, the developer of Stellar Blade confirmed that it's aiming to port the game to PC in 2025. More specifically, it plans to deliver the game to Steam following the explosive success of Black Myth: Wukong on PC.

The plan was revealed after Shift Up, the South Korean developer behind Stellar Blade, answered a question about a potential PC port. Not only does the team expect to release the game on PC next year, but it believes Stellar Blade will excel by being on storefronts such as Steam. Shift Up acknowledged Wukong, which was released on PlayStation 5 and PC to, well, stellar results. The game peaked at 2.4 million players on Steam, eclipsing long-time titans such as Counter-Strike 2, Dota 2, and (uh) Banana.

"Considering recent trends such as Steam's increase in [the] share of the AAA game market and the global success of 'Black Myth: Wukong', we expect the performance on PC to be better than that on consoles," the studio wrote (v??ia Google Translate).

Stellar Blade coming to PC will be good for everyone

Stellar Blade launched as a PS5 exclusive in April 2024. The exciting hack-and-slash game was well received by critics and fans, earning an 81 at Metacritic. In June, Shift Up reported that the game was at more than 1 million copies sold. It makes sense that the studio wants to bump those numbers up with a PC port. The CFO Jaewoo Ahn said the team was "looking at" a PC port of Stellar Blade, but nothing was set in stone �especially si?nce it appeared the?re was an exclusivity agreement between Shift Up and Sony.

A PC port felt like an eventuality, though. Stellar Blade is a clean-looking and damn good action game, one that would have made a lot more folks happy if it wasn't locked to Sony's bo??x at launch. Having the game on PC will certainly bring it back into the limelight.

As for when the port will arrive, that's unknown. I imagine we won't know until April 2025, a year after its PS5 launch �assuming a contract is keeping it to the console fo?r a year.

The post Stellar Blade developer is pl?anning for a PC port in 2025 appeared first on Destructoid.

I will commend Shift Up for not doing what many believed to be the obvious and monetizing the hell out of Stellar Blade. In addition to a boss rush mode, the sci-fi title has received more than a few outfits to fill out Eve's closet at no cost. The support continues with a special Summer Event that includes swimwe??ar and additions to the Oasis.

How to get the Wave Diver Bikini and Wave Oblique Monokini in Stellar Blade

Speak with the best robo-fisherman, Clyde, at the Oasis in the Great Desert. He has two new swimsuits and some "stellar" shades for Eve. If you're an avid fan of fishing minigames, then you likely already have enough Fishing Points to purchase everything. If not, grab some of that Fantastic Bait from Clyde and get your fish on.

• Wave Diver Bikini

  • Purchase Cost: (1500) Fishing Store
  • Crafting Cost: (25) Extreme Polymer Material, (50) Advanced Polymer Material, (75) Polymer Material

• Wave Oblique Monokini

  • Purchase Cost: (1500) Fishing Score
  • Crafting Cost: (25) Extreme Polymer Material, (50) Advanced Polymer Material, (75) Polymer Material

• Polarized Sunglasses

  • Purchase Cost: (750) Fishing Score

Aside from getting some new duds for Eve and fishing to a (thankfully) new backing track, you can check out the new event area, replete with food, drinks, usable pool floats, and some deck chairs to soak up the sun in. There's no word yet on when the limited-time event will end, so make sure to boot up Stellar Blade and grab everything before it's gone.

The post Everything new in Stellar Blade’s Summer Event appeared first on Destructoid.

Stellar Blade has done well for itself since it first launched as a PlayStation 5 exclusive in April. According to developer Shift Up, estimates suggest that the action game ?has sold over one m??illion copies so far, and the future is looking bright for Eve. 

VGC reported on Shift Up's IPO press conference (via IGN), which was held on Tuesday and had the company touting the success of Stellar Blade. CFO Jaewoo Ahn added that the team is "looking at" a PC version of the game, something that CEO Hyung-Tae Kim con??firmed with one major caveat. As a result of the game's "contractual relationship"—likely referring to Sony—they're unsure of a release window, or even if a PC port would be possible in the first place. 

On the Eve of tomorrow

Shift Up already released a free update in May that added in a Boss Challenge mode and some new Nano Sui?ts, but there's more to look forward ??to in the near future. Next up is Photo Mode this August, with more outfits for Eve to follow in October and a "big collaboration" penciled in for sometime around the end of the year.

A public offering filing on the Korea Composite Stock Price Index previously saw Shift Up mentioning a potential PC release, and even a sequel. Considering the fact that Stellar Blade has only ?just now started to cool off after being pulled out of the oven, it's doubtful that we'll hear about that any time soon, if it does happen. On the bright side, positive sales numbers certainly make it a more likely prospect. 

The post Stellar Blade passes one million copies, but a PC version is stil?l up ?in the air appeared first on Destructoid.

There are a lot of Soulslike games that have taken from plenty of From Software's standard-setting works. Games like Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order have used the format of the Soulslike and thrown in Metroidvania-styled exploration, while also doubling down on a parry mechanic despite being released before Sekiro.

Still, despite the popularity of Soulslikes, it has not felt like enough games have taken inspiration from Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice. Many fans of From Software's?? games, as well as those who simply appreciate a well-made video game with fleshed-out combat mechanics, tend to refer to it as a masterpiece.

So, why a Sekiro-like instead of Soulslike?

It's important to lay out what separates Sekiro from the rest. The game places a special emphasis on its parry mechanic and haste within its combat's pacing. The Dark Souls games, as well as Bloodborne and Elden Ring, will reward players for a well-timed parry. Usually, players get time to breathe and the opportunity to land a high-damage hit, but Sekiro throws in the Posture mechanic.

Posture is the ability to withstand a hit. Properly attacking and parrying damages an enemy's Posture, and fully breaking an enemy's Posture provides the player a chance to pull off a Deathblow. The lower an enemy's health is, the slower their Posture rebuilds. Sekrio did not create the parry, nor did it popularize it, but plenty of gamers look to the game as an example of?? how to do it best.

Before the release of new titles like Stellar Blade and Nine Sols, not many titles took inspiration from Sekiro, even though new Soulslikes continue to pop up. This could be attributed to the fact that games just take a long time to make. It could also take developers even more time to structure an entire game around combat as polished as Sekiro's.

Many gamers just end up going back to Sekiro be??cause it's hard to find a similar experience, but with so many upcoming releases, those seeking to sc?ratch that itch may not have to wait much longer.

