Is Stellar Blade Open World – can I free roam?

News of Stellar Blade coming to PC in 2025 has got gamers curious about Shift Up's action adventure, in particular whether it's an open world game. We're here to answer that question. Plus, give you an idea just how big the game is in terms of its map and locations.

Stellar Blade is set in a post-apocalyptic Earth which has been overrun by monsters known as the Naytibas. You take the role of EVE, the game's main character, who returns to Earth with her squadron to retake Earth from its occupier. As such, all of Stellar Blade takes place on the same planet.

If you're wondering who made Stellar Blade, it was developed by South Korean developer Shift Up in co-operation with Sony. Sony got involved after being impressed by EVE's combat in the 2020 Battle Demo of the game.

No, Stellar Blade is not open world. Instead it is semi-open world with the option to fast travel to locations similar to games such as God of War. The game focuses around the city of Xion, with 8 other areas nearby to explore.

Interestingly pre-release, Stellar Blade's Game Director Kim Hyung-Tae said that God of War taught him that open-world was not a requirement for memorable experience.

"God of War is really just my favorite game," said Stellar Blade Director Kim Hyung-Tae to Famitsu. "It taught me that you can experience a vast world without being completely open-world."

So while Stellar Blade is not open world, there is some freedom to move in a non-linear fashion as you explore. However, there are two points of no return which we've outlined later on.

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There are nine main areas in Stellar Blade to explore, with the game's tutorial and opening chapter starting out in Eidos 7. The two largest areas in the game are Wasteland and the Great Desert.

Across the 9 regions are over 1,000 collectible items. There are no collectibles in the opening sequence where EVE lands on Earth.

If you're into mastering games and getting 100% of all collectibles and quests, be aware that there are two points of no return in Stellar Blade. So if you're hoping to max the game out, be mindful of leaving these areas before getting everything you need.

The first point of no return happens when you leave the seventh area Abyss Levoire, as it prohibits you return to the human city of Zion. The second point of no return is when you enter Spire 4, which is where the finale of Stellar Blade takes place.