By Sagar Mankar 
Stellar Blade, the surprise PlayStation 5 hit from Korean studio Shift Up, has captured players’ attention due to its stunning character design, especially with the protagonist, Eve.
Recently, the developers shared a piece of concept art that sheds light on Eve’s design evolution from sketch to screen. Dating back to 2020, it was the “first EVE” character design by Hyung-tae Kim.
The 「First EVE」 design, drawn in 2020.🩷#StellarBlade #PS5 #EVE pic.twitter.com/KHc0FDQ6Nl
— StellarBlade (@StellarBlade) September 6, 2024
The sketch showcases a more complex and detailed outfit compared to Eve’s final in-game appearance. Intricate lines and a heavily stylized look dominate the artwork.
Comparison:
Some players immediately drew comparisons to other iconic characters, with one Reddit user, Filoleg94, noting, “This concept art seems too reminiscent of Bayonetta,” but adding, “The devs ended up going with something more different and original.”
Some players found similarities with other games as well, as one player compared it with “the first 3DS Fire Emblem and Bravely Games,” appreciating the anime-inspired style.
Intricate Design:
One of the most discussed aspects of the concept art was its intricate design compared to the final version. “It’s interesting how many random details and pieces of fabric are on this design. I prefer how her actual outfit is more streamlined and cleaner,” observed NoNefariousness2144. They also noted how the simplified design helped the shiny green elements of Eve’s outfit stand out more, a sentiment that resonated with many fans.
Footwear:
Another notable feature of the concept art that caught many users’ attention was Eve’s unique footwear. This design choice generated mixed reactions. Some players found it fascinating, while others, described it as “running prosthetics.”
Redditer Explosion2 offered a more detailed critique, questioning the practicality of the design, particularly in terms of balance and movement: “A bipedal robot with hooves makes no sense.”
Hyung-Tae Kim Design Evolution:
In the meantime, some Reddit users took the opportunity to appreciate Hyung-tae Kim’s design evolution. Reddit user ProjectOxide noted, “If you look at his earlier work on Magna Carta and stuff you’ll see a lot of similar elements. Super cool to see his rise from being an artist to game Dev while preserving his style.”
SyleSpawn added, “Hyung-Tae Kim’s design is unique (be it for male or female models), I absolutely love the aesthetic and hope we get to see more of his work in upcoming projects.”
While opinions vary on the initial concept, the community seems to agree that Shift Up made the right choice in refining and simplifying Eve’s final design, resulting in a visually appealing and functional character that has resonated with players.
What do you think about this concept design?
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