Games that are definitely Sekiro-likes

Nier: Automata and Bayonetta were the primary comparisons people made to Stellar Blade when they first saw Stellar Blade. ?Despite that, this?? game features a strong focus on its parry mechanic.

It may take Sekiro players some time to adjust to the way that inputs register. Dodging, parrying, and movement have a significantly different weight in Stellar Blade. Still, gamers do agree that the Sekiro influence is there. Stellar Blade even includes its own spin on Posture, called Balance, though it does differ in areas like its s?kill t?rees and additional ways to tune combat to the player's liking.

Nine Sols is different in a couple of ways, namely that it has a hand-drawn 2D art style and features platforming. Regardless, developer Red Candle Games has gone all-in on the Sekrio inspiration.

Nine Sols' combat is based on deflection, with enemies putting enough pressure on the player to force them to consistently deflect. Deflection in Nine Sols allows players ?to sto??re Chi energy to use in charged attacks instead of having a Posture bar to maintain.

Games that focus on parrying

Where Winds Meet is a Wuxia-inspired game that offers vers??atility in weapon choice and combat approach, though countering appears t??o be central to its gameplay.

In each gameplay showcase so far, trailers have featured its protagonist swiftly parrying an enemy attack. Everstone Studio seems ambitious with the many different features it plans to incorporate into Where Winds Meet. The game will feature a picturesque open world alongside a narrative that is said to be influenced by player choice. Where Winds Meet is slated for a 2024 release.

Then there's Phantom Blade Zero. The combat in this game's original trailer ?looked too good to be true, and people insisted that it must be scripted in some way. But the more footage fans see of it, the more the game show?s its hand.

There are plenty of gaps for player input. Some animations appear to cancel very well into the other, allowing for a wide range of player expression. There is risk, though, as the game seems to force players to commit to their actions. At IGN's hands-on demo, Developer S-Game pushed back a bit against the haste to lump Phantom Blade Zero in with every other? Soulsborne. S-Game noted a feature on "old-fashioned combo-driven traditional action" while using a map design akin to Souls games.

Phantom Blade Zero appears to share plenty in common with Assassin's Creed and Ghost of Tsushima, but this doesn't mean it has nothing in common with Sekiro. In Phantom Blade Zero, players and enemies have a Sha-chi meter, which functions similarly to Posture and depletes when guarding. Taking consecutive hits b??reaks this defense and leaves the target wide open. There is a block stance, but pulling off a parry or perfect dodge can reward players with a counterattack called a Ghoststep.

Games that may continue Sekiro's legacy

Black Myth Wukong has gamers excited for a couple of reasons. Those who like a good story are excited to see a big-budget video game put a spin on ?the story of Sun Wukong, ??while others are here for the combat.

The combat system in Black Myth Wukong appears to be somewhat different from Sekiro. The game appears to put a heavy emphasis on agility, and while it does occasionally show a player blocking an attack, it does not seem nearly as consistent??. That being said, there appears to?? be a similar emphasis on an aggressive play style.

Lastly, there's Ballad of Antara, which ??gamers are waiting to see more about, but one thing seems certain—guarding against enemy attacks matters.

Each segment of action shown feels demanding. In the announcement trailer for Ballad of Antara, combat comes off as dynamic and weighty. The game appears to reward aggressive gameplay and consistent guarding. For those searching for something closer to Sekiro than Souls, this game a??ppears to show off more guarding th??an it does dodging, which could be promising.

Some of these games may take even longer than expected to release, and by the time they all come out, they could end up being closer to Dark Souls or someth?ing entirely different. No matter what, there appear to be plenty of interesting act??ion games in the works.

The post This could be the Year of the Sekiro-likes appeared first on Destructoid.

Well, this is a bit strange. Highly anticipated Genshin Impact rival Wuthering Waves launched late last night, and after battling some ?random crashes and disconnects I was able to finally progress and make ??a friend in-game to chat with.

In the midst of chatting back and forth, I asked curiously: "Do you also play Genshin Impact?" However, to my surprise, my message "Contains pr??ohibited word(s)", and therefore was not se??nt.

Out of sight, out of mind

At first, I was convinced I had some sort of typo or one of those hidden bad words somewhere in my brief message. You know, the reason we can't say assassin in most games. But after carefully typing out the message again, I got the same respons??e: something in m?y message was a prohibited word.

Surely developer Kuro Game Studio wasn't actually blocking us from saying Genshin Impact, right? Well, turns out they are. I tried sending just "Genshin Impact", and received the prohibited word response. Curious, I quickly tried Genshin" and Impact, both of which went through without a problem. The message became clear: no talking about Genshin Impact in our Wuthering Waves.

Are these even competitors?

I've encountered these before in smaller random mobile games that block other popular game titles in the same genre from being talked about. At the end of the day, they don't want players leaving to play those bigger-budget titles in the same genre. But to see it happening in Wuthering Waves, one of the most highly anticipated titles in the genre with over 30,000,000 (yes that's a million) pre-re?gisters, was not something I was expecting.

Curious, I started spamming other games in the genre to see if any more "contained prohibited words". To my surprise, it let me type most of them without any issues. Tower of Fantasy, Honkai: Star Rail (in as many variations as I could think of), Nikke, Epic 7, were all sent just fine. Could it really just be blocking Genshin Impact only?

Nope. I randomly tried World of Warcraft and to my surprise, it is prohibited. Warcraft by itself is not, but the full MMORPG game name is not. I tried probably over? 100 other game titles and really can't figure out the determination in what they chose to block. Here are all the prohibited words I encountered:

• Genshin Impact
• World of Warcraft
• Lost Ark
• Mortal Kombat
• Stellar Blade

The first three I can sort of understand. I guess? Not really, but maybe? But Mortal Kombat and Stellar Blade? Why? I quickly googled to see if there were any search results for "Should I play Mortal Kombat or Wuthering Waves?" and while I didn't find anything about that, I did find a ton of Wuthering Waves vs Genshin Impact comparisons and questions, which is to be expected. Mortal, Kombat and even Kombat are fine. Just not the combined Mortal Kombat.

It's really quite random and has me perp??lexed enough that for the last hour or so I've been typing a flurry of random games, phrases, and even character names to see what else may be censored instead of actually progressing. I'll update the above list if I find anything.

The post Wuthering Waves doesn’t want us talking about Genshin Impact, Mortal Kombat, or Stellar Blade appeared first on Destructoid.

It turns out the real Stellar Blade was all the bosses we met along the way. If you fancy yourself a fan of the action game's bolder battles, you'll soon be able to hone in on? them when the new Boss Challenge mode arrives in a free update on May 24.

