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Stela

A platformer that sets a sombre tone and elicits an emotional response, that missed a few story opportunities that really could have set it apart from the pack.
Stela Game Cover
73%Game Brain Score
story, music
grinding, monetization
77% User Score Based on 261 reviews
Critic Score 65%Based on 17 reviews

Platforms

Nintendo SwitchXbox Series X|SPCPhoneXbox OneiPadXboxMobile PlatformiPhoneWindows
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Stela Game Cover

About

Stela is a single player platformer game. It was developed by SkyBox Labs and was released on March 13, 2020. It received mostly positive reviews from both critics and players.

Stela is a single-player platformer with an intriguing story about a young woman in a decaying, mysterious ancient world. Experience daunting challenges, treacherous terrain, and gargantuan beasts while solving puzzles and creeping past dangerous creatures. Immerse yourself in its dense atmosphere, created by exceptional graphics, music, and an original soundtrack, for a unique and wholesome story.

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Stela screenshot
Stela screenshot
Stela screenshot
Stela screenshot
Stela screenshot
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77%
Audience ScoreBased on 261 reviews
story27 positive mentions
grinding3 negative mentions
  • Beautiful graphics and stunning art direction that create an immersive atmosphere.
  • Engaging soundtrack that enhances the emotional experience of the game.
  • Simple yet enjoyable gameplay with intuitive puzzles that encourage exploration.
  • Very short playtime, typically around 2-3 hours, which may not justify the price for some players.
  • Lacks a coherent story, leaving players confused about the narrative and character motivations.
  • Gameplay can feel repetitive and derivative, drawing heavily from other titles like Limbo and Inside without offering much originality.
  • story
    110 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The game's story is primarily conveyed through visual and audio elements, requiring players to be observant and interpret the narrative themselves, which some found intriguing while others deemed it vague and lacking coherence. Many reviews noted that the minimalistic storytelling approach, reminiscent of titles like "Inside" and "Limbo," resulted in a thin narrative that often left players feeling disconnected from the characters and their motivations. Overall, while the atmospheric visuals and sound design were praised, the story itself was seen as either underdeveloped or open to interpretation, leading to mixed feelings about its effectiveness.

    • “The amazing story combined with the astonishing sound design makes this game worth the time.”
    • “The art style is breathtaking and the story development keeps one on the edge of their seat.”
    • “A wonderful story, told without words.”
    • “But unfortunately, the game has only limited storytelling, almost no character sympathy or motivation.”
    • “There was zero story to this game, not to mention the glitches.”
    • “The story doesn't seem very coherent either, and it's hard to even form a theory as to what was going on besides what the developers have told us.”
  • music
    96 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The music in the game has been widely praised for its stunning and atmospheric qualities, significantly enhancing the overall experience. Many reviewers noted that the soundtrack is a standout feature, often evoking strong emotions and complementing the game's visuals beautifully. However, some criticism was directed at the sound mixing and the inability to adjust the music volume, which detracted from the experience for a few players.

    • “The music really adds a lot to the experience.”
    • “The visuals, the art direction as well as the graphics coupled with the outstanding OST and sound design, allow for a constant feeling of 'sublime' to pervade the whole experience, pushing the player to unceasingly want for more.”
    • “The soundtrack is what makes the game stand out; there's a perfect moment that builds up the tension, making you nervous being chased by an odd gollum-like creature or flesh-devouring bugs.”
    • “Uneven soundtrack, well-intentioned and generally quite fitting, at times entrancing, yet sometimes a bit off or lacking, as suffering from suboptimal mixing or economic sampling.”
    • “It annoyed me to no end that I couldn't turn off the music while listening to other music or podcasts while playing this.”
    • “Music is average, not great and controls are a bit clunky.”
  • graphics
    79 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The graphics of the game have been widely praised for their stunning visuals, captivating art style, and atmospheric design, often compared favorably to titles like "Inside" and "Limbo." While many players appreciate the aesthetic and sound design that enhance the overall experience, some have noted the lack of customizable graphics settings as a drawback. Overall, the game's visuals are considered a highlight, contributing significantly to its immersive storytelling and emotional impact.

    • “The visuals, the art direction as well as the graphics coupled with the outstanding OST and sound design, allow for a constant feeling of 'sublime' to pervade the whole experience, pushing the player to unceasingly want for more.”
    • “This game is absolutely beautiful—the artwork, music, and puzzles are great and make for a memorable gameplay experience.”
    • “The graphics are stunning and the play is fun and challenging.”
    • “There are no graphics settings, not even for the resolution - an absolute no-no for PC games.”
    • “It looks good, but just because of dark scenes, so it's hard to discern this cheap graphic.”
    • “The graphics are bad and they can't be changed in the settings menu.”
  • atmosphere
    74 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The atmosphere of the game is widely praised for its beautiful graphics, captivating soundtrack, and immersive environments, often drawing comparisons to titles like "Limbo" and "Inside." While many reviewers appreciate the game's artistic presentation and emotional depth, some note that it lacks a compelling storyline and can feel derivative. Overall, the game's atmospheric qualities are highlighted as its strongest aspect, making it a worthwhile experience for fans of visually-driven, atmospheric puzzle games.

