Is Stellar Blade a Soulslike?

Stellar Blade is one of the biggest launches of the year and stole the headlines in April. The game sold over a million copies in under 24 hours and it is only a week into its release. Gamers have given it glowing reviews while players are also having a positive experience. What stands out about Stellar Blade is its refreshing gameplay and diverse combat. This is Shift Up Studios' first PlayStation exclusive and it looks like they've ticked all the boxes. A question that continues to commonly linger among gamers who haven't had the chance to play Stellar Blade yet is whether or not it is a Soulslike. It is a traditional hack and slash, but it does incorporate some Soulslike elements.

While Stellar Blade's core combat features revolve around popular hack and slash titles such as Nier: Automata and the Devil May Cry series, it incorporates some elements of Soulslike combat. For instance, the parrying system is straight out of Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice. The game's world is also filled with boss fights, some of which are inspired by the Soulsborne series. A key part of Soulsborne boss fights is memorizing a boss' movement and attack patterns, which also applies to Stellar Blade's boss fights.

Stellar Blade's in-game world is also sprinkled with hints of inspiration from Soulslike games. For instance, the concept of resting stations in Stellar Blade is very similar to campfires in the Dark Souls games. Players can stack up their resources at resting stations and upgrade or level up Eve's abilities and gear. Just like in Soulslike games, resting at a station will also respawn all enemies in the area. Soulslike games are also known for having shortcuts, and Stellar Blade has locked doors across its map which serve as similar shortcuts. Though admittedly, you have to be a little more creative in finding shortcuts in Soulslikes.

While Stellar Blade isn't necessarily a Soulslike game in its entirety, it does draw inspiration from Soulslike games with its features.

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