The patch will add new Nano Suits, updated convenience features, and the aforementioned Boss Challenge. If you fancy yourself a veteran of Stellar Blade's combat, you'll be able to test your mettle against?? 19 bosses from the main game?.

You can choose to load your own gear for the Boss Challen??ge or select something you like from a handful of presets. The more basic the preset, the more challenging the boss fights will be. On the other hand, choosing the maximum preset with all the necessary skills and buffed stats will give you a chance to thrash bosses in style. 

If you want to take on the challenge, you'll need battle data from previously defeated bosses. Once you've cleared the game, you can also fight bosses on the Hard difficulty for something a lit?tle meatier. As the screenshot above shows, there are a bunch of metrics on display after the dust has settled. You can see everything from the settings and damage taken to how many Perfect Parries and Perfect Dodges you pulled off in the process. 

Those who bes??t the Boss Challen??ge on Normal or higher difficulty settings will get Eve's Neurolink Suit. 

The update also adds in the White K?unoichi and Black Kunoichi Nano Suits, both pictured below.

Beyond the Boss Challenge and new cosmetics, the update has a couple quality-of-life features to throw into the mix. Shift Up is adding the option to always show the compass in the HUD, as well as making it so Eve automatically locks onto an enemy again after switching to and from ranged mode while locked. If you've already seen everything Stellar Blade has to offer, this sounds ?like a good reason to take Eve back out on the battle??field. 

The post Stellar Blade up??date introduces free Boss Challenge mode appeared first on Destructoid.

Gaming is no stranger to bizarre food and drink promotions. In an effort to capitalize on its continued popularity, Stellar Blade has teamed up with Gami Chicken & Beer and is offering the "Stellar Blade burger?" at the latter's Sydney and Melbourne, AU locations.

It comes from the Land Down Under

The partnership was officially announced by the PlayStation AU account on X. Upon checking Gami Chicken & Beer's website, it appears this is part of a larger promotion between the ??restaurant and Sony where patrons can ente?r a contest to win prize bundles.

By visiting a participating location and purchasing the Stellar Blade burger, patrons can use the receipt code to explain why they want to win the PlayStation 5 prize pack. Five winners of the grand prize will win a PlayStation 5, a Cobalt Blue controller, and a voucher for a digital copy of Stellar Blade. Additionally, there are 50 runner-up pri?zes for the afore??mentioned voucher.

As for what's actually on the chicken sandwich, it's descri??bed as a "golden crispy chicken fillet, topped with coleslaw and rich Gami cheese sauce on a slightly toasted blue bun." It retails for $13.20 AUD ($8.81 USD) and is available for a limited time, which I would imagine ends at the same time? as the promotion, on June 16, 2024.

I'm curious about the taste as I'm not opposed to a good chicken sandwich. However, I am a bit more curious as to what effect the bun dye has once it's passed through the human digestive system. Will it be negligible or will it rival the Halloween Whopper and its Incredible Hulk poo? Time, and the Internet, will tell.

The post T?his bizarre Stellar Blade tie-in burger turns buns blue appeared first on Destructoid.

A fishing mini-game is always welcome, and Stellar Blade has its own. However, if you want to catch the jumbo fish �the really big lunkers �you’re going to need some fantastic bait. Literal Fantastic Bait, because that’s what it’s call??ed.

To actually get your hands on some Fantastic Bait, you need to finish a quest, which is appropriately called “Where is the Fantastic Bait.�/p>

To get to this poi??nt, you first need to pi??ck the fishing mini-game up from Clyde in the Great Desert Oasis. Afterward, you can start picking up fishing quests from the bulletin board in Xion. You then have to follow the questline of:

• Wife’s Water Tank
• Unforgettable Fish Dish
• Fish Research
• A Gift for a Fishing Maniac

How to complete the Where is the Fantastic Bait quest

To complete Where is the Fantastic Bait in Stellar Blade, you need to complete the following objective:

• Fill in 20 entries of the Fishing Codex by catching 20 different fish, and visit Clyde
• Gain information about the Fantastic Bait from Clyde
• Visit Roxanne, the info dealer in Xion
• Purchase the information about the Fantastic Bait from Roxanne

Obviously, the 20 fish is the most intensive part of this whole quest?. In order to get enough, you will want to travel around to the various fishing spots throughout the world. Keep visiting Clyde to cash in your fishing points to buy different baits. Different bait in different spots will catch different fish. As long as you keep switching things up, y??ou should have 20 fish in no time.

Once you have caught the 20 you need, visit Clyde, then go back to Xion and st?op at Roxanne’s Shop. You can purchase the information on Fantastic?? Bait for 300G.

The information will point you to The? Great Canyon in the Wasteland. What you’re actually looking for is The Plant, which is found in the Southeast of the area.

The main difficulty of The Plant is bubbles that prevent you from diving straight down. This simply forces you to take the scenic route, weaving around until you reach your destination, which is a locked container. Use the code 000βββ to unlock it and claim yo??ur prize. You can then return to the bulletin board and turn in the quest for 6000G.

With the bait, you can complete your codex. You can also visit the bulletin boar??d ag??ain to take on “The Fish of Legends�quest.

The post How to get Fantastic Bait in Stellar Blade appeared first on Destructoid.

Like most hack-and-slash titles, Stellar Blade is a mainly a solo venture. Players control EVE as she explores a post-apocalyptic Earth. Along the way, she fights the mysterious Naytiba creatures. Her only all?ies in battle are her sword, her drone, and a collection of guns. She's not totally alone, though.

A few companions join EVE in her journey. While they don't aid her in battle, they do provide a plethora of perks. Their services let her grow as a warrior and successfully navigate this deadly dystopia. In addition, interacting with them makes for some poignant character moments. In the end, these unexpected buddies are among the most memorable parts of Stellar Blade.

3. Tachy

The only companion to fight alongside EVE, Tachy joins the fray at the start. She's a fellow soldier of the 7th Airborne Squad who's deployed to liberate Earth. Her training makes her ??reliable as a sister in arms, keeping enemies off players' backs as they learn the controls. Sadly, our time with Tachy isn't as lengthy as others.

We do als??o get the Tachyon Blade, though. With this weapon, Eve goes into "Tachy Mode" and uses her friend's abilities. It's an incredible power-up which destroys any enemies in the vicinity. Moreover??, it makes Tachy an able companion, even when not present.

