Does Stellar Blade Have Difficulty Settings?

Does Stellar Blade have difficulty settings? Stellar Blade promises to be Sony's next flagship, thanks to the fact that it was able to generate enormous hype long before its release and also thanks to an excellent marketing campaign. Many, however, wondered, after understanding the game mechanics, if Stellar Blade had more difficulty options.

In this article, therefore, we will answer this question in detail so that you know what to expect when you have the opportunity to play the game. If knowing in advance whether you have the opportunity to play the game on the difficulty you have chosen is something that interests you, you are definitely in the right place.

Stellar Blade Difficulty Settings Explained

The developers of Stellar Blade were very thorough when explaining the difficulty of the game. For them, in order to continue the adventure, it was not enough that the player simply had to aggressively attack the enemies by carrying out combos; they wanted to ensure that the behavior of the enemies was studied in order to use the best strategy.

However, this certainly hasn't stopped them from adding a game difficulty that can be enjoyed by practically anyone, even those who are new to this genre of gaming. In fact, even though the combat system is a very important thing for the development theme, they still wanted to create an experience that is accessible to as many people as possible.

Story Mode

So, it has been confirmed that Stellar Blade can be approached with the Story mode, that is, a difficulty in which the combat will be significantly simpler, and therefore, as the name suggests, you will be able to concentrate on the story of the game (which, in any case, promises to be really interesting and with several references to 80s and 90s sci-fi).

In fact, in the most heated phases of the fights, such as against the bosses that you will have to defeat in order to proceed with your adventure, a kind of QTE will appear on the screen, which will tell you exactly when to press certain buttons to defeat a specific enemy. In this way, therefore, combat is made much simpler and more accessible, even to those who are not used to games like this.

Normal Mode

The other game mode that will be available for selection as soon as you launch the game is Normal. This mode is the one suitable for all those who are familiar with this genre of games and is the one that was conceived by the developers to be able to tackle the story. If you choose this option, therefore, you will have a more balanced experience that winks at the story but does not forget the combat system.

In fact, forget about having on-screen aids that will tell you which buttons to press and at what time, it's all based on your skills. Therefore, this is visibly a difficulty not suitable for those who are starting to play this type of game. Although Stellar Blade is not a soulslike (but only borrows some game mechanics), in some situations it can be complex to deal with. So, if you are not used to this type of game, we do not recommend this difficulty.

Hard Mode

Finally, there is also the possibility of activating Hard mode, although it will not be available in the game menu when you start your adventure. This mode, in fact, will only be unlockable if you do a specific thing in-game.

Spoiler: What we are about to tell you below could be considered a sort of small spoiler, so continue reading only if you don't want to ruin this surprise.

In order to access this more difficult mode, in which the focal point of the game will be the combat system and therefore you will have to be able to fully understand the game mechanics, all you have to do is use the Skin Suit for EVE. But how is it done? Simple, you just need to unequip any suit you have equipped to be able to equip the Skin Suit.

Since technically EVE is naked in this case, obviously you won't have access to the protective shield that is present in the other skins, and therefore this will make the game even more difficult. Let's say that the developers played well on this aspect and made something that could not have been an integral part of the gameplay.

Can You Change Difficulty in Stellar Blade?

If you are wondering whether or not it is possible to change the difficulty of the game after starting your game, the answer is yes. At any time, all you have to do is go to the game menu and choose which difficulty to play. This will not have any kind of effect on your game in the sense that you will not lose anything and it will not invalidate the obtaining of trophies.

So, if you realize that you have chosen a difficulty that is too easy or too difficult, you have the possibility to remedy your “mistake” at any point in your adventure. Ultimately, to fully appreciate Stellar Blade (or any game), you must be able to play it according to your abilities and possibilities. Fortunately, the development team has thought of everything, so you don't have to worry about this aspect.