Games with excellent visuals generally like to boast about it in one way or another, and if they ever feel the need to boast about it, it's almost always merited. Whether it be by using optional activities to encourage players to stop and admire the view or by making exploration a key component of gameplay, graphically impressive games find a way to turn the player's attention to their beauty. Shift Up's Stellar Blade is one of the more recent games to launch with stunning visuals, clearly seen in its character models and detailed environments, but it currently lacks one popular feature that would further shine a spotlight on its visuals and even promote social interaction.

Whether on a console or PC, there is almost always a way for players to capture screenshots of their favorite in-game moments. It's a great way to stay connected with other players, bring to remembrance a rewarding in-game victory, or simply admire one's own photographic eye. However, while screenshots are more than enough to accomplish all of this, there is nothing quite like what a dedicated photo mode can provide, as it generally grants players access to several editing tools. Unfortunately, Stellar Blade launched without any photo mode to speak of, but there is little reason to believe it won't be added in one of the game's first updates.

Related

How Stellar Blade’s Camps Compare To Elden Ring's Sites of Grace

Stellar Blade includes many iconic mechanics of the Soulslike genre, including the camps that are the game's version of Elden Ring's Sites of Grace.

A Photo Mode Seems Like a Logical Addition to Stellar Blade

Stellar Blade's Visuals Are Impressive Enough to Merit a Photo Mode

In all respects, Stellar Blade is a graphically impressive game, so the fact that it lacks a dedicated photo mode is perplexing. While taking a normal screenshot in-game can certainly showcase the game's visual prowess, a photo mode would allow players to customize those images and personalize them to their liking.

Most of the time, if a game has a photo mode, players can customize various aspects of the image, like changing the time of day, adding a photo filter, enhancing the lighting, and even altering their character's expression. A photo mode of this depth would be perfect for Stellar Blade, especially as much of the game's marketing has revolved around the game's graphics — its protagonist, in particular. With it, players could share personalized images of the protagonist in action, her partners — Adam and Lily — and the detailed environments of Stellar Blade's world.

Stellar Blade's Director All But Confirmed That a Photo Mode Is Coming

Ahead of Stellar Blade's release, the game's director, Hyung-Tae Kim, chimed in about whether it had a photo mode. In an interview with Famitsu, Kim intimated that the team was busy with other aspects of the game and simply couldn't make time to develop a proper photo mode for Stellar Blade. However, he did say that if enough of the community asked for one, they'd heavily consider adding it. At this point, the internet has been flooded with requests that the popular feature be added, so it's likely only a matter of time before it is.

Even with a photo all but confirmed for Stellar Blade, it's still likely it doesn't get added. That being said, the chances seem pretty high if Kim stays true to his word. After all, if any game recently released deserves a photo mode, it's Stellar Blade, with its over-the-top character models, stunning environments, and incredibly detailed Naytiba antagonists.

Stellar Blade

Stellar Blade is an action-RPG developed by Shift Up and published by Sony Interactive Entertainment. The game follows protagonist Eve as she attempts to save a devastated Earth from invaders called Naytiba.

Platform(s)

PS5

Released

April 26, 2024

Developer(s)

Shift Up

Publisher(s)

Sony Interactive Entertainment

Genre(s)

Action RPG