- Stellar Blade attracted a lot of controversy, but this didn’t affect the ratings much.
- The game currently has over 20K reviews on PlayStation, averaging a 4.79 rating.
- It has also become the biggest Metacritic game of 2024 by user reviews.
Stellar Blade, a controversial release, has exceeded expectations. Those who are playing this game have nothing but praise for it, and it is already expected to have sold 1 million units.
The overall reviews from critics were also surprisingly positive, but the user score is even better. Stellar Blade currently boasts a 9.1 score on Metacritic three days after launch.
Why it matters: Games like GTA San Andreas, Halo 2, and Half-life 2 stand at 9.2 user scores on Metacritic. This comparison highlights just how big a deal this type of score is for a new IP.
This score makes it the best-rated game by user score on Metacritic in 2024.
The rating shows quite a large gap between critical and public reception. While both seemed to have enjoyed the gameplay, audience scores for Stellar Blade are much more favorable.
When sorting 2024 games by user score on Metacritic, Stellar Blade is technically second on the list. However, Sheepy: A Short Adventure, which comes in first place, does not have more than 11 reviews.
On the other hand, Shift Up’s first console launch has thousands of reviews. Therefore, we find the comparison more favorable for the former. Also, it currently has 20K reviews on PlayStation, averaging a 4.79 user rating on the PS store.
Because games like Final Fantasy 16 and Zelda Tears of the Kingdom have been review-bombed in the past, we are glad to see new releases receiving such high scores on Metacritic.
It seems the trend of review bombing is finally being dealt with on the platform.
However, Stellar Blade currently faces challenges in the wake of censorship from Shift Up. PlayStation has even refunded various copies following the outrage.
Nonetheless, it seems most people are too busy playing the game to get involved in these controversies.
We are glad that such controversies haven’t had a major impact on the reception. Stellar Blade is easily one of the best games released in 2024 so far, especially when considering the fact that it came from a developer new to console gaming.
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[News Editor]
Obaid is pursuing a Law degree, while working as a content writer. He has worked as a gaming writer for over a year because of his passion for the medium and reporting the latest updates in the industry. Having played hundreds of games, Obaid finds himself coming back to Elden Ring, Cyberpunk 2077, and Red Dead Redemption 2, with these games being among his favorites. He has also been mentioned on highly regarded websites, such as Wccftech, Metro UK, PS Lifestyle, GamePressure, VGC, and Gamespot.