Stellar Blade, the upcoming PS5-exclusive action game from developer Shift Up, apparently had a number of inspirations across gaming and movies as well as an unexpected manga. The game’s stylish combat is often compared to Bayonetta, Devil May Cry and Nier: Automata – as it turns out, those were exactly what the developers had in mind when making the game, including elements of Blade Runner and the acclaimed manga, Battle Angel Alita.
Speaking to IGN Japan in a recent interview (translation by Genki_JPN), Stellar Blade director director Kim Hyung Tae listed a number of key inspirations for the game including Nier: Automata, Bayonetta and even Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice. He added the 1982 sci-fi movie Blade Runner and the manga Battle Angel Alita as other sources of inspiration. Judging by the cyberpunk aesthetic of Stellar Blade, it’s easy to see where those inspirations fit in. Cyberpunk 2077 was also heavily inspired by Blade Runner.
The director spoke highly of Nier: Automata in particular, reminiscing about the first time he played Square Enix’s action-RPG. “It was a big discovery for me that I could make this kind of game, and it led me to rediscover what kind of game I wanted to make myself,” said Kim. Fans have compared the game’s combat to Nier: Automata on several occasions, though we’ll have to play the full game to find out if it brings anything new to the table.
Kim later talked about Stellar Blade‘s South Korean roots and how it’s actually inspired by several Asian cultures:
“The world of Stellar Blade is designed with a mix of Hong Kong, Japanese, Chinese and Korean cultures. […] I have enjoyed many different cultures in my life, and I am definitely influenced by science fiction works from the 80s and 90s and other dystopian worlds.”
Stellar Blade releases on 26 April 2024 for PS5. Make sure you check out our pre-order guide and what editions you can purchase soon.
Source: IGN Japan
