Stella Sora, a top-down action-adventure title by Yostar, has been review-bombed due to its stingy monetization model. Read on for details on the game's reception and what fans are saying.
Stella Sora Launches With Low Ratings
Below 3 Stars
Stella Sora, Yostar’s top-down light-action bullet heaven game, has come under fire and been review-bombed on Google Play and the Apple App Store. The backlash stems from criticism of its greedy monetization system and costly gacha mechanics. Released on October 19th, 2025, the game currently holds dismal ratings within its first week: 1.8 out of 5 stars on Google Play and 2.3 out of 5 on the App Store.
While many reviews praised the gameplay and character design, a significant number expressed disappointment over the "horrendous" gacha system, poor pull rates, and expensive premium packs. One user on the App Store commented, "The rates are worse than Genshin Impact, and it feels like the game punishes both F2P and whale players alike. No matter how much you grind or spend, getting the characters or items you want is nearly impossible unless you get lucky or spend around $400 to guarantee them without their signature [sic]. It really kills long-term motivation."
Players have also taken to social media platforms like X (Twitter) and Reddit to voice their frustrations. Some users provided detailed explanations comparing Stella Sora’s monetization practices with other popular gacha titles such as HoYoverse’s Genshin Impact and Kuro Games’ Wuthering Waves.
A single pull in Stella Sora costs double the standard 150 to 160 seen in other games, totaling a whopping 300 Stellanite Dust (the premium currency used for recruiting characters and buying special items). This is notable because during the Closed Beta Test in May 2025, a single pull cost only 150. "This feels like a slap in the face after showing pulls were 150 each in beta," shared a Reddit user on r/gachagaming, with others agreeing that Yostar provided no communication regarding changes to pricing or gacha rates.
Despite this 100% increase in pull cost, paid packs and the $5 USD monthly pass remained unchanged. Specifically, the monthly pack still provides only 90 Stellanite Dust per day, totaling just 2700 at the end of the month—insufficient for a 10-pull bundle costing 3000. Calculations by players reveal that a single pull is effectively priced at $4 USD; spending $100 yields fewer than 30 pulls, whereas other games typically offer 40-50 pulls for the same amount. Guaranteeing a character via hard pity at 160 pulls can cost upwards of $400 USD.
Compounding these issues is the already stingy daily resource economy. Daily missions award a maximum of only 100 Stellanite Dust per day. Fans have noted that even with the monthly pass, the daily premium currency income falls short of funding just one pull.
$15 Battle Pass For an Animated 2D Background
Another point of contention is that premium packs are overpriced relative to their offerings, such as the special outfit for the five-star character Minova in the Battle Pass. Known in-game as a "Grant," Minova’s Tipsy Daydream outfit is exclusively available through the more expensive Royal Grant tier, priced at $15 USD.
However, players are most frustrated that this outfit lacks a 3D model and cannot be worn by Minova during gameplay. Instead, it serves only as an animated 2D background on the Home Screen—a feature many consider atrocious for its price point.
Outraged users have replied directly to Stella Sora’s official X (Twitter) account, airing their grievances over gacha mechanics in hopes that developers will reconsider their approach. As of now, Yostar has not officially responded to the negative reception.
At Game8, we awarded Stella Sora a score of 76 for its enjoyable overall gameplay, though it was held back by its poor gacha rates and monetization practices. Check out our full review below!