2. Adam

At first glance, Adam seems like a throwaway character. His personality is fairly bland compared to EVE and Lily. He seems to e?xist only to point out mission objectives and fly you around in his airship. Granted, these factors are undeniably useful, as they progress the story and make EVE more powerful. It's just a shame that you have to?? sit through boring conversations with the guy. Fortunately, he compensates later (to an extent).

Adam s??pearheads the group's effort to save the Xion colony and asks EVE to join him. It's disappointing that your decision doesn't matter, but it leads to an important moment in EVE's arc. Of cou??rse, she's not the only one.

His character also changes trajectory. Without spoiling anything, Adam harbors some sinister secrets. It's tough not to pity him, especially when he shows such ironclad conviction and dedication to his mission. You can appreciate the lengths he's willing to go to liberate his people. That said, the writers could have developed that tragedy earlier to make him more dynamic during the journey. ??In the end, his appeal stems from how he affects other characters.

1. Lily

Overall, Lily is the best companion. She simply has no significant downsides. The girl is an adorable presence whose naiveté brings energy to every?? scene. She looks up to EVE, and it's rewarding to watch her mature throughout the tale. She's not a total novice, though.

Lily is exceedingly capable to an almost laughable extent. First, she installs a slew of upgrades to your equipment. She might equip the drone with cool attachments like projectiles; she could also modify EVE's?? body to grant new abilities such as a double jump. On the other hand, she conjures a few new inventions, many of which are essential to EVE's exploits. These include the can cabinet and Alpha locator signal. Her usefulness knows no end.

With such a wealth of advantages, Lily is the best thing to befall EVE on this hellish planet. The heroine would be utterly lost without her, and the game would be lesser for it. At the risk of sounding self-indulgent, Lily puts the "stellar" in Stellar Blade.

The post All Stellar Blade companions, ranked appeared first on Destructoid.

It's no surprise that Stellar Blade has many moves in its skill tree. It's a hack and sl??ash adventure with platforming and crafting. Those types of titles usually have extensive progression systems. With such?? a wealth of options, it's easy for new players to get overwhelmed.

That said, you should focus on certain skills in the early parts of Stellar Blade. The best abilities aid in learning the combat system, offering more leniency in the combos and counters. In essence, they prevent you from being thrown in the deep end. That early success creates a stronger foundation for the rest your character. From a gameplay perspective, Stellar Blade's most important choices lie at the beginning.

Reflex Boost

Obviously, a Perfect Dodge requires precise timing. You must press the button at exactly the right point, namely when an ??enemy attack is about to connect. That's easier said than done. Early in the game, you might not have the timing down. Thankfully,? one skill can help.

Enter the Reflex Boost. This ability makes it easier to execute a Perfect Dodge. Widening the window—even by a few milliseconds—can mean a world of difference in a hack and slash scenario. That extra cushion might just sav??e your life.

Focus Boost

Another tough timing trick is the Pe?rfect Parry. This move operates on the same principle as the Perfect Dodge. To activate it, you must block right as an attack lands. It's arguably more dangerous than dodging since you're not even a moving target.

Foc??us Boost lessens that danger by providing an easier Perfect Parry. Again, it has a similar appeal to the Ref?lex Boost. It lets new players practice the timing while mitigating the risk. More importantly, it can be a saving grace in chaotic combat.

Double Dodge

Sometimes, you want to put distance between yourself and the enemy. You can then regain your bearings and possibly attack from long? range. Sadly, a single dodge isn't en?ough; it's basically a glorified sidestep.

Luckily, Stellar Blade has a Double?? Dodge. As the name suggests, it lets you dodge twice in a row. The maneuver provides a quick way out of a jam. It's also effective at avo??iding combo attacks, whether melee or ranged. In short, the agile ability makes you untouchable for a few precious seconds, providing valuable breathing room to reassess your strategy.

Reflection

The Perfect Dodge is rewarding enough, but Reflection adds more benefits. After you execute the dodge, this skill stuns foes and boosts your attack speed. Enemies then become vulnerable to a swift counteroffensive. You can unleash a furious flurry of blows before they know what hit them. Doing so is easier with ?another skill.

Since Reflection hinges on a Perfect Dodge, it's a great ??companion to Reflex Boost. Again, this widens the margin of error to make these dodges more reliable. Combining these skills is ideal for an evasive, roguish playstyle. By deftly dancing around foes, you tip the scales in your favor. It soon becomes a breeze to break your enemies' rhythm.

Counter

Stellar Blade also has an option for block-based playstyles. Count?er follows a Perfect Parry. It then stuns enemies and increases your attack power. You have an ironclad defense and can overcome yo?ur opponent through brute force. It also mirrors Reflection in a key way.

Both moves have additional abilities makin??g them easier to pull off. In Counter's case, that ability is Focus Boost, which facilitates Perfect Parries. When used in conjunction, these skills shield you from most melee damage and open enemies to a killer r?eprisal.

Both sets of skills are invaluable in the early hours. Obviously, your health and other stats are lowest at this point, and the controls are unfamiliar. It's easy to ?feel overwhelmed, but thes??e abilities prevent that.

Shock Waves

Being the star of a hack and slash title, Eve is mainly a melee fighter. She has a few guns, but they're not nearly as versatile, partly due to the ammo limit. That's especially the cas??e in the early levels. At this point, you probably haven't collected many resources for upgrades. What about a ranged melee attack, though?

With the Shock Waves skill, Eve uses her swords to send waves of light t??oward her ta??rgets. These projectiles have more impact than most bullets. Even better, they don't run out of ammo. These perks make Shock Waves a perfect ranged alternative, for both the early hours and everything after.

The post Stellar Blade: Best early?? skills to level up first appeared first on Destructoid.

Passcodes and puzzles are often required for Stellar Blade's many doorways. One of the earliest ones is the Club Bpemr entryway during the Scavenger Adam quest. So, if you can't find a way in, here's how to solve the clock tower puzzle in Stellar Blade.

Stellar Blade Club Bpemr passcode in Scavenger Adam quest

While on the Scavenger Adam mission, Adam mentions that Club Bpemr's password is related to time. To solve this, start by examining the clock tower. Notice that the hour hand is pointing at 12 and the minute hand is at 5. Combine these numbers to get the passcode, which is 1225. This is the answer to Stellar Blade's clock tower puzzle. 

The l??ocked entryway and the clock are relatively close in range, so you can check back on the tower for confirmation. Given that the tower is broken, the answer will not change as time remains at a standstill (at least ?for this puzzle.)

