In a recent interview with PlayStation Blog, Stellar Blade director Kim Hyung Tae and technical director Lee Dong Gi offered insights into Stellar Blade's gameplay, narrative, and more. Read on to learn more about interesting tidbits about the game.
Stellar Blade Director Took Inspiration from a Weighty Real-Life Event
On Stellar Blade's Inspirations
In a recent Stellar Blade interview on the PlayStation Blog, Stellar Blade director Kim Hyung Tae revealed that the idea for Stellar Blade's story was sparked by real-world events, particularly when he witnessed cab drivers going on strike. The strike he mentioned apparently took place due to the anxiety the cab drivers felt when technologies for self-driving cars began advancing, fearing losing their jobs with the possibility of the implementation of autonomous cars in the near future.
"As I watched them on strike, I asked myself what I would do if this were to happen to me, if one day humans were entirely replaced by something non-human. This is where the theme for Stellar Blade originates," Kim explained.
Despite the heavy thematic backdrop, Kim emphasized that the core focus of Stellar Blade remains on delivering an action-adventure game centered around the protagonist, Eve. "Having said that, the game’s focus should not be on that; we tried to create an action adventure game that players can enjoy as they follow Eve’s story."
Likewise, cyberpunk sci-fi manga Gunnm, otherwise known as Battle Angel Alita, by Yukito Kishiro served as a fountain of inspiration for him.
Game Will Be Challenging to an Extent, But Still Enjoyable for Novices
Moreover, Kim said that the game's difficulty will be challenging to a reasonable extent. "As such, players might find themselves needing to go back to defeat bosses," Kim pointed out, though clarified that the difficulty can be adjusted anytime during the game.
"For novice action game players, there is an Action Assist in the Story Mode," he added. Turning on Action Assist will indicate the right timing for parrying and dodging, making it easier for players to counterattack. Additionally, players can test their skills further upon completing the game.
Kim told PlayStation, "[Action Assist] makes the game more approachable and enjoyable, even for those who usually steer away from action games," interestingly, he added, "After completing the game, players can also play Hard Mode." Now this is to be taken with a grain of salt, but it might seem that Stellar Blade will require completing the game in Hard Mode to fully 100% it. It also remains unknown if more difficulty modes will be added to Stellar Blade's forthcoming NG+.
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Stellar Blade interview: creating stylish sci-fi action in a post-apocalyptic world
