Developed as a PlayStation 5 exclusive by South Korea-based studio Shift Up, Stellar Blade emphasises fast-paced action and boasts a post-apocalyptic setting. Both its flashy combat and stunning visuals scream next-gen, yet at the same time, Stellar Blade is not shy to hide the past it was inspired by. IGN Japan had the chance to sit down with the developers and talk through their inspirations.
As Eve, players perform flashy combos while quickly reacting to enemy attacks by parrying and dodging at the right time to create openings for counters. Developer Kim Hyung-tae told IGN that Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice and Bayonetta were some of the action games his team was inspired by.
Visually speaking, Stellar Blade’s world shares vibes with many science fiction works that have a post-apocalyptic setting, albeit with a strong Asian touch. Many of the game’s main characters have Asian appearances, and Xion – a city built by the last survivors on Earth – appears to be heavily inspired by modern Asian cityscapes.
“As for Stellar Blade’s world-building, we designed it by mixing cultural elements from Hong Kong, Japan, China and Korea,” Kim said.
“That being said, Xion isn’t only inhabited by Asian people, and we didn’t intend to make it look like a specific country or culture. The most important thing about Xion is that it is a city built for the world’s last survivors. Of course, I have enjoyed many different cultures and art myself, so I can’t deny that I was inspired by other science fiction works with a similar dystopian setting.”
As some of the main inspirations on Stellar Blade’s world, Kim mentions cyberpunk manga series Battle Angel Alita and the 1982 science fiction film Blade Runner.
However, Stellar Blade’s biggest source of inspiration might be Nier Automata. The combination of Yoko Taro’s stylish action and dystopian world-building feels close to Stellar Blade. On top of that, both games have a badass anime-inspired female protagonist.
“Nier: Automata left a huge impression on me,” said Kim. “It made me realize that a game like this could be made, and allowed me to rediscover the kind of game that I want to make.”
Stellar Blade launches on PS5 on April 26.
Esra Krabbe is an editor at IGN Japan.