Now that the doors have unlocked, it's time to progress to the next area for the Scavenger Adam mission. The nearby fallen corpse harnesses some of Stellar Blade's secrets. Also, remember to sit on the chair to re??plenish your health. Then, climb the ladder to get closer to the Hall of Records. Use the yellow paint as a guide, and Adam should confirm you're on the right track.&nbs??p;

There's a camp conveniently located on this ?pathway. It's a safe spot where you can access more upgrades and save your game, ensuring your progress is secure. 

The post How to solve the Stellar Blade clock tower puzzle appeared first on Destructoid.

Earlier on in Stellar Blade, you'll progress through the first city of Eidos 7. Eventually, to progress further into the city, you'll need to power up and use the Monorail. This is how to power up the Monorail in Stellar Blade so you can continue progressing through Eidos 7.

How to activate the Monorail

In order to activate the Monorail, you m??ust head under the Monorail platform and solve a puzzle to power up the systems controlling the Monorail. Jump across the Monorail track and head left down the stairs. You should see a terminal that you can interact with.

Interacting with the terminal will present you with a puzzle of sorts that needs to be solved in order to turn on the Monorail. ??You can activate the r??ail by supplying power correctly via this terminal. Here is how to activate the Monorail:

Stellar Blade monorail puzzle solution

At a glance, the Stellar Blade monorail puzzle can be quite confusing. You need to insert the four sources of power you have (8, 6, 3, and 1) into four of the six holes at the bottom in order to fill up all the squares with power. The lines at the bottom connecting the holes to the square bars indicate?? that the power placed in that hole will be split amongst the bars it connects to. Therefore, the hole on the left will only power the bar on the left, while the hole on the right only powers the bar on the right.

Here is the Stellar Blade monorail puzzle solution:

• 3 Power in the left-most hole.
• 8 Power in the second hole.
• Leave third hole empty.
• 6 Power in the fourth hole.
• Leave fifth hole empty.
• 1 Power in the right-most hole.

This will properly supply power to each of the bars, which in turn will power up the Monorail in Stellar Blade!

The post How to power up the Monorail in Stellar Blade appeared first on Destructoid.

We've all been through situations where we just have to know who that one voice actor is in a game, movie, or TV show. You'll likely have experienced this with Stellar Blade's ensemble, featuring several notable actors who will certainly pique your interest. But before you untangle the webs of its casting, here's a complete list of Stellar Blade's English dub cast. 

All English dub Stellar Blade voice actors

Stellar Blade's English dub cast is a star-studded affair, both for main characters like EVE and Adam,? and some standout NPCs. Let's delve into the list of these talented individuals who bring the game's world to life with their voices: 

• EVE - Rebecca Hanssen
• Adam - Nezar Alderazi
• Tachy - Alexandra Constantinidi
• Lily Artemis - Rosie Jones
• Raven - DĂ­ana Bermudez
• Clyde - John Hopkins
• Enya - Meaghan Martin
• Kaya - Holly Earl
• D1G-g2r - Akie Kotabe
• Barry - Tom Clarke Hill
• Roxane - Dev Joshi
• Mother Sphere - Georgina Jane
• Kasim - Andrew Wheildon-Dennis
• Rael/Quiel/Shael - Laila Pyne
• Mann - George Weightman
• Su - Adam Sims
• Orcal - Stephen Schreiber

Which characters are some of these Stellar Blade voice actors known for?

Now that you're familiar with the Stellar Blade English dub cast, let's explore their diverse repertoire. Rebecca Hanssen, who brilliantly portrays the main protagonist EVE, has showcased her talent in various gaming projects, including multiple characters in Baldur's Gate 3 and Queen Meve of Lyra in Netflix's The Witcher. In BG3&?nbsp;alone, she masterfully brings cha??racters like Alfira, Yenna, and Aurelia to life.

Similarly, Rosie Jones, the voice behind Lily, has lent her talent to roles in Baldur's Gate 3, including Bex, Cilarea, and Cirian. Raven's voice actor, Díana Bermudez, has also been involved in BG3 with her mystical role as The Guardian.

If you've grown up with Disney channel movies or played the horrific Until Dawn, you'll undoubtedly recognize Enya's voice actor, Meaghan Martin. She played Tess in the Camp Rock movies and Jessica in Until Dawn. 

Many others on the English dub cast have played significant roles in several popular series, from Holly Earl's (Kaya) role of Ulrika in Dragon's Dogma 2 to John Hopkin's (Clyde) part as Erend in the Horizon saga. 

The post All Stellar Blad??e voice actors: full English dub?? cast appeared first on Destructoid.

If you pre-ordered Stellar Blade or bought its digital-only Deluxe Edition, you'll get a bunch of extra? in-game goodies. However, you won't be gifted them upon booting up the game, so here's a quick explainer for where you can find and claim them.

How can you claim the Digital Deluxe and pre-order bonuses for Stellar Blade?

The bad news is there's no menu you need to visit first to redeem your pre-order or Digital Deluxe bonus items, nor do you obtain them upon clearing Stellar Blade's opening prologue. The good news is you don't need to progress too far into t??he game to finally obtain them.

Upon defeating the Gigas boss fight, you'll be taken to Xion, the game's main city area where you can take on side-quests from the locals and search for collectibles. Once you've arrived in Xion and have cont?rol over protagonist Eve, immediately head back to the landing pad ?where Adam parked his ship. On a nearby platform should be a chest emitting a red beam of light. Open it, and you'll receive whichever bonus items you're owed.

What are the Stellar Blade Digital Deluxe and pre-order bonuses?

If you pre-ordered Stellar Blade, you'll receive three cosmetic items for Eve: a Planet Diving Suit, Classic Round Glasses, and Ear Armor Earrings. These items are early unlocks by the way so, even if you didn't pre-??order, you'll eventually be able to acquire them in-game.

The Digital Deluxe edition, meanwh?ile, has a far meatier?? bundle of items. Said bundle consists of:

• a Stargazer Suit for Eve
• Half-rim Glasses for Eve
• Quadruple Rectangle Earrings for Eve
• a Stargazer Coat for Lily
• Stargazer Wear for Adam
• a Stargazer Pack for the Drone
• 2,000 SP EXP for leveling up
• 5,000 Gold in-game currency

These items are exclusive to the Digital Deluxe version of Stellar Blade, but there is a way to get them even if you've already purchased a standard digital copy. On the PlayStation Store, there is a Digital Deluxe Edition upgrade for $10 /?ÂŁ10, and buying t??his will make the above additions available to you.

