Determining the time to beat Stellar Blade requires a look at how different players approach Eve's journey through a devastated Earth. Since its initial launch and the subsequent PC release, the community has logged thousands of hours, allowing for a very precise breakdown of how long you can expect to spend with this high-octane action title. Whether you are aiming to beeline through the main story or uncover every secret hidden in the sands of the Great Desert, the clock ticks differently for everyone.

The Quick Breakdown: Average Completion Times

For those looking for immediate answers, here is the current consensus on playtime based on the most common playstyles:

  • Main Story Only: 18 – 22 hours
  • Main Story + Side Content: 30 – 45 hours
  • Completionist (100%): 60 – 80 hours
  • All Endings & New Game Plus: 100+ hours

These numbers represent the standard experience for a player on "Normal" difficulty. Your personal mileage will vary based on your proficiency with the game’s parry-heavy combat system and your desire to engage with the optional open-world zones.

Deep Dive: Blazing Through the Main Story (18-22 Hours)

If your primary goal is to see the credits roll as quickly as possible, Stellar Blade offers a relatively lean and focused experience. A "Main Story Only" run involves following the gold quest markers and ignoring the bulk of the requests found on the Xion bulletin board.

The game is structured with a mix of linear, cinematic levels (like Eidos 7 and Matrix 11) and larger, open-ended regions (the Wasteland and the Great Desert). In a speed-focused run, the open-world sections act primarily as transit hubs. You will spend minimal time exploring the ruins and instead head straight for the next Alpha Naytiba or objective.

However, focusing exclusively on the story has its challenges. By skipping side content, you miss out on significant amounts of Gold, SP (Skill Points), and gear upgrades like Exospines and Gears. This can make late-game bosses significantly harder, potentially adding hours of trial-and-error as you struggle against high-difficulty encounters with a sub-optimal Eve. For a skilled player who masters the parry and dodge mechanics early, 18 hours is a very realistic goal.

The Balanced Path: Story and Side Quests (30-45 Hours)

This is the most recommended way to experience Stellar Blade. It involves completing the main narrative while taking the time to help the citizens of Xion and exploring the points of interest in the larger maps.

Why the Expansion in Time?

The jump from 20 to 40 hours occurs because of the dense side content. Stellar Blade features dozens of side quests that range from simple fetch missions to complex stories that reveal the lore of the Mother Sphere and the Naytiba.

  • Xion Quests: Interacting with NPCs in the last remaining city adds layers to the world-building and often leads to unique rewards.
  • Exploration of the Wasteland and Great Desert: These areas are filled with platforming puzzles, hidden chests, and optional "Elite Naytiba" bosses. Clearing these zones is not required for the ending, but it is where much of the game's RPG depth lies.
  • Lily’s Progress Bar: There is a hidden mechanic tied to Lily (your engineer companion). Engaging in world-building activities, collecting data sticks, and finishing specific side quests fills this meter. If it reaches 100% before the point of no return, you unlock an entirely new gameplay area (Eidos 9), which adds at least 2-3 hours to your total playtime and is required for the game’s "best" ending.

The Completionist Journey: 100% Completion (60-80 Hours)

For the perfectionists, Stellar Blade is a treasure trove of collectibles. Reaching 100% completion is a significant time investment that requires meticulous exploration and multiple passes through several areas.

The Checklist for 100%

To truly "beat" everything the game offers, you will need to account for:

  1. Nano-Suits (Costumes): There are dozens of suits for Eve scattered throughout the world. Some are rewards for quests, others are hidden in obscure corners of the map, and some require participating in the fishing minigame.
  2. Cans Collection: There are 49 collectible cans hidden across the game. Collecting these provides permanent inventory upgrades and is one of the more time-consuming activities, often requiring a guide or extremely thorough scanning.
  3. Memorial Chapters and Data Sticks: Hundreds of lore items are found on corpses or in terminals. Finding them all requires visiting every optional room and alleyway in linear levels like Spire 4.
  4. Maxing Out Eve: This includes finding every Body Core and Beta Core to max out HP and Energy, as well as upgrading the drone and the weapon to their highest tiers.
  5. Fishing: The fishing minigame in the Oasis or other spots can take several hours if you are aiming to catch every species for the associated rewards and suits.

