Stellar Blade has more than its fair share of references – Shift Up CEO Kim Hyung-Tae certainly wears his influences on his sleeves. The PS5 game’s director has even slipped in a reference to the studio’s major benefactor, Sony, with a PlayStation-themed Stellar Blade puzzle that makes for a great little easter egg. Light spoilers ahead.
Tucked away in Sector A07 of the Altes Levoire – the first of two Levoires you come across during your journey throughout one of the best PS5 games – you’ll stumble upon one of Stellar Blade’s few platforming puzzles. However, there’s something strangely familiar about the markings on each tile…
You don’t need to look too closely at the sigils on the ground to recognize the iconic triangle, circle, X, and square – complete with PlayStation-approved coloration. Indeed, if you check out my screenshot below, you can see for yourself how Shift Up has immortalized its publisher in-game. In fact, if I were to position Eve at the other end of the first four tiles, looking from bottom to top they would match the aforementioned sequence perfectly – the Angel’s in the details.
Though it may seem like a step too far to dedicate an entire section of the space game to Sony, it’s perfectly in keeping with Kim’s love for the platform. Back in February, he told Famitsu that making games on PlayStation “has a special meaning” to him and that it’s a childhood dream come true.
The Stellar Blade PlayStation puzzle really is a fabulous little easter egg, and one that gave me a big ol’ grin when I came across it in the PS5 exclusive. While I won’t be spoiling exactly how to solve the PlayStation puzzle, take care as you proceed if you are currently playing through the game. Stepping on the wrong tile in the sequence will result in the platform’s collapse, sending you tumbling to your doom.
If you’re still trying to find your footing in Stellar Blade outside of its platforming puzzles, check out the ten things I wish I knew before I started playing. If you haven’t checked out what’s on offer for collecting all of the Stellar Blade cans, take a sneak peek at how Shift Up is rewarding you for your thirst. To ensure you never miss a Stellar Blade story from us, make sure you’re subscribed to our Google News feed – it’s pretty stellar if I do say so myself.