The post How to claim S??????????????????????????tellar Blade Deluxe and? pre-order bonuses appeared first on Destructoid.

Just over five years after being announced as Project Eve, Stellar Blade is finally here as a PlayStation 5 exclusive. It's quite a journey for the console debut title of developer Shift Up, best known for its popular mobile third-person shooter RPG Goddess of Victory: Nikke. Originally planned as a PlayStation 4, PC, and Xbox One release, Stellar Blade pivoted to PS???5 as an exclusive in 2021 after Sony Interactive Entertainment became its publisher.

It sparked my interest those years ago, during the 2022 State of Play where it debuted its story trailer, but Stellar Blade mostly dwindled in the back of my mind until the more recent 2024 Sony showcase. Its fast-paced, ??intense gameplay and sprawling world rekindled my curiosity, and I watched the action game for hints of my favorite ing?redients.

At its core, Stellar Blade has the world and aesthetic choices rooted in Nier: Automata, with storytelling ambitions in pursuit of those same highs �though they don't reach them. Gameplay remains more akin to Dark Souls over anything else, but as a fan of both, the mashup was enough to keep it firmly top of mind by just the promise. And finally, after a roughly 30-hour playthrough, I can say there's plenty there worth its namesake curiosities, but it's not without rough edges. Stellar Blade is full of points of excellence scattered throughout its journey, ping-ponging between those rewards with stiff combat and a far more l?inear, contained experience th??an I expected.

Stellar Blade (PS5[reviewed])
Developer: Shift Up
Publisher: Sony Interactive Entertainment
Released: April 26, 2024
MSRP: $69.99

Glory to Mankind, again

Stellar Blade takes place on a post-apocalyptic Earth ravaged ?by strange alien creatures, the Naytiba. Humans have been forced to flee the planet, creating a Colony in outer space to live until an opportunity to drive back the Naytiba presen??ts itself.

The player takes o??n the role of EVE, one of the members of the 7th Airborne squad being sent to Earth from the colony to take out a threat called the Alpha Naytiba, and hopefully eradicate the Naytiba from Earth and reclaim it for Humanity.

Unfortunately, the mission immediately goes south. Most of the squad is obliterated upon entering the Earth's atmosphere, and even EVE's Squad Leader Tachy sacrifices herself to save EVE from a deadly unidentified Naytiba. EVE is saved by a Human scavenger named Adam who lives on Earth and comes from the last surviving city of Xion. The two agree to work together as EVE sets out to fulfi??ll her mission while also aiding the desperate people of Xion. Remotely pilot??ing a robot drone, Adam joins EVE in her adventure, helping her along the way.

Story-wise, Stellar Blade definitely took inspiration from Nier: Automata. Which, let's be real, is not a bad thing. Nier: Automata is one of my favorite video game stories ever, if not the favorite. But despite the inspiration, Stellar Blade is indeed its own story as well, weaving its way through a variety of topics like "What is life? What is it to be Human?". There are a couple of underlying plot points told over time as you progress through Stellar Blade as well. W?hat are the Naytiba? Wh??at happened on Earth, exactly? All told through the eyes of EVE, who also has to analyze these questions as she encounters them.

The story of Stellar Blade is one of its strongest elements and a worthwhile endeavor for anyone who's a fan of Science Fiction, thought-provoking narratives, or of course, Nier: Automata. There are also three different endings you can experience as well, ?depending on certain choices you make near the end of the game. I've only seen the ending I got naturally. And w?hile I am happy with it, I am curious to see what other routes the ending could explore.

Emotions are prohibited

With such a strong narrative-driven experience that Stellar Blade ends up taking, it's equally as important for the world to feel alive. If you've played Nier: Automata, you know exactly wha?t I'm talking about here. Even though it wasn't exactly a massive open world, it felt like it was. Giant wide-open landscapes that allowed you to explor??e and traverse at your own pace were some of the key components of the world.

But in Stellar Blade, while m?ost of the backdrops and surrounding lands?capes appear open and massive in scale, the actual areas in which you can go are rather linear, contained, and in a lot of cases even closed. At some points, the game unexpectedly restricted my ability to explore the few areas it seemed like I could, which was quite disappointing.

Early on you swim through an area of the city submerged in water, with the ability to even dive down ??and fully explore underwater. But in the very next area when I attempted to jump into the water I immediately started ta??king damage and quickly died, with Adam alerting me that the water must be receiving an electrical current. It was a weird flip-flop from being able to swim and explore an underwater portion only for it to be used as a "you can't go here" prop soon after. I also encountered a couple of literal invisible walls that took control of my character, turned her around, and told me to look around elsewhere first. I hate invisible walls.

There are a couple of areas in Stellar Blade that offer more open environments like the desert. However, these areas are rather empty and barren compared to the other parts of the world that actually seem worthwhile to explore. The environments and overall world design in Stellar Blade are well done. I just feel like the actual level design itself is far too restrictive and linear at points. I had a similar issue with Final Fantasy XVI, though even that felt ?more capable of actually being explored.

A future is not given to you

It should be no surprise that by being compared to Dark Souls, the combat in Stellar Blade is well...tough. There are only two difficulty modes in Stellar Blade: Story and Normal. Normal is the intended difficulty, but I have to admit, certain encounters—primarily boss encounters—gave me quite a challenge. For the sake of making sure I actually saw my journey through to the end, I had to switc??h to Story Mode a few times near the end.

For the most part, combat is done in the form of melee battle using EVE's one-handed blade, the Blood Edge. This Stellar Blade...hah...allows you to carry out quick? and weaker attacks as well as strong heavier but slower attacks. Pretty standard for this style of action combat. You can also block with the L1 button to negate most attacks or dodge out of the way completely with the Circle button.

As you progress, you'll level up and earn Skill Points that allow you to unlock various skills and passive buffs from five different skill trees. There are actually a ton of skills available, so you can really build EVE to cate??r to your preferred playstyle.

Attacking enemies will charge up your energy, which allows you to then execute Beta Skills that you've unlocked from the Skill Tree. Beta Skills are strong attacks that I found I typically relied on to get through some of the more intense encounters in Stellar Blade.

Where I had a problem with the combat of Stellar Blade, is that in almost every aspect it felt quite stiff, or even rough around the edges. While games with similar combat systems like Dark Souls have fluid free-flowing combat, many aspects of the combat in Stellar Blade feel clunky and unrefined.

