In a recent interview with IGN Japan, Stellar Blade director Hyung-Tae Kim and NieR:Automata director Yoko Taro delved into various aspects of game design and how Stellar Blade is simply on another level.
Stellar Blade is Highly Revered by NieR Director Yoko Taro
Yoko Taro is a Huge Fan of Kim's Illustrations and Game Design
Speaking to IGN Japan in a recently published interview, Stellar Blade director Hyung-Tae Kim and NieR:Automata director Yoko Taro discussed how they inspired each other to create the kind of games they want to make. Evident throughout their conversation is their mutual admiration and respect.
Kim revealed that he was inspired by NieR: Automata in so many ways, from story to gameplay, that it was challenging to pinpoint a single specific aspect. "The game has so many fascinating elements. The image of a strong female warrior in a devastated world left by its inhabitants struck me," he said. "I was also impressed by the quality of the story. I enjoyed playing the game so much and of course I saw all the endings."
He went on to express his respect for Yoko Taro for being an excellent storyteller and humbly admitted he's unable to capture a similar level of storycrafting compared to the NieR director.
However, Yoko Taro quickly rebutted and complimented Kim, saying, "Stellar Blade is a really amazing game. I’d say that it’s much better than NieR:Automata." Yoko Taro further reminded Kim of the Stellar Blade director’s industry seniority and revealed he has been keeping an eye on his works since the beginning.
"I have been acquainted with Mr. Kim’s works since Magna Carta: Tears of Blood. Your illustrations are of a very high quality," Yoko Taro said. "Magna Carta: Tears of Blood came out before Drakengard, the first game I directed. So while I’m the older one, to me, in this industry you’re my senior."
Stellar Blade Appeals to a Wide Audience Including Japanese Players
Yoko Taro further praised Stellar Blade and Kim's artistic style. He lauded the game's graphics and character design, stating his preference for its approach over conventional RPG aesthetics. Taro also noted the appeal of Stellar Blade's protagonist, EVE, and its overall Japanese gaming aesthetic.
"The graphics are completely next-gen quality and the character design’s direction is amazing," Yoko Taro said. "Your art style really appeals to a Japanese audience. Stellar Blade’s graphics, setting and characters are really a style I think Japanese gamers love." He then later insisted that if they were to show someone that has no prior knowledge of NieR: Automata and Stellar Blade, he thinks Stellar Blade would be up to everyone's liking.
Although the gaming community has drawn up comparisons between Stellar Blade and NieR, Yoko Taro thought deeper on the matter, saying, "Actually, I kind of knew that Stellar Blade was going to be compared with NieR: Automata, and I told Mr. Kim when we first met. If you actually play it, you’ll instantly realize that it’s a very different game."
Kim echoed this sentiment, bringing up Stellar Blade's unique inspirations from various manga, anime, and 1980s-90s gaming culture. "Stellar Blade is simply a culmination of inspirations from my favorite culture and reinterpreting that for modern times," the director said.
Stellar Blade Makes Yoko Taro Jealous
Later on in the interview, Kim discussed his development approach, speaking on finding the right balance between personal passion and business. "For some games I take a business approach, for others I don’t. Stellar Blade is one of the latter. This time I made something I genuinely like," he explained, "I’m not particularly gifted as a businessman, so rather than analyzing the market and monitoring the numbers, I tend to just make what I like and what I believe gamers will enjoy."
Taro then commended Stellar Blade's technical achievements, particularly as a true next-gen console game, and said he is anticipating its reception among Western gamers. "Stellar Blade actually makes me quite jealous. It’s a game with a great concept and amazing graphics."
He later added, "I think that Stellar Blade has crossed a big barrier. I’m honored to hear that you were inspired by NieR: Automata when creating Stellar Blade, but I hope that in the future we can see Western games inspired by Stellar Blade."
"We developed the game while improving our technology, and I think it is fair to say that we can confidently release Stellar Blade standing side by side with other high-profile games," Kim confidently stated.
