2B or not 2B, that is the question this little piece of review for a DLC intends to answer.
Unlike Hamlet, I don’t think Stellar Blade’s new paid DLC should have an existential crisis. It’s clear why it exists. One: Stellar Blade’s developer Shift Up has made it abundantly clear their console game debut is inspired by Nier Automata. Second: Nier series creator Yoko Taro is totally cool with this. And most importantly: Yoko Taro needs that money.
Some folks, me included, was surprised that the Stellar Blade x Nier Automata collaboration is paywalled. And even after spending time with the DLC I still think it’s quite a big paywall for what’s effectively a handful new costumes. But hey, if you do like Nier Automata, and do like the idea of playing more Stellar Blade thanks to new cosplay cosmetics, well, you’re definitely getting what you’re paying for.
What’s In Stellar Blade Nier Automata DLC
As for what’s included in the Stellar Blade Nier Automata DLC, it’s rather sparse. This could’ve just been a costume pack. And this is what’s included:
- For Eve
- Nanosuit
- Yorha No.2 Type B Uniform
- Yorha Uniform 1
- Yorha Type A No.2 Uniform
- Yorha Unofficial Ceremonial Attire
- Eye Accessory
- Battle Goggles
- Hairstyle
- Yorha No.2 Type B Style
- White Fox Mask Style
- Yorha Type A No.2 Style
- Nanosuit
- For Drone
- Pod 042 Pack
- For Lily
- Yorha No.9 Type S Uniform
- For Adam
- Emil’s Head
So essentially, you’re getting four new costumes for Eve, three new hairstyles, one accessory (the takes up the glasses slot), and one costume for Lily, Adam and the drone.
The DLC doesn’t straight up give you all the cosmetics, so this is the content of the DLC comes in. First, you have to encounter Emil, the roving merchant.
He appears somewhat like in his Nier Automata form, a three-wheeled vehicle with that mask the actual Yoko Taro always seen wearing in public appearances but with some Stellar Blade props. You can hear him zooming around the two open world maps, Wasteland and Great Desert, but only at specific parts. And he genuinely just zooms by, you need to shoot or hit him to get him to stop and say hello.
Interestingly, if you have Korean as your chosen voiceover language, Emil will speak in Japanese.
Emil is a store vendor here in Stellar Blade, but he only accepts a specific currency: Stellar Tears. These are 15 collectibles, similar to the cans, spread across the Wasteland and Great Desert. Thankfully, upon meeting Emil, you’ll get a screenshot of where you could find them. So you’re off to go do treasure hunting should you wish to unlock all the costumes you paid for.
Nier Perfection
The costumes themselves look great. You can see the difference of textures of that 2B costume (Yorha No.2 Type B Uniform), the matte finish on her top in contrast to the glossy sheen of those thigh-high boots. It’s a challenge to look away.
If you don’t see the fleshy Naytiba enemies and Eve’s choice of weapons, Eve in 2B cosplay can pass off as the real 2B, as long as the blindfolds are on. 2B’s short hair doesn’t have options for a ponytail attachment. And with the latest game update, you can have Eve have no ponytails on, though some hairstyles look odd as they were always designed to be scrunched up at the back to make a ponytail. So don’t go ponytail-less with those hairstyles.
While the 2B costume looks elegant, A2’s costume, Yorha Type A No.2 Uniform (complete with long, un-ponytailed hair) is more badass. The raggedness of the drip still have some sexy bits (the mismatched android leg plates, those gloves) but the “I’m hurt but I’m going to hurt you even more” vibe is so different to the rest of the costumes in the DLC, which makes it stand out.
If you equip any of Nier Automata costumes, the music in Wasteland and Great Desert changes to songs from Nier Automata, which I find to be a nice touch.
2B and A2’s outfits do have the alternative “self-destruction” look. In Stellar Blade, these are triggered when you revive with a WB Pump upon death. The other two costumes do not have this feature, they are skimpy as they are already.
And as another nod to its inspiration, if you wear any of the four new costumes, Eve will kick the 4th wall, i.e. you, the bloody pervert, for any acutely upward camera angles when idling.
The keyword is “when idling”, Eve still runs like Eve, not 2B, and she’s not going to call you out when she’s full sprint, or when you’re in the newly-added photo mode.
(Side note: Stellar Blade’s new photo mode is packed with good features, from poses to custom lighting. However, it fails to take account of a player’s camera axis invert preferences, a mistake so common in games today that infuriate folks who invert their Y and/or X axis.)
Then again, I won’t blame you if you are attracted to feminine folks and start having intrusive thoughts. The way the costumes are rendered sure is attention-grabbing.
Other than the 2B costume, you also get to dress Eve in Yorha Uniform 1, which was added as a DLC in Nier Automata. So this mostly-cosmetic DLC has cosmetic items from another games’ cosmetic DLC.
The Yorha Unofficial Ceremonial Attire is, as far as I know, is a Shift Up original. And you can tell.
Nier Automata and Stellar Blade took different directions in making sexy clothing. And this costume is Shift Up’s attempt to pay homage to the source material while having their own spin which results in something I’m sure someone is enjoying too much ogling at.
There’s a bit of Nier Replicant’s Kaine going on on this outfit, but not quite something like the real deal, something 2B herself can wear.
As far as fanservice goes, the Stellar Blade Nier Automata DLC does a, well, stellar, job at delivering. The developers had pay homage to the game before this, so you’d expect this proper collaboration DLC was done with respect to the source material.
Verdict
Is the Stellar Blade Nier Automata DLC for everyone? No. But I bet the team is betting that just about every Stellar Blade fan is a Nier Automata fan and they might consider paying for them.
I don’t think I would have spend RM40 on this DLC, honestly. And if I did spent my own money acquiring this, I don’t think it was worth it. And that’s mostly because I don’t spend money of cosmetic DLCs, if ever.
If you’ve bought a skin on Fortnite or whatever live service game you’re playing and is accustomed to this value proposition, I will say that the costumes you’re getting here look great. And there’s some extra little content, albeit rather superficial, tied to getting access to it.
Putting my personal stance aside, let me tell you this. This DLC is no cash-grab. This is Stellar Blade showing respect to a seminal game, in hopes that it too will be a seminal game. In more ways than one.
To somewhat answer the opening question: this DLC makes not-2B to be 2B, if that’s what your heart desire and your wallet willing.
Check out our review of Stellar Blade here.
Played on base PS5. Review copy provided by the publisher.