Early on you unlock the ability to Blink through your enemy and counter-attack them from behind when you pull off a properly timed dodge. I'm not sure w??hy but it only actually works for me maybe 70% of the time? At first, I thought it was my controller so I tried another one, but still had the same result. The execute the Blink you have to push up on the left-stick and hit Circle at the same time; a very specific maneuver. However, sometimes when I'd do this exact maneuver I had done ma?ny times before, it simply wouldn't work, resulting in the enemy wailing on me.

Unfortunately, this happened with some other skills as well, which led to be finding a very specific set of skills I preferred to use and for the most part, stuck to the whole game. Ones I knew worked, at least mostly. Even outside of the seemingly broken skills, the default melee combat itself feels heavy and clunky at times, with no ??rhyme or reason as to why. At times I'd get stuck in a combat animation that other times I'm able to easily dodge o??ut of. Or when I could properly dodge backward from an enemy attack, sometimes the enemy would float forward just a bit to still be able to land a grab attack on me even though I had just dodged it the same way before without issue.

Of course, the boss fights are where Stellar Blade truly shines. There are just over a dozen boss fights in total, each with their own unique playstyle and approach required. The boss encounters actually felt more polished than most regular enemy encounters throughout the game, which priority-wise is probably not such a bad thing. Some of the encounters near the end are brutal and unforgiving, but it's rewarding to finally? take them down. You know, the classic Souls-like mantra.

Do you think games are silly little things?

The world is littered with many different things for you to collect, including Exospine's and Gear that you can equip and upgrade to enhance and alter your playstyle of EVE. For example, some gear may increase your defenses such as offering damage r?eduction bonuses, while others may increase your energy recharge rate or attack damage.

You can really mix and match the Exospine's and Gear to cater to a specific build when matched with the skills you choose, creating a really rewarding experience when it comes to trying new builds. I can't wait to see what insane builds theory crafters come up with for Stellar Blade with all the possibilities that are here.

There are 30 different outfits you can find and craft to change the appearance of EVE, as well as glasses, masks, earrings, and even alterations for your drone. These are purely cosmetic, but as you can tell from the various trailers for Stellar Blade showing off the many costumes EVE has at her disposal, this is a very imp?ortant feature.

A myriad of collectibles can also be found throughout the world, helping tell the backstory and narrative of Stellar Blade. Some will document life on Earth before or during the Naytiba attacks, as well as dealing with the aftermath. I actually like this style of offering more detailed story elements through col??lectibles, and I always found myself looking forward to reading about the world in the Data Bank as soon as I picked up a new collectible.

Everything that lives is designed to end

In terms of both the graphics and the audio, Stellar Blade is spectacular. The overarching world is beautiful and some of the landscapes and backdrops in certain areas are literally breathtaking. Paired with the remarkable score, it really helps you settle into the world of Stellar Blade. Once again, the actual storytelling and worldbuilding are second to none in Stellar Blade??, and I really have to applaud Shift Up for knocking it out of the park. I plan to add a few songs from the soundtrack to my playlist because they are just absolute bangers.

Oddly enough, there are two major features I thought would be present in Stellar Blade that aren't there: a Photo mode and New Game Plus. I usually don't care much about Photo mode, EVE with all the available cosmetic unlocks feels like it was made for such a feature, not to mention the flashy combat. After I completed Stellar Blade, I was looking forward to knocking out some of the side quests I opted to skip due to time constraints in NG+, but was surprised to find out no such mode exists. Certainly, these aren't features that are required, but feel as though they'd be a pe?rfect fit here.

Overall, Stellar Blade is a journey worth experiencing. If you're a fan of games with a unique and compelling narrative, Stellar Blade has fired on all cylinders in that regard. While there are some flaws along the way, it's nothing too detrimental to ruin the overall experience or make it any less worthwhile. I feel like with some improvements in certain areas, Stellar Blade could be a legendary landmark experience like those it clearly draws inspiration from. But even in its current form, Stellar Blade?? offers a fast-paced action combat system in a unique world wi??th a rewarding narrative. It's not quite stellar, but it's certainly solid. Solid Blade.

_{[This review is based on a retail build of the game provided by the publisher.]}

The post Review: Stellar Blade appeared first on Destructoid.

Upcoming action game Stellar Blade clearly takes more than a few cues from Square Enix's Nier: Automata; something creative director Hyung-Tae Kim has admitted to. However, Nier creator Yoko Taro has not only argued Stellar Blade is a "very different game," but also that it's better than Nier: Automata.

IGN Japan was able to get Kim and Taro in the same room for a recent interview about their respective works, where the former reiterated how Nier: Automata's various elements helped inspire Stellar Blade. When he asked if Taro approved, Taro had nothing but good things to say about Kim and his work: "Stellar Blade is a really amazing game. I’d say that it’s much better than Nier: Automata."

He went on to praise Stellar Blade's graphics and character designs, highlighting the cute shopkeeper in particular, and complimented Kim's art style as being really appealing to a Japanese audience. Plus, while Taro understands the comparisons being made between his and Kim's games, he pointed out how "if you actually play [Stellar Blade], you’ll instantly realize that it’s a very different game." He's not wrong. Anyone who's tried out the Stellar Blade demo on PlayStation 5 will know its combat is nothing like Nier: Automata's, and is more akin to a FromSoftware game like Elden Ring or Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice.

Kim also took time to mention how Nier: Automata wasn't the only source of inspiration, as he had drawn from "many other things as well, mainly manga, anime, and games from the 1980s and 90s," including Neon Genesis Evangelion. It turns out that helped inspire Nier: Automata as well, with Taro even describing his game as "just a retelling of Evangelion, so there’s not much originality to it."

I'd recommend checking out the full interview, if only to read Kim and Taro's mutual flattery. It's clear they have a lot of respect for one another, and while Taro's comments could be read as jokingly self-deprecating, Kim has a lot of admiration for his fellow game creator. At one point, he called Nier: Automata "an inviolable holy g?race," and described Taro's games as "way too unique to be imitated."

Whether Stellar Blade will reach the same highs as Nier: Automata is another question entirely, but the way Taro talked about it makes it sound like it could be a smash hit in Japan. If it gets especially popular, maybe protagonist Eve will start making cameos in other games like 2B has? Stellar Blade launches as a PS5 exclusive on April 26.

The post Stellar Blade and Nier: Autom??ata cre??ators hype each other up in new interview appeared first on Destructoid.

Kim Hyung Tae, director of Stellar Blade at Shift Up, recently o??utlined his thoughts on why the games industry needs singleplayer games and variety more than anything.

