Hyung-Tae Kim, director of the PlayStation 5-exclusive Stellar Blade, has shared what the developers' influences are when it comes to crafting the anticipated character action game.
In an interview with GamesRadar+, Kim noted that it was a "great honor" for those excited about the upcoming game to be comparing it to Square Enix's Nier series. "Nier was very important for inspiration when it came to developing our games," says Kim. "It's a wonderful title that we've been inspired by, and the director, Yoko Taro, I'm also a big fan of his script. I'm a big fan of Yoko Taro."
However, Kim was keen to add that Stellar Blade, while taking inspiration from the beloved series, will not feel all that similar to it. "We pay homage to the games that we've played, but when you actually get to play you will see a few differences there. But to be called Korean Nier and to be influenced by such a title, it's a great honor."
Nier wasn't the only property that would go on to influence Stellar Blade. In an interview with IGN Japan, Kim also revealed the title was heavily inspired by FromSoftware's Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice, PlatinumGames' Bayonetta series, iconic dystopian manga Battle Angel Alita, and Ridley Scott's Blade Runner. Kim also mentioned that ultimately, the game was "designed with a mix of Hong Kong, Japanese, Chinese, and Korean cultures."
Quite a laundry list of inspirations, then. But if Stellar Blade uses those influences to craft something unique while still wearing those inspirations on its sleeve, then we could be looking at one of the most impressive PS5 exclusives since the likes of Returnal.
Stellar Blade's release date has also been confirmed. It was revealed at the last State of Play presentation to be launching on April 26, 2024. Pre-orders have also gone live today (February 7) if you'd like to secure your copy or preload the game early.
Excited for Stellar Blade? Be sure to browse our guide to the best PS5 games to have something to play in the meantime.
