Despite being a games journalist, I quite enjoyed Stellar Blade. In fact, no one that I know seemed to have this disregard for the game that its biggest fans like to paint as the backdrop to Stellar Blade’s good-not-great reception. It could be that largely, the game is a first effort at a new series, and simply good-not-great.
But I digress. I enjoyed my time with Stellar Blade, but being a single-player game with a central narrative, I beat the game back in 2024 when it came out, then moved on. However, last year I attempted to go back when it launched its Christmas event. This added a Christmas tree and various decorations to Xion, as well as a kicky little Santa outfit for Eve. Adorable. There was only one problem. I couldn’t play it. One year on, I tried again. Still no dice.
The Endgame Save State Breaks Stellar Blade’s Christmas Event
The problem with this event is it takes place, as I mentioned, in Xion. This is the main hub world for Stellar Blade, and thus a fitting staging area. Just as towns and cities all around the world put up holiday decorations for the public when ‘tis the season, so too does Xion. But currently, I’m not in Xion, and there’s no way for me to reach it. That was an oversight last year. This year, it feels like negligence.
The reason for this is, like most people, I beat the game and then left Stellar Blade behind. That’s what you’re supposed to do. There’s no endgame state. There’s no grinding. It has a definitive end, and I reached it. But what this means is my save state (of which you are limited to just one per run) is right before the final boss. From here, you cannot fast travel back to Xion. I could start a new game, or carry this Eve over to new game plus, but it takes several hours to reach Xion. Hours I don’t want to spend for a fun, campy Christmas event.
There is no substance to this event. It’s not adding a huge DLC-sized chunk of extra missions or narrative. It’s just set dressing and a costume – fitting for a game that puts such a high focus on fashion, even if much of it is revealing. Surely the main audience for it are people who have beaten the game and just want to jump back in to get some new clothes for Eve. But the only people this works for are people who were halfway through the game when it dropped, which was eight months after launch. The game takes around 30 hours to beat. People weren’t taking eight months.
Why Can’t I Play Stellar Blade’s Christmas DLC?
Is any of this a big deal? Not really. I don’t have any intention of playing Stellar Blade again until the inevitable sequel, which is likely a few years away still. I can look up the outfit online, and it’s cute. That’s kind of all I would get out of it in the game. But even though the event is free, it feels like I’m being short-changed. Beating the game locks you out of it, but abandoning it halfway through and going back earns you a new outfit.
There’s a boss rush mode that I might have dabbled in to test out Eve’s new (now a year old) look, and if there was a way to jump back to the main hub I might even have swept some of the last Trophies by collecting all those cans or sorting through any side quests I missed. But mainly, it’s the principle. This is a Christmas gift for fans, but only fans who are over halfway through the game but not at the end.
I jumped back into Astro Bot recently to play its Christmas level, and always check in on Animal Crossing: New Horizons when the snow begins to fall. These sort of events can cultivate a deeper connection with games, even if it’s a bit of a cheap trick. But Stellar Blade isn’t even doing the trick right! I’m actively annoyed by the game – this frustration frankly generates far more negative feelings than her ass ever has within this games journalist. Merry Christmas, Shift Up. Next year, all that’s on my list is a chance to play your Christmas event.
- Released
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April 26, 2024
- ESRB
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M for Mature
- Developer(s)
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Shift Up
- Publisher(s)
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Sony Interactive Entertainment
