URBAN GAMEPLAY
Today we have a fun video game battle in Stellar Balde vs Bayonetta 3! These are two of the most action packed 3rd person action games that have slick combat along with a cool style. One is a PlayStation exclusive and the other a Nintendo exclusive! These are both great games, but which one is the best? That is what we are looking to figure out today.
Round 1: Story and Narrative
Stellar Blade
Stellar Balde is a cool sci-fi story! Set on an Earth that has been taken over by these monstrous creatures. Eva and a team has been sent from a colony in space to try and fight the monsters. Eva is the only survivor and she soon meets the humans in the last remaining city, Xion! Eva learns about the people and this gives her even more reason to fight for humanity! This is fun stuff and fans of sci-fi are sure to get a kick out of it. It may have every sci-fi trope under the sun, but that is something the game proudly wears on its sleeve.
Bayonetta 3
The Bayonetta series is known for its crazy story and characters and Bayonetta 3 was the most insane adventure our badass witch, Bayonetta went on yet! Past games had angels and demons at the forefront, this time mankind has made their own monstrous creations! Add to this an entity that wants to destroy the multiverse and Bayonetta and well truly has her hands full. However, as this is a “multiverse” story, we get to see Bayonetta join forces with other Bayonetta’s from different realities! This is crazy to the max and to fully appreciate it, you do need to have played through the other two games.
Which Is Best?
Both games tell fun stories, but Bayonetta 3 has to take this one as it is so over the top and crazy! Plus, it builds and expands upon what the first two games did really well.
Round 2: Combat Mechanics
Stellar Blade
One of the things that is fun about Stellar Blade is that this feels like a game that could have been released during the Xbox 360 era. It feels like a fun throwback with fast paced action that forces you to make use of your abilities, get new gear, and figure out ways to defeat the bosses. The game has a kind of souls like thing going on in regards to the way you block and parry enemy attacks. You get the impression that they wanted to make a game like Devil May Cry and Bayonetta when it comes to the combat and I am happy to say that they succeeded.
Bayonetta 3
Bayonetta 3 builds upon what the first two games did. Bayonetta controls as slick as ever here and no matter if you are throwing epic kicks or using her guns, combat is always fast and exciting. The Witch Time slow down effect adds a bit of skill to things as it is activated by doing a perfect dodge. Combat in Bayonetta manages to be stylish, but not at the expense of a lack of substance. Also, this game gave Bayonetta some cool new abilities that were a whole lot of fun to use. If you liked the first two games, you will love this! Bayonetta is also a game that is very accessible with many of the cool moves and combos being easy to pull off.
Which Is Best?
Stellar Bade’s combat is fantastic and easily the most entertaining aspect of the game, regular fights and boss battles are always fun. However, Bayonetta 3 is the winner here! This is like the apex of what they did with the first two games. It manages to be just as fast and fun as the previous games, but the new stuff they added is not overused and is so much fun when you get to utilize it.
Round 3: World Design and Exploration
Sellar Blade
Stellar Balde is a game that always has you moving forward and it may seem that it is a bit on the linear side. However, there are sections where you can explore and it is here you can find neat gear that can help you out. While the game for the most part is quite linear, it does have a few open world style sections that encourage exploration. This decimated Earth is a pretty cool place, but it does have a style that you may have seen many times before in other sci-fi games and movies.
Bayonetta 3
Bayonetta 3 like the previous games is a rather linear experience, but the game does have many different areas that the story takes you to. The multiverse aspect of the story allowed the developers to get quite creative and even though it is rather linear, you can still go off the beaten path here and there to find extra items. There is just so much imagination at play here and even with the rather modest power of the Nintendo Switch, they have created a world that you want to explore and look at.
Which Is Best
Both games have very cool sci-fi/fantasy style worlds that make you want to know more about them. However, Bayonetta 3 is the clear winner here! They went above and beyond with making interesting areas for you to experience and while you may not get to explore them as much as you would like. There is no denying the amount of imagination at play here as each location has something that makes it feel special and interesting.
Round 4: Enemy Variety and Boss Battles
Stellar Blade
The boss battles in Stellar Blade are a major highlight of the game. They are tough but fair and they do force you to rely on more than just button mashing be it using a certain ability or a QTE like event. The enemy variety is pretty decent too with some rather fun monster designs, even if some do have a bit of familiarity about them in regards to their design. There are some enemies that can feel a bit cheap as you sometimes feel like you are being hit constantly by an enemy that is off the screen.
Bayonetta 3
Ever since the first game, Bayonetta has always been about style, and that rings true for Bayonetta 3. You will face many different enemy types, some are easily disposed of, and others require a bit more skill. Bayonetta 3 has some epic boss battles with massive bosses that have multiple ways. Many of them have fun QTE sections that are very cinematic. The boss battles also show the creativity of the developers in terms of the actual bosses and some of the stuff Bayonetta does and says during them.
Which is Best?
This is the closest category by far and you could make an argument for both games. However, I am giving this one to Bayonetta 3. Stellar Blade may have some great boss battles, but there are some regular enemies that can feel a bit cheap and frustrating. Bayonetta 3 on the other hand is fast-paced fight after fast-paced fight with some of the hugest and most crazy looking bosses you will ever come across!
Round 5: Soundtrack & Sound
Stellar Blade
The soundtrack in Stellar Blade more than gets the job done and feels very fitting. The voice acting is also of a high quality and it does help you feel more connected to the characters. The thing is, while Stellar Blade has a good general sound design, none of it leaves much of a lasting impression if we are being brutally honest.
Bayonetta 3
Bayonetta 3 continues the series trend of having a funky and cool soundtrack that could not be any more fitting for the insane over the top action this series has. Bayonetta 3 has many of the songs we know and love and once again the voice acting is great. Bayonetta has a ton of personality and you feel like you care about her more because of how good her voice acting is. The supporting cast here also has great voice acting with some very memorable performances.
Which Is Best?
Bayonetta 3 wins this one by a landslide! It has fun and cool music that fits the game perfectly. However, it is the incredible voice acting performances that really nail this one. To be fair, Stellar Blade is perfectly good, but in a direct comparison to Bayonetta 3, it is in no way anywhere near as cool or memorable as what Bayonetta 3 is offering.
Conclusion:
Both of these games are great, Stellar Blade is such a fun game and it feels like a real throwback kind of title that many people are going to fall in love with. It is easily one of the most fun games of the year and it is sure to build up a real cult following as the years go by. However, Bayonetta 3 is a game that many of us were waiting years for, and even after all the delays, it did not disappoint! Bayonetta is such a likable character and the game just took what the other two did and made it even better! Bayonetta 3 is one of the best games on the Nintendo Switch and one of the best action games of this current generation!
While we liked Bayonetta 3 better than Stellar Blade, be sure to let us know which of these two games you prefer and be sure to give your reasons why!
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