In a recent interview with Ruliweb, translated by Genki, stressed his desire to see more games with a definitive ending experience. While the structure itself still thrives, it's hard to ignore the fountain of live service-focused, always online games dominating the scene like Genshin Impact, Warframe, and even Helldivers 2.

“Sales success has become a severe issue in recent years due to the rising costs of development," said Kim. "To be honest, I often hear advice from people around me that it would be better to make games that have highe??r profit margins. But what our industry needs more than anything is variety, isn’t it? Console titles, that is single-player games with an e??nding, have a very important value in themselves."

A market where such games continue to be made and coexist with other genres and platforms is healthier. That’s why Shift Up will continue to take on the challenge of console games in the future. We have a strong desire to continue to create games that allow many gamers to enjoy to the end and return to reality feeling good.�/p>

Kim Hyung Tae believes "what our industry needs more than anything is variety"

Stellar Blade is the first project from Shift Up's Eve Studio, and while Shift Up may be more commonly associated with mobile games like Destiny Child, it's not the director's first time working on a singleplayer project with his long history as an artist on the Magna Carta series. Kim sees the approach as something to remain in harmo??ny with the rise of more popular models offering a constant stream of monetezati??on, keeping it "healthier."

"That’s why Shift Up will continue to take on the challenge of console games in the future. We have a strong desire to continue to create games that allow many gamers to enjoy to the end and return to reality feeling good.�/p>

In our cons??tantly updating list of gaming patch notes, weekly tasks, and time-restricted events, my appreciation for an open and shut singleplayer experience grows more. And with the pressure to bake in more treadmill, battle pass-style elements my time with singleplayer games feels rare outside of indie games.

Look, I love Helldivers 2 and it's zany, evolving story, but I also adore games that have an endpoint to their story so I can feel the sense of accomp?lishment that comes with completing them. Even if I dive right ba??ck in for a second playthrough, there's something satisfying about finishing a game that you just don't get from live-service titles and MMOs.

However, as quite a few fans have pointed out on Reddit, it's possible that the director is only speaking about the?? Korean g??ames market. Even so, it's not the biggest reach to say it's a sentiment we can all relate to for the greater games industry. You only need to look at how enjoyable Dragon's Dogma 2 and Bladur's Gate 3 are to see how impactful and beloved sin?gleplayer games can be.

The post Stellar Blade’s director states the games industry needs more ‘single-player games with an ending’ appeared first on Destructoid.

After Stellar Blade's kerfluffle involving the accidental release of its demo, developer Shift Up has announced the actual rele??ase date for the action title?'s demo. It's taken several long years of only a couple of trailers with little information in the lead up to its debut, but players will finally be able to step into Eve's wedges to take on fleshy monstrosities this month.

When is the Stellar Blade demo coming out?

The news came via a post on the PlayStation Blog for Director Kim Hyung Tae. The demo will be available on March 29, 2024.

The demo will cover the opening act of the game as Eve, a member of the 7th Airborne Squad is deployed to Earth in an effort to fight back the Naytiba and bring the planet back under human control. Covering the basics and tutorial sections, players will be able to familiarize themselves with Stellar Blade's gameplay before it launches on April 2??6, 2024. Additionally, progress in the demo will carry over to the game.

I've been eyeing up Stellar Blade since it was announced during the 2021 PlayStation Showcase, when it went under the moniker of Project Eve. Information has been scant, but the PlayStation 5 exclusive has been picking up traction due to the attention it places on protagonist Eve's body. The design, overall story, and gameplay are largely influenced by Nier: Automata. Unless Stellar Blade proves to be just as compelling, it could be seen as a knock-off. Alternatively, if you were a fan of the former, then odds are you'll be a fan of ??the latter.

Those who were able to d??ownload the leaked demo made sure to post videos online, and you shouldn't have any issues finding them. While it looks phenomenal from a graphical standpoint, it does seem a bit generic in every other area. The footage out ??there also makes it impossible to gauge what kind of game it's supposed to be. Is the combat meant to be slow and meaningful, or is that just the result of someone learning the ropes?

There are a lot of questions I want answered, and I'll make sure to spend some time answering them when the Stellar Blade demo drops on Friday at 10 a.m. ET.

The post Stellar Blade demo launches this month, for real this ti?me appeared first on Destructoid.

PlayStation is a getting a new action title this spring. We got a long look at Stellar Blade, the upcoming actio?n RPG from SHIFT UP Corporation, and a release date of April 26, 2024.

We got a pretty long look at what's in store for this PlayStation title at today's Sony State of Play. As we had seen before, Stellar Blade has ??a lot of sci-fi and action in store. Following the protagonist's fight to reclaim Earth f??rom a malevolent force, it certainly looks like it's got some spectacle in store.

Really, Stellar Blade seems to wear its inspirations on its sleeve, at least to me. There's a lot of NieR: Automata here, and maybe some light Xenoblade and other sci-fi too. But I like the blend. It's got some identity of its own too, with some gorgeous graphics and an almost Scarlet Nexus-style brand of cyberpunk around it.

I could certainly go for sci-fi action, and this looks like it could be a bit of a surprise in April. Stellar Blade is due out on April 26, 2024 for PlayStation 5.

The post Stellar Blade kicks?? off the battle for Earth on April 26 appeared first on Destructoid.

If you want to find out more about what's coming to the platform, there's nothing better than PlayStation'?s State of Play. Sony's next State of Play showcase is airing this week??.

The first State of Play for 2024 comes Wednesday, January 31 at 2 p.m. PT / 5 p.m. ET, which happens to be the last day of the month. We only have a small idea of what's going to be in the 40-minute show, save for a few titles, but that's part of the experience. In the announcement, it is stated that we'll see over 15 games during the ??event.

Games announced include Rise of the Ronin and Stellar Blade, which will receive extended looks. I'm particularly interested in Rise of the Ronin and how it will differentiate itself from aesthetically similar games that have flooded ?the market.

This year's showcase arrives a bit earlier than last year's first State of Play, but other companies have already been off to the races with their lineups for 2024. Xbox recently hosted its 2024 Developer Direct, locking in some release windows for games like Avowed, Hellbade 2, and Indiana Jones.

Nintendo, which usually has a February stream of some kind, still has yet to lock in a Direct. Most of the noise around it has been rumors and reports on a potential Switch successor. Whether or not we see a new Switch in 2024 has yet to be confirmed. But with Sony stepping up to the plate, we might start to get an idea? of what their year ??ahead looks like.

You can watch the event on Twitter, YouTube, and Twitch.

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