Does Stellar Blade go beyond the protagonist’s ass? First impressions with the demo

If you’ve heard of the game Stellar Blade, there’s a chance you’ve come face to face with a prominent controversy surrounding the game: protagonist Eve’s ass. Since it was announced, the PS5 exclusive game has sparked debates about the sexualization of female characters in games.

And it’s no surprise: the game produced by the Shift Up studio features a protagonist, let’s say, exaggerated in some parts of her body. Furthermore, in the materials released for the game, the team did not skimp on very suggestive images of the heroine Eve.

Voxel received access to a demo of the game, which will be released on March 29th, and I had the opportunity to test Stellar Blade firsthand — second only to everyone who has already tried the game when this content was leaked on the PS Store a few years ago weeks.

Stellar Blade became the subject of controversy because of the protagonist’s appearance.

I explored the Stellar Blade demo for about an hour and discovered that the game goes far beyond the controversies involving the protagonist. Next, check out more details about the preview coming to PS5.

The threshold between sexualization and Sailor Moon

It’s undeniable that the folks at Shift Up studio exaggerated some parts of Stellar Blade’s protagonist. And some very glaring cases already appear in the demo: the movement physics are exaggerated in parts like the breasts. Furthermore, there are moments with suggestive poses in the first fights of the gameplay.

Stellar Blade doesn’t skimp on suggestive poses and exaggerated physics.

However, at the same time as it brings problematic factors, the game also features unique and eye-catching clothes for the character. In one of the opening scenes, the game even has a transformation that takes us back to classics like Sailor Moon.

The demonstration features several outfits for the character after the conclusion of the main story and shows that Eve has the potential to become an “icon”, going beyond the current sexualization discussions. This, however, will largely depend on the character’s development during the story, something we only get a taste of during the demonstration.

However, considering the elaborate visuals and action sequences, the character has the seasoning to become a kind of Bayonetta, as long as the game’s script helps.

Exploring a devastated land

Regarding the plot, the Stellar Blade demo gives a taste of what we can expect from the material we’ve seen so far from the game. The game follows a young agent who goes to a devastated version of Earth, dominated by aliens called Naytiba.

The atmosphere of war and devastation is present in the game from the first minutes of the demonstration. With decent graphics, the game doesn’t skimp on violence, which allows you to see the protagonist’s desperation, newly arrived in this bloody conflict.

In addition to seeing Eve’s debut on the battlefield, it is also possible to see the character having her first moments on Earth, showing that the planet has already become a distant past for humanity.

An interesting detail in the game’s presentation is the support for subtitles and dubbing in Brazilian Portuguese. Just like Rise of Ronin, the full localization certainly has a connection with the game’s exclusivity on PS5, possibly temporary, aiming to reach a broader market.

Capcom-style combat

On the action front, Stellar Blade really shines. Although the demo is short, the player can face different types of enemies, including bosses, with a very interesting design.

The gameplay is very straightforward in terms of action gameplay, reminiscent of Capcom classics such as Devil May Cry. If someone asked me to play Stellar Blade without any warning or information, I would certainly say, blindly, that the project has some connection with the Resident Evil studio.

The hack and slash moves are very fun and varied, including special abilities, which guarantees an interesting range of possibilities in fights. The game also has a dodge and defense system, bringing a little more than just unbridled beatings.

The demo brings a nice dose of the action we can expect from Stellar Blade

While the main part of the demo doesn’t have all the skills unlocked, a boss fight with the “buffed” character is also available. There, it is possible to see how Stellar Blade can be fun at its peak, as well as quite challenging.

The good news is that the game also promises to be accessible. The studio behind the game equipped the demo with a “story mode”, which brings some assistance during the fight to facilitate exploration and combat, such as dodge indicators.

Demo is coming

If you’re interested in Stellar Blade, the game’s free demo arrives on PS5 on March 29th. While the game may please anyone who is a fan of Capcom’s classic fighting games, my tip is to try the game before committing to spending R$350.

The game’s universe has an interesting lore, which is presented entirely in Brazilian Portuguese, and the protagonist has a lot of potential to conquer her space, despite the controversies.