Stela Rapid Review

Reading Time: 4 minutes

Fast Facts

Title:Stela
Developer: Skybox Labs
Publisher: Skybox Labs
Website: Skybox Labs
Genre: Adventure, Platformer, Puzzle
Platform: Nintendo Switch, PC
Age Rating: 12 PEGI
Release Date: 13/03/2019
Price: £15.99 – Rapid Reviews was very kindly provided with a review code for this title.

Welcome to my review of Stela on Nintendo Switch, This is a new game for the console after originally being released on Xbox One and iOS. The game takes some nods from games like Limbo and Little Nightmares in the atmospheric platforming world.

Stela is a 2D platformer set in some amazing looking locations and giving you control of a young female who looks a lot like a female Prince from Prince of Persia and in fact I felt that she was also heavily influenced in design by the Leia from Star Wars Episode 4.

You spend most of your game running to the right, jumping and solving the odd puzzle while trying to move onto the next area. Puzzles are simple and normally involve using objects to get higher or pulling a switch etc.

IN LIMBO

Stela is the story of a young girl of the same name. The world she lives in is coming to an end and she starts the game underground and must make her way to the surface. Once on the surface you see why she is underground as everything is trying to kill you up here.

Stela is very much a simplistic story telling game and you can see this was a phone game once upon a time, the backdrops (or levels) are very beautiful and some of the light and detail is amazing and will really make you look around.

Much like Limbos style its very much dark and light on the levels with various creatures being seen in the background who sometimes have an influence on you and your character, you make your way along various amazing scenes but it all starts with a derelict farm.

CINEMA EXPERIENCE

The quality and the finishing touch of the game shines throughout and the surprises you encounter will really get that heart racing,  early on you will get you first real scare and you will totally then notice what this game is about.

As mentioned earlier everything is out there to kill you, an early chase by some rats leaves you falling through floors, climbing over buildings and slamming doors to stop the rats getting you before the end of the level.

Later on you face some truly creepy human like people who lurk in the background yet turn to look towards you and if they see you its game over as they run towards you like a possessed zombie before killing you where you stand. These sections are very much stealth and hiding behind trees and other parts of the scenery.

The platforming in the game is very simple and works well in this style of game, the main problem I had with the game was my main problem was not being able to see where I was meant to jump or when the levelled stopped moving right how to progress.

TREAT FOR THE EARS

The music and sound is great in this game really capturing the events on screen. When you are absorbed into the game the scares are really good with the added audio which can catch you out when you least expect it.

The music from the game is outstanding and one of the best soundtracks I have heard on a console game for a long time. The music and the atmosphere it produces really puts you into the world of Stela (or Leia).

The puzzle parts are not really hard work or taxing on the brain so I would advise you don’t buy this hoping for a decent puzzle platform game. I would say its more a atmospheric platform game taking you into a world.

VISUAL TREAT

Some of the levels are exceptional, you have various areas from the farm, the forest to the snow area and they all look amazing in this style of game. The way the foreground and background suck you in with the sound really makes you take note.

Some of the enemies like the rats I mentioned before are also very well made, from the giant octopus to the rooms that turn into prisons as people try and get you and them pesky rats. The game really keeps you guessing what is around the corner.

FINAL WORDS

This game is really short at around three hours long, for the price I would question this at a non sale purchase. On the other hand though this game really is a experience and a good one at that.The sound the graphics the feel and the game make this well worth playing if you haven’t played it already.

Rapid Reviews Rating

This game is available from the following places to purchase online
eShop