Upon starting Shift Up's Stellar Blade, it doesn't take long to recognize the game's diverse influences. Rather than concealing its sources of inspiration, the game boldly celebrates them. From the combat focus of Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice to the sprint mechanics reminiscent of Final Fantasy 16, Stellar Blade draws from a range of popular titles, a fact that it wears proudly. Among its influences is the highly acclaimed Star Wars Jedi series by EA and Respawn Entertainment, known for setting the bar high in the realm of Star Wars gaming.
The imprint of Star Wars Jedi on Stellar Blade is profound and readily apparent in various aspects of the game. From traversal mechanics to EVE's abilities, the influence of Star Wars Jedi is unmistakable. Given the prestige of the Star Wars Jedi franchise, it is only fitting for Stellar Blade to draw inspiration and pay homage to it.
Deconstructing Stellar Blade's Adoption of Star Wars Jedi Gameplay
Embracing Star Wars Jedi's Open-World Dynamics
One prominent similarity between Stellar Blade and Star Wars Jedi lies in their open-world design. Stellar Blade heavily relies on Metroidvania mechanics akin to those in Star Wars Jedi. As players progress through Stellar Blade, they unlock new traversal abilities and quests, granting access to previously inaccessible areas. Backtracking, a common practice in Star Wars Jedi for valuable discoveries, is also encouraged in Stellar Blade.
Another shared feature with Star Wars Jedi is the presence of 'Camps' in Stellar Blade, equivalent to Meditation Points in the former. These locations allow players to save progress, restore health and Force, acquire new skills, and change weapon stances. However, resting at these points in Stellar Blade comes at the cost of respawning defeated enemies.
The open-world of Stellar Blade offers numerous collectibles, including Robots that yield valuable materials when defeated. Similar to Star Wars Jedi's Scavenger Droids, these Robots attempt to flee upon detection, albeit with less difficulty in capturing them.
Adopting Star Wars Jedi's Combat and Traversal Techniques
Besides emulating the open-world mechanics, Stellar Blade incorporates combat and traversal skills reminiscent of Star Wars Jedi. The combat skills mirrored from Star Wars Jedi focus on techniques available to Cal in his single-bladed stance, aligning with EVE's singular blade. For instance, EVE's Triplet skill closely resembles Cal's Lunging Strike from Star Wars Jedi: Survivor, showcasing a striking resemblance in their execution.
Traversal skills from Star Wars Jedi, such as wall-running, have also been integrated into Stellar Blade. Although players acquire the ability to traverse walls later in the game, EVE's animation mirrors Cal's from Star Wars Jedi almost identically.
Given the success of Respawn's Star Wars Jedi series, it is logical for Stellar Blade to draw inspiration from and emulate certain aspects of the beloved franchise. While Star Wars Jedi itself has drawn influences from other games, Stellar Blade's homage to Star Wars Jedi remains evident.