Calling Stellar Blade one of the most anticipated action RPG games in 2024 is certainly not an exaggeration. Coming from the same South Korean developer who gave birth to the super popular NIKKE, there are many attractions offered by this game which uses EVE as the main character. We himself is one of the gamers who fell in love with it, especially with the certainty that it is more than just a game that only sells buttocks and breasts. Of course, the discussions surrounding it were also quite interesting, where it succeeded in provoking various discussion topics and issues.
We were lucky enough to chat directly with the two main leaders of Stellar Blade – the CEO / Director for Stellar Blade – Kim Hyung-Tae and also the Technical Director – Dong-Gie Lee. We certainly don't want to waste a golden opportunity to dig up various insights, from risky steps to enter the console market, discussions regarding EVE's design as the main character, to favorite costumes. So, what new insights did they share? Here he is:
JagatPlay: Why did you guys decide to take the risk of releasing a console game, another new IP, after the success of NIKKE? Why not just create a new mobile gacha game?
Kim Hyung-Tae: We don't want to be a company that is “tied” to just one platform or one genre. We want to create games that can be enjoyed by more gamers around the world, on different platforms. To be able to achieve this, it is important for us to create a single-player game for Playstation 5 users. Through this process, we also want to show off the latest technology and fighting sensations that we can create. We feel this is an important step for a developer to take.
JagatPlay: Discussions regarding Stellar Blade on the internet can be said to be interesting. Most gamers' eyes are on EVE and many talk about its design. Very few seem interested in the gameplay, world-building, and story of Stellar Blade. How does the team react to this situation? Does it disappoint you?
Kim Hyung-Tae: We are not disappointed at all. All these discussions come because they are interested in our game. All kinds of discussions and controversies that occur also make us happy. Especially for the various criticisms that use our games as a basis for discussing social issues. We believe these issues are important and we take this criticism seriously. But it must be admitted, at the same time, the excessive focus on EVE's design makes Stellar Blade's other attractions neglected. We hope gamers can come play Stellar Blade and help us spread information about other Stellar Blade powers.
Lee Dong-Gi: Many players are currently talking about Stellar Blade's in-depth combat system. We also found gamers who had played it for more than 10 hours and continued to provide feedback which of course made our team happy, and also took it seriously. We are happy with that.
Kim Hyung-Tae: There are even gamers who have played the demo for up to 100 hours! (laugh). We honestly want to keep them.
JagatPlay: Was the team ever worried that by releasing the demo version of Stellar Blade, you would end up showing the Souls-like sensation to the public which might end up making some gamers “back off”? And why did you choose this portion as demo content?
Kim Hyung-Tae: We really want to provide as accurate information as we can for players about what Stellar Blade is. So they know what they are playing and what the game is about accurately. Rather than showing off anything else, we want to show the beginning of the game and the core sensation of Stellar Blade combat itself.
Of course we know there will be gamers who feel this game is too difficult. But for them, we have also prepared something – namely a choice of difficulty levels and also Assist Mode. With this combination, gamers can play this game and have fun. As progress progresses, gamers can also choose their strategy. We always design these games to be enjoyed by all types of gamers.
JagatPlay: It was very interesting for us to watch Playstation Showcase 2021 again where Stellar Blade was still called Project EVE at that time after playing and completing this game. It's clear that in the trailer, you already have existing elements, which are all in the final version. However, you still need up to 3 extra years to finish this game? What happened in those 3 years?
Lee Dong-Gi: As you mentioned earlier, all the elements that we have showcased in 2021 have ended up in the final version. However, we also improve every quality and detail of these elements. So our time was spent on the polishing process. But we're also continuing to make it more compact while adding more content. So beyond what you saw in 2021, there's a lot we're adding, in higher quality, while enhancing the PlayStation 5 experience with this game.
Kim Hyung-Tae: We also added two open-world worlds in Stellar Blade: Wasteland and Great Desert. So there was a lot of time spent building the composition of these two areas, planning the quests, adding the exploration side, and then expanding it again. So time is also running out a lot here.
JagatPlay: Since it was first introduced, has your game been compared to NieR Automata and Bayonetta? Does this create any pressure for the team?
Kim Hyung-Tae: Rather than pressure, we actually feel proud to be compared to these two fantastic games and the creators behind them. We are trying as hard as possible not to be left behind by NieR or Bayonetta because of it.
JagatPlay: Stellar Blade will be game 2nd Sony's first party from South Korea. According to ShiftUp, are there any differences between the creative process and culture of South Korean, Japanese and western developers? And in your opinion, what makes Stellar Blade a “South Korean” game apart from the fact that the development team is from South Korea?
Kim Hyung-Tae: First of all, the market in South Korea is a little different, you could even say it is similar to Indonesia. Unlike other gaming markets which focus on consoles, South Korea is mostly filled with mobile and multiplayer games. Therefore, developing technology also focuses there. Therefore, when making console games, there is a challenge to not only try to be successful in the local market but also globally. If these challenges are not answered now, South Korea will become an “isolated island”. Therefore, we formulated Stellar Blade.
Stellar Blade itself does not show elements that refer to South Korean traditions and culture. However, the narrative, character designers and small details of the various elements offered will have similarities to current South Korean culture. So we hope gamers can experience a little taste of South Korean culture, which we hope will end up being interesting for you.
JagatPlay: We ended up falling in love with a lot of the NPC designs in this game, especially in Xion. Are they inspired by something? Be it books, films or music?
Kim-Hyung Tae: There's a lot of stuff mixed in there, and it's definitely influenced by other creative works. One of them is dystopian sci-fi works from the 80s and 90s, especially the way they depict mechanical futuristic civilizations. We then took it and reinterpreted it for the more modern gamer so it feels fresh but also nostalgic at the same time. That's what we want to achieve.
JagatPlay: Last question, which EVE costume is the favorite for each of you and why?
Kim Hyung-Tae: For me personally, it's Racer's High because it makes EVE stand out even more. There is also a secret costume that you can unlock later, and we hope you will be able to get it at that point.
Lee Dong-Gi: I can't name it because it would end up being a spoiler, but there is one costume that is “NOT-EVE-THAT”. I can't say any more.
Stellar Blade will be released on April 26 2024 for Playstation 5.
