SHIFT UP’s Stellar Blade is an incredible action-adventure game with platforming, swordplay, and gunning. What could it use more of? Even more gunplay, and with the release of the DLC expansion, Stellar Blade x GODDESS OF VICTORY: NIKKE, on both the PlayStation and PC Stellar Blades. There’s shooting galore, and I’m here for it.

Stellar Blade x GODDESS OF VICTORY: NIKKE is a cross-over with SHIFT UP’s free-to-play action-shooter mobile game, also called GODDESS OF VICTORY: NIKKE. I quickly became familiar with what GODDESS OF VICTORY: NIKKE was all about and how addicted I might become to it. In Stellar Blade, the guns-blazing gameplay amps an already intense game with even more action, a new shooting mini-game, an additional Boss Challenge and even more outfits!

Travelling through the Wasteland, I encountered a super chill robotic dog, Volt, and the mysterious swordswoman, Scarlet, from the mobile game. Brandishing a brand spanking new gun, the stunning stranger sends EVE off to cap some Naytibas, and it’s glorious.

Stellar Blade already had the “Drone” as a gun in the base game, but the ammo supply was limited and wasn’t as satisfying as a sword combo. The expansion plays like GODDESS OF VICTORY: NIKKE, with an arcade-style aim-and-shoot mini-game.

Ducked behind cover, EVE can break cover to quickly shoot at rapidly approaching enemies and roll to another cover to dodge Naytiba projectiles, all while super edgy EDM music slaps hard in the background. It’s fast-paced, putting my trigger finger to the test in timed shooting ranges.

It took a few rounds to get used to aiming on the DualSense controller, but it was a joy once I got into the swing of it. The six stages are each more blood-pumping than the last, especially for the bosses, who throw everything they have at EVE. In turn, I threw all I had right back, including a missile barrage attack from my friends in the Tetrapod ship. Just when the stages felt like they were getting repetitive, there were a few switch-ups in the gameplay to keep it fresh.

When I returned to Scarlet’s property on victory, I could cash my winnings to buy new cosmetics from Volt. Naturally, there’s a skin-tight latex outfit for EVE. There’s also a lovely flowy dress, a few sci-fi android-squad uniforms and a mix of short and long hairstyles, including super cute pigtails complete with a feline-eared headset.

For practicality and styling choices, Stellar Blade’s fashion sense is questionable in most instances. But the edgy sci-fi military-esque fusions are interesting, though I don’t foresee my EVE regularly wearing most of the new outfits. There are nice nods to some NIKKE characters’ outfits as a nice touch, though.

Scarlet is added to the Boss Challenges, with an incredible boss arena and cinematic that stands out amongst the usually grotesque boss enemies and less pleasant battle settings. It’s a challenging but exciting showdown. Besting Scarlet in the friendly skirmish rewards EVE with a new costume, hairstyle, and song for the playlist. The DLC got me keen to try out GODDESS OF VICTORY: NIKKE, and good news!

Redeeming the timed CD-KEY available in Xion nets you an EVE cosmetic in the free-to-play game GODDESS OF VICTORY: NIKKE. My main issue is that I didn’t get to spend more time learning about Scarlet, but that added to her allure and made me want to download the mobile game to understand who this elusive NIKKE is.

Stellar Blade x GODDESS OF VICTORY: NIKKE hits the mark on a good expansion. While it isn’t particularly long, plenty of included content keeps you entertained for a few hours. Not only am I hyped to test out SHIFT UP’s mobile game now I have a taste for it, but it’s also got me super stoked for what Stellar Blade 2 might aim for by adding in the gunplay mini-game as a base game feature, or better yet, that gun. And yes, you can pet the dog.

Written by: Yasmin Noble