Replayability: New Game Plus and Multiple Endings

Stellar Blade features three distinct endings: "Return to the Colony," "Cost of Lost Memories," and "Making New Memories." Because of the way save files work, you cannot see all three in a single standard playthrough without specific save-management strategies.

New Game Plus (NG+)

Upon finishing the game, NG+ becomes available. This mode allows you to carry over all your equipment, skills, and suits. Most players find that their second playthrough is significantly faster—often under 10 hours if they skip cutscenes—because they are already overpowered. However, NG+ introduces new versions of suits and additional skill upgrades, giving completionists a reason to spend another 20-30 hours in the game.

To see every ending and unlock every single achievement/trophy, most players will spend a total of 100 to 120 hours across at least two and a half playthroughs.

Factors That Influence Your Personal Playtime

Beyond just "what" you do, "how" you play matters immensely in Stellar Blade.

Difficulty Settings

  • Story Mode: This mode provides an "Action Assist" feature that slows down time during parry and dodge windows. Using this can shave 5-10 hours off a total playthrough by reducing the number of deaths and retries on difficult bosses.
  • Normal Mode: The intended experience. Expect a steep learning curve against bosses like Raven or the final encounters.
  • Hard Mode: Unlocked after your first completion. This mode can significantly increase playtime as some bosses require near-perfect execution, leading to many repeated attempts.

Combat Mastery

Stellar Blade is a skill-based action game. If you are a veteran of the genre (familiar with titles like Sekiro or Bayonetta), you will likely breeze through the combat encounters. If you are new to parry-based systems, you might spend hours practicing on the "Boss Rush" mode or simply retrying the same encounter.

Navigation and Puzzles

Some of the platforming sections and environmental puzzles in Eidos 7 and Spire 4 can be tricky. Getting lost or failing a jumping sequence repeatedly is a common factor that adds small chunks of time that eventually add up to hours.

Post-Launch Content: Boss Rush and DLCs

As of 2026, the game has been updated with several pieces of free and paid content that affect the clock.

  • Boss Rush Mode: This mode allows players to challenge any previously defeated boss. While it doesn't add to the "story" time, many players spend 5-10 hours here perfecting their techniques or aiming for the highest ranks.
  • Crossover Content: Collaborations, such as the Nikke DLC, add small side stories and specific boss fights (like the encounter with Scarlet). These typically add about 1 hour of content but often come with new suits to collect, which can extend the hunt for completionists.

Is the Length Justified?

One of the frequent discussions within the community is whether the open-world sections in the Wasteland and Great Desert constitute "filler." While these areas do require more travel time, they contain the bulk of the RPG elements. If you find the traversal enjoyable, the 40-hour average for a "Story + Side Content" run feels rewarding. If you prefer the tight, linear action of the first few hours, you may find the middle sections of the game slightly padded, leading you to finish closer to the 20-hour mark.

Summary Recommendation

To get the most out of your time in Stellar Blade, consider the following approach:

  • If you have limited time: Stick to the main path, but make sure to upgrade your weapon whenever possible. Don't worry about the cans or every single side quest. You’ll have a tight, 20-hour cinematic experience.
  • If you want the full story: Aim for the "Lily 100%" route. Spend time in the Wasteland and Great Desert to ensure you unlock Eidos 9. This 40-hour investment ensures you see the most complete version of the narrative.
  • If you are a trophy hunter: Prepare for a long-term commitment. Use your first run to enjoy the world, then use NG+ to mop up the remaining endings and the hardest difficulty challenges.

Ultimately, Stellar Blade is a game that respects the player's time by offering a scalable experience. It can be a short, intense weekend project or a month-long deep dive into a beautiful, ruined world.