There have not been any major new Nier games since Automata for quite a while, but developer Yoko Taro is not getting bored. Recently, the head of Shift Up studio, which is developing Stellar Blade, Kim Hyung-tae, and Taro spoke with IGN journalists.
As it turns out, Yoko Taro is a fan of Hyung-tae’s work, and he, in turn, is a fan of Taro’s:
“NieR: Automata inspired me with so many things, which makes it hard to pinpoint what [inspired me the most]. The game has so many fascinating elements. The image of a strong female warrior in a desolate world abandoned by its inhabitants struck me. I was also impressed by the quality of the story. I enjoyed the game tremendously and, of course, watched all the endings.
However, since Mr. Yoko’s talent as a storyteller is exceptional, I cannot do anything like that. Aside from a broader plot and structure, the story of Stellar Blade is different from NieR: Automata.
When I first saw NieR: Automata, it inspired me greatly in many aspects, including gameplay….”.
Yoko Taro checked out Stellar Blade and shared his thoughts as well:
“Stellar Blade is a truly amazing game. I would say it is much better than NieR:Automata. I have been familiar with Mr. Kim’s work since the days of Magna Carta: Tears of Blood. Your illustrations are of very high quality. [It] came out before Drakengard, the first game [where I was a 'director']. So, even though I am older, to me in this industry you are senior ['a teacher'].
In Japan, you [Hyung-tae] are known to gamers as a legendary developer! When Blade & Soul came out, I remember being amazed by its 3D graphics. I believe you directed the game’s art. Not only the illustrations, but also the 3D models were very well made. I was surprised by the quality of Korean games when I saw them”.
Yoko Taro explained why Stellar Blade is better than NieR Automata: next-gen graphics; stunning character design; the creator does not particularly like close-ups of merchants in games, but here it looks so good that he does not mind.
Hyung-tae and Taro — wearing the famous “headpiece”.