Combining style, action, and horrifying monsters is a well-known formula for success in action games. But in this first title for PlayStation, Stellar Blade, developer Shift Up has added a special touch to the equation. Much of this differential is due to the creature design, which quickly became the focus of this upcoming action adventure.

Stellar Blade incorporates several features to create this race of creatures called Naytibas. Among these features are: real-life animal research, clay models for 3D, and the assistance of renowned Korean monster designer Hee-Cheol Jang, who initially joined the project as a consultant but ended up getting more involved in the design and production of Naytibas.

We talked to the team at the studio and the monster designer to find out what makes Naytibas so unique, analyzing the Raven, Stalker, and Gigas variations to understand the process of creating a new face of terror in games.

The Birth of Naytibas

: Hee-Cheol Jang, how did you get involved with Shift Up and Stellar Blade? Was it thanks to your creature designs in “The Host” and “Okja”?

Jang: I remember visiting the studio one day after contacting Mr. Kim (Kim Hyung Tae, director of Stellar Blade) and was surprised to see a workshop full of models and drawings. I think he made the proposal after learning about my experience creating clay models, scannable maquettes, for communication and 3D scanning during the design process of the films “The Host” and “Okja.” At that time, the film industry was tending to use digital models made in ZBrush for efficiency reasons, so I was shocked by the idea of using traditional modeling and 3D scanning for creature design in a new game project.

How did Shift Up decide on the types of enemies EVE would face? 

Director, Hyung Tae Kim: What EVE encounters is an unknown entity powerful enough to destroy humanity. We tried to purposely design them to be scary and unsettling, with missing eyes and faces in the wrong places, features linked to the game’s universe.

The Naytibas seem like something horrendous out of cosmic horror. Why choose this direction instead of something more “grounded”?

Kim: Since these creatures never existed, they didn’t need to be realistic. In fact, we wanted them to look like a different race or species. However, if you look closely, there are various designs that seem to be related to existing life on Earth, and I think you’ll understand why when you play.

Clay Creatures

What is the advantage of sculpting the Naytiba designs in clay before bringing them into the digital world?

Conceptual Art Chief, Chang Min Lee: Ease of communication in coordinating various teams… and gravity. In the digital world, you don’t feel gravity, but when you’re working with a physical sculpture, you are affected by it because the weight of the clay is real. This is important in determining the shapes and proportions of the creatures.

For example, if you make a head too big for the body, it can crack the clay or fall off. I think having these limits helps me design more realistic and believable creatures.

How long does it take to reach the final design? Could you give more details about the review and refinement process?

Lee: The initial sketches can be finalized in one or two weeks. After that, it takes about two to three months to shape, and during those two or three months, numerous analyses and revisions are made. During the discussion process with the other teams, specific body proportions, long-range attack methods, and necessary elements of other attacks and defenses are discussed and approved. Additionally, we make revisions based on the direction (received from Mr. Kim) by looking at and touching the actual sculpture.

Despite their fictional origins, do you consider the muscle and bone composition, as well as the texture of the skin for each Naytiba during this creation stage?

Lee: Definitely. The muscles and skeletons are mainly based on real creatures. We also use a lot of references for skin texture. For example, the skin textures of reptiles, insects, crustaceans, mollusks, and so on are the ones we refer to the most. In the case of Gigas, the gorilla was the biggest reference for the muscle and bone characteristics. The large shapes and concepts are fictional creatures, but without references from real life, they would be nothing more than fiction.

Do the proposed movements for the Naytibas come into discussion and affect the clay modeling process, or is that defined after the model is scanned for the game?

Lee: Things are discussed and adjusted at various points. During the clay modeling process, all teams, especially the animation team, gather and discuss. We discuss things like, “Does this design and these proportions make the movements possible? How do we make the attacks look cool?”

After scanning, I usually exchange a lot of ideas with the 3D modeling team. We discuss practical and efficiency issues, such as which details we should keep and if there are unnecessary designs when creating the 3D model. Throughout this process, we make detailed design adjustments and finalize the end product.

How much clay did you use in total to create the Naytibas in Stellar Blade?

Lee: Let’s see… I didn’t count, but it was probably around 100 kg? I think we used a lot. Normally, one portion of clay weighs about 900 g, and I think I used more than a hundred of them.

Boss Design

Could you describe the three recently revealed bosses? How will Gigas, Raven, the Stalker, and their unique attributes stand out when EVE encounters them?

Lee: Gigas and the Stalker are somewhat sister creatures. Both have unique forms of moving saws, and I wanted Eve to feel scared and threatened by them. Raven, which translates literally to “crow,” has large wings and bird-like characteristics. We chose the color black in the concept to represent fear and darkness.

Where did you draw inspiration for the specific attacks of the boss monsters?

Lee: In the rawest stage of the concept, we asked ourselves, “Which part of the body or what weapon will they use to attack?” and we defined the more specific characteristics over time. During this process, inspirations arise and we continue until the end.

Do these three bosses have any special story regarding their design?

Lee: When we were working on the initial concept for Gigas and the Stalker, we had fun calling them “the fan and hairdryer brothers.” We called some of the boss monsters “openers,” but you’ll have to figure out for yourself which ones and why.

Is there any special detail you would like to share with the players that they may not notice when encountering these creatures?

Lee: If you look closely at some of the monsters, you will see baroque symbols and statue faces on them. You may not notice this because combat is very fast and dynamic, but keep an eye out!

You will be able to see more details of Gigas, Raven, the Stalker, and the other Naytiba designs when you encounter them in Stellar Blade when the game is released on April 26th for PlayStation 5.