SHIFT UP’s Stellar Blade Complete Edition arrives on Nintendo Switch 2 as one of the console’s most impressive ports, taking advantage of its supported technologies—frame generation included. This action game doesn’t push the system to its very limits per se, but it does bring a solid and valuable stress test of what Switch 2 is capable of from a third-party standpoint. SHIFT UP came prepared with Stellar Blade Complete Edition, and to sweeten the deal for Nintendo fans, the game arrives on the platform with a stunning collaboration with the Bayonetta series.
For a refresher, or introduction if you’re new to Stellar Blade, the story puts its focus on the super soldier EVE. EVE is sent from the Colony space station to reclaim Earth from the Naytiba, a dangerous bloodthirsty alien race that laid siege to humanity. EVE doesn’t arrive alone, but all of her comrades are quickly taken out, leaving her alone in what’s clearly too much of an undertaking by herself. However, EVE is joined by others along the journey, and not all is as it seems in her mission. The story takes plenty of twists and turns, all while being unapologetic about putting EVE’s appealing design on full display with cinematic scenes and plenty of unlockable outfits.
Stellar Blade Complete Edition Takes Advantage of Switch 2’s Technical Capabilities
Stellar Blade Complete Edition is just as its title describes: a definitive version with all of Stellar Blade’s previously released DLC and content updates, including the NieR: Automata DLC and Goddess of Victory: NIKKE DLC. On top of this, the Nintendo Switch 2 version marks the introduction of four new outfits in collaboration with the Bayonetta series. You can dress EVE up as Bayonetta and Jeanne right from the start of the game and have access to seasonal content, but if you want to be fully immersed, you keep seasonal content turned off and keep the default costume on until you’re further into the game. Alongside these features, Stellar Blade has a ton of options on Switch 2 that help you tailor and fine tune the experience to your preferences.
On Switch 2, Stellar Blade Complete Edition has several features toggled on by default, including frame generation. To be more exact, the Switch 2 version uses NVIDIA DLSS upscaling combined with AMD FSR 3.1 frame interpolation, so the console is leveraging these two distinct technologies to give you really solid performance. Docked mode outputs an upscaled 1080p resolution, while handheld outputs at 720p. Using 30 FPS as its baseline frame rate in simulation, Stellar Blade Complete Edition targets 60 FPS in both docked and handheld mode with frame generation turned on. It manages to hit that or hover in the upper 50 to 60 FPS range, with docked mode being more consistent than handheld.
The end result is surprisingly good, with Stellar Blade Complete Edition looking and running really well in docked mode for the most part. At first, the game seemed to hitch frames during its opening sequence, but once you’re exploring the game’s world, battling enemies, and progressing missions, it all clicks and feels really smooth and responsive. I was quite pleased with how the game feels to play, as there’s no severe input lag or anything that would hinder your moment-to-moment gameplay and combat. DLSS isn’t a perfect solution, as hair textures look pixelated and strange up close in certain scenes, and it’s very noticeable if you have EVE’s hair set to the long ponytail setting. However, DLSS works really well and keeps the game at a very smooth frame rate.
These issues didn’t stand out the longer I played, especially in docked mode. My gripes came from handheld mode specifically, since the game can look really blurry and drop frames depending on the instance or in-game area you’re playing in. Despite that, Stellar Blade Complete Edition outputs an impressive amount of detail regardless of which mode you play it in and prefer. Since the game already uses frame generation, I toggled motion blur and turned down the sharpness to get what I think is the game’s optimal settings on Switch 2. There’s still some blurriness, but the game feels great in motion and looks really good considering it’s running on a handheld system.
Stellar Blade Complete Edition also supports touch controls, gyro aiming, motion controls, and Joy-Con 2 mouse controls. You can adjust a plethora of control- and display-related options, including HDR, graphical effects, UI and text scaling, and controls for handheld mode, Pro Controller, and dual-controller grip usage. There’s also HD Rumble 2 support, so the game offers haptic feedback depending on what you’re doing, such as landing hits with the sword or getting close to a key item.
A Great Action Game That Feels Right at Home on Switch 2
Stellar Blade Complete Edition does most things right and plays to the strengths of Switch 2, with the only glaring drawbacks being the overall visual quality and performance in handheld and without frame generation. With frame generation turned off, you can get a slight more consistent and sharper image, but the frame rate hitches will make you want to turn the setting right back on. The difference in responsiveness is night and day with frame gen turned off vs on, and in a game like this, getting a higher frame rate matters a lot. This is especially true on Switch 2, since it has a 120Hz screen. That being said, I think there’s still work that can be done to optimize the game even further, as the Switch 2 is still a platform early in its lifecycle. This is also SHIFT UP’s first Switch 2 release, after all.
Switch 2 performance aside, Stellar Blade is still a really great action game with an immersive setting and an excellent soundtrack, along with an engaging Soulslike-inspired combat system that feels rewarding to master. As you progress the game and complete missions and side quests, you’ll get better at parrying enemies and generally make EVE stronger, since there are so many skills to unlock and practice with. The better you are, the more satisfying exploration and combat becomes, especially in the game’s many boss fights—all of which are replayable in the Boss Challenge mode.
Stellar Blade is a game that SHIFT UP put a lot of attention to detail to, especially into EVE’s design. EVE has one of the most detailed in-game character models I’ve ever seen with a slew of cool outfits—not just in a provocative sense. Although post-apocalyptic worlds have been done many times over by now in games, Stellar Blade’s world still feels unique with some interesting lore that unravels as you play. You’re encouraged to search every nook and cranny of Stellar Blade’s futuristic but not too distant setting for more clues and optional scenes.
While the port isn’t perfect, the release of Stellar Blade Complete Edition for Switch 2 is one that is very impressive and respects its players. The full game is available physically on the cartridge with no additional download required. As a result, I think this port is up there with the likes of Cyberpunk 2077 Ultimate Edition for being a technical showcase and a worthwhile purchase for physical owners. I wholly recommend giving Stellar Blade Complete Edition a try on Switch 2, and you can do so right now with its free demo on the Nintendo eShop.
Stellar Blade Complete Edition is already available now for PlayStation 5 and PC via Steam and Epic Games Store. The Nintendo Switch 2 version launches on November 5.
Disclaimer: SHIFT UP provided a Nintendo Switch 2 copy of Stellar Blade Complete Edition for review purposes.
