If you do plan on immersing yourself in Stellar Blade, there is one thing you should be aware of from the get-go: the game is riddled with missable content and numerous points of no return. Whether it’s potent gear, emotionally impactful story moments, or 100% completion-needed collectibles, missing them will make your initial playthrough feel lacking—especially if you’re forced to see out the best possible ending.
But don’t worry—this guide will walk you through every single turning point so that you can stay one step ahead and avoid painful backtracking or ambushes. Below is everything you want to know regarding Stellar Blade’s missables, choice dialogue, and those irreversible moments that shape your direction.
Points of No Return in Stellar Blade
There are a couple of important story milestones in Stellar Blade where the game pushes you ahead and restricts you from previous regions, quests, and material. These are simple to overlook if you’re not checking, so here’s what to keep an eye out for:
- The first important point of no return comes up in the “Orcal’s Testimony” quest. At this point, Eve comes back to Orcal with a new Hyper Cell, and the game asks you to talk to Adam at the Safehouse and then go on to Spire 4. If you opt to go along with Adam’s scheme and go to the Orbit Elevator, you will be forever excluded from the city of Xion. This involves all side quests, requests, and collectibles for that area. If you haven’t finished those storylines or cleared the underground parts of the city, they’re gone for the rest of the playthrough.
- The second and final point of no return comes later, during the mission “Burning Xion.” When Eve’s given the option of following Lily’s signal on the motorcycle, you’re committing to full-on endgame. Hereafter, the world begins to collapse into the final narrative crawl. You won’t be able to go back to any of the previous zones, and all of the unfinished biz you haven’t completed—like gear pickups or exploratory content—is tucked away until New Game+.
- Also of note: these are hard cuts. Post-game free roam is not supported by Stellar Blade. Once the credits have finished playing, your only choice for returning to incomplete content is reloading an earlier save or playing a New Game+ run.
Story-Influencing Choices and Missable Endings
One of the most significant missables in Stellar Blade doesn’t involve loot or side content—it’s the ending itself. The game offers multiple conclusions depending on your actions, and a big factor in determining the outcome is Lily’s Affinity level.
If you can max out Lily’s Affinity gauge, you’ll be rewarded with the fan favorite “Making New Memories” ending, commonly considered the actual or most fulfilling conclusion of the game. Miss this heartwarming affinity, and you’ll receive a more forgettable one. Minor interactions and optional scenes to gain affinity are simple to miss, so pay attention to your decisions and ensure you have time to engage with Lily throughout the course of the story.
Whereas New Game+ is a do-over to see every ending, first impressions count—especially if you are trying to get 100% on your first go through.
Permanent Upgrade Paths and Drone Choices
Unlike Eve’s skill tree, which you can respec whenever you feel like it, upgrades you place on your drone are permanent. After allocating points into a particular set of enhacements, you cannot undo or redistribute those points. That leaves you having to make deliberate decisions between which kind of drone utility fits your style of play—offense, support, or exploration equipment—before you finalize your upgrades.
This system adds a strategic depth to how you play the mid-to-late game, as some of the abilities of drones can make it easier to find collectibles or get through more challenging boss fights.
Missable Gear, Collectibles, and Side Content
Rushing through Stellar Blade is very much a recipe for lost opportunities. Some of the game’s most precious material—including Exospines, Nano Suits, drone modules, and even hidden canned collectibles—is lost if you don’t get them before key missions keep pushing you ahead. Side quests are especially going to vanish once story chapters progress, so it’s always best to tie up loose ends in every place before continuing the main storyline.
Watch for environmental challenges, locked rooms, and quest icons on NPCs. These usually bring about major upgrades or uncommon items that will no longer be available after passing a point of no return.
