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Stellar Blade launches on PS5 in just a few weeks. You may have already experienced this action-adventure in the recently released demo. In this demo, Eve, a member of the 7th Airborne Squad, is sent to a devastated Earth on a mission to reclaim it and save humanity from the mysterious and malevolent Nytiva. . If so, you’ve had a taste of the game’s mechanics and combat, story, and creature design. To dig deeper, Stellar Blade director Kim Hyun-tae (also the founder of Stellar Blade development studio Shift His Up) and technical director Lee He interviewed Dong-ki to learn more about the studio’s background, the game’s inspiration, and more. I heard.
Stella Blade Director Kim Hyung-tae (left) and Shift Up Technical Director Lee Dong-gi (right)
It all started with a collective passion to create action games for video game consoles.
PlayStation Blog: Stellar Blade is a completely new title. When and how did the idea to develop this game come about?
Kim Hyun Tae (Kim): About five years ago, we were talking about what mobile game title we should release next after Destiny Child. We initially thought of creating “Goddess of Victory: Nikke” as a duology game for her Android and iOS platforms. During this process, I realized that I wanted to develop a second console title. I have been a fan of video game consoles for many years and have always wanted to develop an action game for them. Members with a common passion for this idea came together and the idea of developing the Stellar Blade was born.
Stellar Blade was Shift Up’s first title developed for a video game console, did you encounter any new challenges or hurdles?
I realistically don’t think fans will be as forgiving or forgiving just because it’s a debut title for consoles. Instead, we maintained the same high standards that console gamers have for their games and ensured that Stellar Blade is on par with those games in terms of quality.
Please tell us about the concept and theme of “Stella Blade”.
The theme I dedicated to “Stella Blade” is “humanity.” This story is about what makes us human and what defines us as humans, and it’s something very universal. This story came to mind one day when I witnessed a taxi driver strike.
The strike erupted as self-driving car technology began to advance, almost hinting at the implementation of self-driving cars in the near future. This has instilled fear among taxi drivers that these technologies will eventually take over and replace their jobs. As I watched them strike, I asked myself what I would do if something like this happened to me. What if one day humans were completely replaced by something other than humans? This is the origin of the Stellar Blade theme. That being said, the focus of the game shouldn’t be there. We aimed to create an action-adventure game that you can enjoy while following Eve’s story.
Stellar Blade reimagines 80s and 90s sci-fi style
The story takes place on Earth, which has been devastated by unknown creatures. Can you tell us more about the abandoned planet?
We designed the game so that as the game progresses, the backstory of the devastated Earth is revealed. The story begins after Earth has been destroyed by a mysterious life form called Nytiva and the extinct human race has taken refuge in a space colony. Feeling defeated and tired of living in space, humanity decides to fight against Nitiba in order to regain their homeland. As the player progresses through the game, he learns the backstory and events in between. After learning her truth, Eve will have to make her decision, but what she chooses is in the player’s hands.
No one even knows what Naitiba is, where it came from, or what it wants. This is where Eve comes into play. To uncover the mysteries surrounding these unknown creatures.
What special care and consideration went into the design of this post-apocalyptic world, from Zion, the last remaining city on Earth, to the vast wilderness and great deserts beyond?
Post-apocalyptic is one of the longest-running genres in gaming, among other genres. So it was a big challenge for us to avoid monotony and make Stellar Blade a unique post-apocalyptic story. However, on the contrary, I wanted to avoid making it eccentric or adding eccentric elements, so I wanted it to be different from others. We decided that in Stellar Blade it would be best to reimagine and render his sci-fi elements from his 80’s and his 90’s.
People have their own visions of what the post-apocalyptic world is like based on what they imagine in their heads and what they see in movies and the like. We’re sure many players will appreciate and admire the detail and care that went into making Stellar Blade’s post-apocalyptic world so vivid and realistic. On the other hand, the younger generation of gamers will find our rendition of a post-apocalyptic world very novel.
Are there any movies in particular that inspire you?
There are quite a lot. However, the most inspirational in terms of theme and design is her science fiction manga Gunm by Yukito Kishiro. It was released as an action movie in 2019 under the title “Alita: Battle Angel.” I think I took a lot of inspiration from that movie.
Comparison between the destroyed Earth and Eve who came from outer space
Now, let’s move on to the main character, Eve. Could you tell us about the concept and design behind creating her?
Kim: Eve is a member of a paratrooper sent to Earth from a space colony. Even though she is a skilled soldier, there is a cultural disconnect between her hometown and Earth. So we wanted Eve’s design to hint at the disharmony around her. Let her look at the atmosphere on Earth. It is a barren and dry place. The city is falling apart. A sharp contrast to her athleticism and fluidity in Eve.
What about other human characters? What kind of commitment did you have in creating it?
Most of the characters look like cyborgs. To design these characters, we adjust the design to reflect the available technology. Eve and her paratroopers have a simple yet sophisticated look, but the survivors of Earth, who live in a harsh environment, have a minimalist and cohesive look. The surviving inhabitants of Zion refer to Eve as an “angel,” but it is also true that some resent her luxurious machines and technology.
Malicious naitiva manifests itself in various forms, such as biological or mechanical. Could you tell us about the design and the concept that led to it?
We focused on giving Naytiba an unpleasant and gruesome look. Many have extra body parts that cause anxiety, such as missing eyes or faces in strange parts of the body. Some Nitivas can fuse with humans and machines, and take on various forms.
A challenging action game that anyone can enjoy
Stylish action is one of the key elements of Stellar Blade. Please tell us what you have done to achieve stylish action and what are the highlights of the game.
We designed the game so that everyone can enjoy the action of Stellar Blade. But we don’t want the game to be just about players actively attacking enemies and performing combos against them. It is important for players to carefully observe enemy movements, understand the flow of battle, and respond appropriately. Skills increase through skill trees, but they also increase through equipment such as exospines and gear. Each piece of equipment has different capabilities, so players must choose a fighting style: speed-oriented, aggressive to overwhelm the enemy, or cautious throughout the enemy’s attacks.
The difficulty level is set to be moderately challenging. As such, players may find themselves having to return to defeat the boss. You can adjust the difficulty level during the game, so please try the difficulty level that suits you best. For those new to action games, the story mode has action assists that I highly recommend taking advantage of.
How exactly does this action assist help players?
For example, slow down your movements at critical moments to make it easier to attack, such as figuring out a boss’s counterattack pattern. Certain UIs will show you when to parry or dodge, making it easier to fight back. This feature makes the game more accessible and enjoyable, even for people who normally shy away from action games. After clearing the game, you can also play hard mode.
Stellar Blade is said to take advantage of some of the unique features of the PS5 console hardware, including adaptive triggers and haptic feedback. What kind of experience can players expect?
Lee Dong Gi (Lee): We used these features to enhance the immersion experience. In certain scenes, haptic feedback allows players to sense the mood and feel the atmosphere surrounding the character. At the beginning of the game, there is a drone scene that allows the player to take full advantage of these features of his PS5. Apart from that, we have incorporated a wide range of different adaptive trigger resistance levels that are assigned to the type of gun used.
Is there anything else you’d like people to know that we didn’t touch on today?
Kim: I think frame rate is one of the most important elements for action games. Stellar Blade has his three modes: performance mode, balance mode, and resolution mode. Performance mode supports gameplay at 1440p and 60fps, while Balanced mode can achieve 50-60 fps at 4K resolution.
Lee: Resolution mode runs at 30fps for 4K resolution. This mode is recommended for those who want to enjoy beautiful graphics. We hope you can choose the mode that suits you and get the most out of your experience.
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