Review: Stellar Blade: Complete Edition (Switch 2) - Perfectly Playable, Despite Drawbacks
Shift Up’s Stellar Blade has arrived on Nintendo Switch 2 following its initial PlayStation 5 exclusive release in April 2024 and subsequent PC port in June 2025. The action game, developed by the studio known for the gacha title Goddess of Victory: Nikke, has established itself as one of the decade’s standout action games, combining rapid sword-based combat with mechanical parrying systems.
The protagonist, a soldier named Eve, fights stylishly against creatures called Naytibas armed with a single melee weapon—her trusty sword. The game’s combat mechanics draw comparisons to action game design philosophy, offering depth and complexity that defies initial expectations for a project from a studio primarily recognized for gacha games.
The Switch 2 port maintains the game’s action-focused gameplay, though reviewers note it exhibits the common performance compromises seen in recent Switch 2 ports. Despite these technical drawbacks, the port is described as “perfectly playable” and largely preserves what makes the original compelling. The game’s sharp, refined combat remains the centerpiece, though some aspects of the presentation feel slightly unpolished in the transition.
With a sequel already in development, Shift Up continues to expand Stellar Blade’s platform reach beyond its PlayStation origins. The multiplatform expansion strategy suggests the studio intends to position the franchise as a major console and PC action series rather than tying it to any single platform holder.