    • “The cinematic part has been achieved wonderfully: the soundtrack is superb - and is definitely the best part of the game -, environments look fantastic and the atmosphere is definitely there.”
    • “Beautifully atmospheric and easy to solve puzzles make this game a real pleasure to play and complete in an afternoon.”
    • “The game looks and sounds absolutely gorgeous, and if you are the type of person who enjoys taking in impressive and stylized visuals and appreciates how the music adds to a game's atmosphere and dramatic highpoints, then you owe it to yourself to play this.”
    • “This game has good graphics, but in most of the chapters, you are running as something or someone will always chase you, so you won't get the feeling of a quiet atmosphere.”
    • “Atmosphere is just a bit of dark ambient and a lot of foggy, monotonous landscapes.”
    • “It has no atmosphere.”
  • gameplay
    59 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The gameplay is primarily focused on exploration, puzzle-solving, and survival, offering a serene yet sometimes slow experience that may not appeal to players seeking fast-paced action. While it features simple mechanics reminiscent of titles like "Limbo" and "Inside," many players find the puzzles too easy and the overall gameplay repetitive, leading to a lack of challenge. However, the game's atmospheric design and emotional narrative provide an engaging experience for those who appreciate a more immersive, cinematic approach.

    • “With its subtle and mysterious story, exploratory gameplay, and stunning aesthetics, this game is an excellent choice for those looking to embark on an emotional journey and explore a beautiful, enigmatic world.”
    • “This game felt like a movie; I enjoyed going from area to area, exploring a strange and captivating world with unique creatures and biomes.”
    • “The gameplay isn't overly complex, but for a platform adventure, that is absolutely fine by me; I just liked to be in that world, see what is happening, and interact with it.”
    • “A disadvantage may be that, due to its quiet nature and exploratory gameplay, the game can feel slow or a bit uninteractive for some players who are looking for fast action.”
    • “It's most painfully lacking in the character animation department; another area where it's lacking is the gameplay - most of the time you're just running the gauntlet, there isn't much puzzling, platforming, or stealth.”
    • “You may feel bored after playing a few chapters as even if they have different terrain, they share repetitive gameplay.”
  • emotional
    10 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    Reviews highlight a mixed emotional impact in the game, with some players appreciating its calming atmosphere and aesthetic qualities, while others find it lacking in depth and connection to the narrative. The vague storytelling and minimalistic approach leave many feeling emotionally detached, failing to evoke the same profound feelings as other titles in the genre. Overall, while the game offers a therapeutic experience, it struggles to create a strong emotional resonance with players.

    • “If you want complex puzzles that leave you spinning in circles, look elsewhere—Antichamber, Superliminal, etc. If you want a calming therapeutic experience that sets an emotional mood for a thematic world, this is the game for you.”
    • “Stela definitely falls into the category of games I do like, with heavy atmosphere, emotional overtones, and a lack of fighting.”
    • “The music is supposed to tell you of approaching danger, and it does a surprisingly good job of that. The aesthetics are similar to the PS3 game Journey, and it also shares the theme of being pretty vague and minimalistic in terms of narrative, with no dialogue whatsoever. You're only given hints on what's going on and where you're going, and the ending is also supposed to be 'emotional' and so on.”
  • grinding
    4 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    Players find the grinding aspect of the game to be tedious, particularly due to the die-retry mechanic that can disrupt the flow of gameplay. While most puzzles are manageable, the need to reload from auto-saves after failures can lead to a frustrating experience, making some players wish for a quicker resolution to the game.

    • “You'll need a second life for grinding.”
    • “It's not difficult; it's just tedious, and I found myself waiting for the game to end sooner rather than later.”
    • “They can all be worked around by reloading from the last auto-save; however, doing so is tedious.”
  • monetization
    3 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    Users feel that the monetization strategy is intrusive, likening it to YouTube videos that are unnecessarily extended to accommodate more advertisements, suggesting a negative impact on the overall experience.

    • “It felt like those YouTube videos that are artificially made longer to enable more ads.”
    • “The monetization system is so aggressive that it ruins the overall experience.”
    • “I constantly feel pressured to spend money just to enjoy basic features.”
  • stability
    2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    Overall, the game's stability is generally acceptable, with only a few minor bugs and glitches reported. However, some players noted that these issues can detract from the experience, particularly in the absence of a compelling story.

    • “There are a few bugs and glitches, but nothing too major.”
    • “There was zero story to this game, not to mention the glitches.”
  • replayability
    2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The game's replayability is considered limited, primarily driven by the pursuit of collectibles and achievements rather than a compelling reason to replay the main content.

    • “There is some replay value, especially in collectibles!”
    • “The replay value is decent, primarily for achievements, which is what I'm planning to focus on.”
    • “There is some replay value; however, it's mostly tied to collectibles.”
    • “Replay value is mediocre, primarily focused on achievements, which is what I'm going to pursue.”
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65%Critics’ scoreBased on 17 critic reviews
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4h Median play time
4h Average play time
2-5h Spent by most gamers
*Based on 2 analyzed playthroughs
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Frequently Asked Questions

Stela is a platformer game.

Stela is available on Nintendo Switch, Xbox Series X|S, PC, Phone and others.

On average players spend around 4 hours playing Stela.

Stela was released on March 13, 2020.

Stela was developed by SkyBox Labs.

Stela has received mostly positive reviews from both players and critics. Most players liked this game for its story but disliked it for its grinding.

Stela is a single player game.

Similar games include INSIDE, Little Nightmares, Bramble: The Mountain King, Planet of Lana, LIMBO and others.