- Stellar Blade director admits that the game’s narrative fell behind other aspects.
- Production restrictions prevented the implementation of many developmental ideas and limited the inclusion of cutscenes.
- For the sequel, they intend to improve the narrative and feature a more interesting story.
Shift Up’s Stellar Blade has launched to become the biggest ever Sony first-party PC launch with over 180k concurrent players on Steam and a 9.2 user score on Metacritic.
That said, Stellar Blade lacked in some areas, most notably its plot. The game’s director has acknowledged these concerns, stating that they were a result of production limitations. Going forward, he promises to improve the narrative in the sequel.
Why it matters: It’s unusual for developers to admit to their mistakes, let alone promise to fix them in the future. Stellar Blade is a testament to why Asian studios continue to dominate the gaming industry with their work ethic.
In a new interview with Thisisgame, Stellar Blade’s Kim Hyung-tae addressed the criticism surrounding the game’s narrative, which many reviews found underwhelming. He explained that while the game’s core gameplay was established early on, the narrative ultimately fell behind.
One key factor is the lack of cutscenes, which the director says are crucial for storytelling. However, cutscenes became so costly that the team had to scale them down.
During the early stages of development, they had intended to flesh out finer details, like explaining why the main character changes outfits throughout the story. Unfortunately, these ideas didn’t come to fruition due to production restrictions.
Beyond that, the director also admitted that the game’s story, revolving around AI vs. humanity, was too clichéd. For the sequel, however, they intend to have a more serious story that will capture more interest.
Shift Up is targeting a 2027 release for Stellar Blade 2, which was initially intended to be a DLC expansion for the first game.
Have you played Stellar Blade yet? What did you think of the game? Let us know your thoughts on the game and expectations from Shift Up from the sequel in the comments below or at the official Tech4Gamers Forums.
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[News Reporter]
Shaheer is currently pursuing a Business degree while also working as a part-time Content Writer. With his deep passion for both writing and video games, he has seamlessly transitioned into a role as a Journalist. Over the past two years, Shaheer has contributed as a freelancer to various websites and landed positions on acclaimed platforms like Gamerant. Currently, his role at Tech4gamers is as a Features Writer, but he also covers News occasionally. Shaheer’s favorite gaming franchises are Assassin’s Creed and the God of War series.
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