Summary
As the latest addition to the action RPG genre,Stellar Bladedraws a lot of inspiration from titles that have come before it. WhileStellar Bladetakes most of its cues from the likes ofNier: Automataand the Soulslike genre, there are elements of theBayonettaseries that can be found in the game as well. However,Stellar Bladecould have leaned harder into itsBayonettasimilarities by borrowing one of the game’s most iconic combat features and adapting it to fit within the framework ofStellar Blade’s specific mechanics.
Stellar Blade’s gameplay will feel most familiar to Soulslike fans, despite not being a true Soulslike experience itself, since it lacks elements like a corpse run. On the other end of the spectrum,Stellar Bladedoesn’t go all the way into hack-and-slash territory likeBayonetta, but does still feature attack combos to a lesser degree. Despite finding this middle ground between action RPG styles,Stellar Bladecould have really upped its fluid gameplay by stealing the Witch Time mechanic fromBayonettato give players a more satisfying feeling when performing a perfect dodge.
Stellar Blade Should Have Included a Time Slow-Down Mechanic like Bayonetta’s Witch Time
One of the core features of theBayonettaseries is its signature Witch Time mechanic, which slows down time and allows players to execute a barrage of blows on an enemy after performing a perfect dodge. As a game that rewards players for utilizing intricate attack combos, having Witch Time give them a free open window of opportunity to unleash their most powerful combos is a satisfying experience. AlthoughStellar Bladetakes a more methodical approach to its combat, the game could still benefit from adding a window of slowed time for players to pummel their opponents after a perfect dodge.
Stellar Bladealready has a version of this mechanic, offering players a very brief moment of slowed time following a perfect dodge wherein players can use the Reflection skill to perform a follow-up attack by pressing the triangle button. Players can alsounlock the Chain Reflection skillto further increase this combo, but these skills occur after the window of slowed time is over. Even with the addition of these skills, this combat maneuver is far more limited than whatBayonetta’s Witch Time offers players and could have been expanded upon to give players a greater reward for hitting such a precise dodging window.
How Stellar Blade Could Have Benefited from Witch Time
The main purpose of Witch Time in theBayonettaseries is to reward players for performing a difficult perfect dodge with a few seconds of free hits on their opponent. WhileStellar Bladehas some limited opportunities to reward players for performing difficult maneuvers, leaning into them and fleshing them out could have helped give the game more punch and a greater sense of satisfaction for action RPG fans. As it stands,Stellar Bladeplays it fairly safe with both its traditionalaction RPG mechanics and its Soulslike mechanics, which leaves the game feeling like it’s missing an identity.
To help solve this identity crisis,Stellar Bladecould have toned up the traditional action RPG mechanics to make them fit alongside the core Soulslike combat. For example, the inclusion of a more substantial period ofslowed time after a perfect dodgewould have allowedStellar Bladeplayers a chance to quickly shred an enemy’s shield and gain an advantage in battle. While this seems like it would have made the game too easy, the trade-off could have been a smaller window for performing a perfect dodge, dialing up the risk alongside the reward for the ultimate power fantasy feeling that would cater to hardcore fans of both styles of gameplay.
