Common Sense Media Review
By Chad Sapieha, based on child development research. How do we rate?
age 17+
Tough, bloody action RPG has an overtly sexualized hero.
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Parents Need to Know
Parents need to know Stellar Blade is a sci-fi action role-playing game for PlayStation 5. You play as Eve, an off-world colonist who returns to an Earth overrun by monsters hoping to reclaim it for humanity. The sword-based combat is brutal, with monsters frequently dismembered and beheaded, spraying blood through the air. One scene depicts a woman being torn apart and impaled. Characters are male and female, light skinned, and have a mix of European and East Asian features. Eve's appearance is highly sexualized. She wears a variety of skin-tight and sometimes semi-transparent bodysuits. There are often visuals of her breasts jiggling as she runs and fights. Appearance aside, Eve is an extremely skilled fighter and clever puzzle solver who is razor-focused on her goals. The story makes players think about big ideas like what it means to be human and other moral ideas. Parents should also be aware that this game contains profanity, including the words "hell" and "s--t." This game is definitely intended for a more adult audience.
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Violence & Scariness
a lot
Eve uses different weapons, like a sword and explosives, to hurt and kill monster-like enemies that look somewhat human. Enemies scream in pain and lots of blood sprays when Eve cuts them in half and chops off their heads. In one scene, a human has her arm torn off and is stabbed through the chest, with red blood spraying everywhere.
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Sex, Romance & Nudity
some
Eve and other female characters are dressed in skin-tight body suits. Some of Eve's outfits appear almost transparent, and there are moments when the camera lingers on her bottom and curvy figure. Her breasts jiggle noticeably while fighting.
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Language
some
Dialogue contains infrequent profanity, including the words "hell" and "s--t."
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Positive Role Models
a little
Eve's appearance is overtly sexualized, but she's a strong, capable female protagonist. She's a skilled fighter, rarely requires help, comes up with solutions, and contemplates the meaning and consequences of her actions.
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Ease of Play
a little
Combat can be very challenging. Players can expect to fail a lot. The settings menu lets you make the game easier with button prompts, hints, and more time to finish activities, but it's still easy to lose fights or get stuck on puzzles.
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Positive Messages
very little
The story makes players think about big ideas like what it means to be human. There are many difficult choices, and not all answers are given. The ending changes based on the decisions the player makes during the game
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Diverse Representations
very little
Characters are male and female, light skinned, and have a mix of European and East Asian features. The main character is an Asian woman, Eve, who's strong, capable female protagonist. She's a skilled fighter, rarely requires help, comes up with solutions. She's also hyper sexualized, as her and other female characters are dressed in skin-tight body suits. Some of Eve's outfits appear almost transparent, and there are moments when the camera lingers on her bottom and curvy figure. Her breasts jiggle noticeably while fighting.
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Where to Play
Videos and Photos
Stellar Blade
Parent and Kid Reviews
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- Parents say (1)
- Kids say (1)
age 5+
Based on 1 parent review
Frankie B. Adult
September 8, 2024
age 5+
Great Introductory Game!
Helped me explain the birds and the bees with my 5 year old! He was very curious as the main character looks similar to his mother!
See all 1 parent review
What's It About?
STELLAR BLADE begins with Eve, a soldier from an offworld colony, crash landing on a ruined and desolate Earth that has been overrun with monsters. After losing a comrade in arms to a particularly vicious creature, she's saved by Adam, apparently one of a handful of human survivors. He enlists her to help him save and restore Xion, the last human city, setting her on a series of quests in and around the planet's ruins to fetch key pieces of technology. She's forced to fight the monsters as she goes, using her sword and other weapons to kill them with cinematic style. Players need to learn enemy tactics in order to expertly dodge, parry, and counterattack, slowly charging up special abilities that can save the day in specific situations, such as a shield-breaking attack. Her abilities and strength grow as players earn skill points and invest them in different types of attacks and moves. She also finds and crafts mechanical upgrades for her suit. As the game goes on Eve is shocked as she discovers secrets about the monsters, humanity, and herself, and the decisions players make along the way will alter the story's ending.
Is It Any Good?
Our review:
Parents say (1):
Kids say (1):
The overt sexualization of Eve disappointing, especially for a female lead character with strength and skill. Stellar Blade's combat is a real test, but one that action RPG players are bound to enjoy. It's all about timing and reading enemy intentions, and the game isn't very forgiving when you fail.
The real draw here, though, is the story. As Eve and her squadron descend upon the battlefield, their mission to save humanity seems clear. And even though things go sideways to start, Adam seems to know how to help Eve get back on track. But it's not long before seeds of doubt begin popping up, which eventually lead to some jaw-dropping revelations. The writing is a little dry in places, but the actors -- particularly Rebecca Hanssen, who voices Eve -- do well with what they're given, investing emotion into lines that easily could have come off as flat. That, plus the challenging-but-fair combat, is what will likely keep pulling mature players back to play Stellar Blade through to the end credits.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about sexuality in the media. Stellar Blade's lead character, Eve, is overtly sexualized, but she proves to be strong, smart, and skillful. How do you reconcile what she wears with who she is and how she acts? What are some of the impacts in presenting women like this in video games?
Talk about how players with different gender identities and sexualities might interpret Eve's appearance. Do you think Eve's character design was intended for a specific audience?
Parents and caregivers can use our helpful tips to talk to kids about violence in video games.
Game Details
- Platform : PlayStation 5
- Pricing structure : Paid ($59.99)
- Available online? : Available online
- Publisher : Sony Interactive Entertainment
- Release date : April 26, 2024
- Genre : Role-Playing
- Topics : Robots, Space and Aliens
- ESRB rating : M for Blood and Gore, Language, Suggestive Themes, Violence
- Last updated : June 5, 2024
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Research shows a connection between kids' healthy self-esteem and positive portrayals in media. That's why we've added a new "Diverse Representations" section to our reviews that will be rolling out on an ongoing basis. You can help us help kids by
Stellar Blade
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