Shift Up's New Stellar Blade Character Evie Sparks Design Discussion
Shift Up introduced "Stellar Blade: Blood Rain" at Summer Game Fest, featuring new protagonist Evie. Her design, deliberately younger and smaller than predecessor Eve, has ignited discussion contrasting her child-like facial features with an adult voice and physique. CEO Hyung-tae Kim defended the creative choice, asserting in-game experience clarifies its intent.
Key points
- Shift Up introduced Evie as the new protagonist in 'Stellar Blade: Blood Rain', a game that deviates from the original 'Stellar Blade' featuring Eve.
- Evie's design is intentionally younger, smaller, and shorter than Eve, intended to reflect a stronger personality and tougher battles.
- Shift Up CEO Hyung-tae Kim defended the design choice, stating that in-game experience clarifies the intent behind Evie's character.
- The primary point of discussion centered on Evie's 'child-like face' contrasting with her 'adult-sounding voice acting and body design'.
- Kim highlighted Eve's highly sexualized design in the first game as context for the sensitivity surrounding character portrayals in the series.
- Critics say that Evie's design may be misinterpreted, but Kim assured that playing the game would negate any potential misinterpretations.
At Summer Game Fest, developer Shift Up officially unveiled "Stellar Blade: Blood Rain," a new title introducing Evie as its primary protagonist. This marks a departure from the original "Stellar Blade," which featured Eve. The reveal trailer quickly drew attention to Evie's character design, prompting widespread discussion among the gaming community regarding her appearance and its contrast with her perceived maturity.
Shift Up CEO Hyung-tae Kim later clarified the design philosophy in an interview, stating that Evie is intentionally portrayed as younger, smaller, and shorter than her predecessor, Eve. This decision was made to reflect a stronger personality and a focus on "much tougher battles," as Evie is part of a special squad combating terrorists within the game's setting. Her combat style is also distinct, favoring close-quarters punching over Eve's slicing techniques.
The primary point of discussion centered on Evie's "child-like face" alongside her "adult-sounding voice acting and body design." Addressing these concerns directly, Kim assured that playing the game would negate any potential misinterpretations of the character's intent. He highlighted Eve's highly sexualized design in the first game as context for the sensitivity surrounding character portrayals in the series.
Sources
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