Free Stellar Blade update adds boss rush mode and eyebrow-raising outfits

By Carli Velocci Published May 25, 2024

Eve fighting a large boss, with sparks flying around them. She's in the new NeuroLink Suit, which has tight red pants and a white top. — Shift Up

A new Stellar Blade update has been released, bringing not only a new challenge mode but a number of outfits, including some surprises.

The first big change to patch 1.003, documented on the PlayStation Blog, is the Boss Challenge, which lets you fight the game’s 19 bosses by themselves. To begin the Boss Challenge, you had to have defeated bosses in the main game because the challenge uses your boss fight data. You can also choose from several preset gear kits or use your own. Combat was one of the highlights of Stellar Blade, so having more enemies to fight is very welcome.

Stellar Blade has become known for its outfits, so of course the update adds three new suits for Eve. One is the Neurolink Suit, which you can get if you defeat all the bosses in the challenge on at least normal difficulty, along with two Nano Suits: White and Black Kunoichi.

According to IGN and other outlets, the update also added two revealing outfits to the game: Midsummer Redhood and Midsummer Alice. They’re skimpier variants on the Bunny and Cybernetic Bondage suits, which were the subject of unsubstantiated claims that Shift Up was being forced by Sony to censor outfits. Their designs had been changed between pre-release promotional images and after the day one patch, with a bit of fabric added to Eve’s chest and hip areas.

In an interview with Shift Up director Kim Hyung Tae, changing the outfits was an intentional choice by the developers. “I can assure you that was our [final] product. We can’t promise you anything right now, but we are discussing the issue internally and hopefully we can make an official statement later,” he said during an interview at MiniMap.

Elsewhere, the update adds some quality-of-life improvements, including the ability to remain locked on an enemy despite changing your attack mode.

Topics

Contributor, Games

Carli is a technology, culture, and games editor and journalist. They were the Gaming Lead and Copy Chief at Windows Central…

Gaming

Ubisoft confirms Assassin’s Creed remakes are in the works

Basim perched on a ledge overlooking Baghdad

In a company interview with CEO Yves Guillemot posted on the Ubisoft website Thursday, the executive reveals that there are remakes of Assassin's Creed games in the works, although he doesn't specify which ones.

"Players can be excited about some remakes, which will allow us to revisit some of the games we've created in the past and modernize them," he says, implying that it could pertain to games made before Odyssey. "There are worlds in some of our older Assassin's Creed games that are still extremely rich."

Gaming

Surfaced patent shows what an Xbox streaming console would’ve looked like

An Xbox Series X sits next to both Series S models.

There have been a few Xbox devices that have never come to fruition, one of which was Keystone, a prototype for an affordable game streaming device you could hook up to your TV or monitor. Thanks to a surfaced patent, we've gotten an even closer look at what it would've potentially looked like.

The patent, first spotted by Windows Central, gives us a more complete view of the device. We've previously seen the Keystone in the flesh. Microsoft Gaming head Phil Spencer is known for hiding teases and interesting collectibles on the shelf in his office. In a 2022 X (formerly Twitter) post congratulating Bethesda on Fallout's 25th anniversary, you can see a small white device on the top shelf that's actually a Keystone prototype. Xbox told Digital Trends that it was a version of the device made before it decided to "refocus our efforts on a new approach.”

Gaming

Wordle Today: Wordle answer and hints for June 28

Someone playing Wordle on a smartphone.

We have the solution to Wordle on June 28, as well as some helpful hints to help you figure out the answer yourself, right here. We've placed the answer at the bottom of the page, so we don't ruin the surprise before you've had a chance to work through the clues. So let's dive in, starting with a reminder of yesterday's answer.
Yesterday's Wordle answer
Let's start by first reminding ourselves of yesterday's Wordle answer for those new to the game or who don't play it daily, which was "ORDER." So we can say that the Wordle answer today definitely isn't that. Now, with that in mind, perhaps take another stab at it using one of these Wordle starting words and circle back if you have no luck.
Hints for today's Wordle
Still can't figure it out? We have today's Wordle answer right here, below. But first, one more thing: Let's take a look at three hints that could help you find the solution, without giving it away, so there's no need to feel guilty about keeping your streak alive -- you put in some work, after all! Or just keep scrolling for the answer.

Today’s Wordle includes the letter D.
Today’s Wordle uses two vowels.
Today's Wordle can refer to a large number of animals, particularly livestock like cattle or sheep, that are moving together in a group.