Anyone else excited about Stellar Blade?

I'm pretty excited about Stella Blade. Thought I might be on an island (as a DMC/Darksiders-type die-hard), but it's cool to see it promoted to headline status. Also really neat to see Sony have a second-party Korean studio connection.

If all goes to plan, Korea is going to give a big-ass injection to some tried-and-true genres this year, perhaps when some needed it the most. (Not endorsing the second video BTW, but some of it is...interesting perspective).

Derivative (to a point)? I mean, do you even (extremely successful) Hallyu, bro?

Maybe there's female Sora in 2B leotard in one, or a fairlyfamiliar-looking social space in the other, among other things, but on the whole i'm excited (especially with how polite/communicative the director on TFD has been).

They look like a slick, enjoyable/non-abrasive way to spend some time.

My hype may or may not be different than yours, and that's ok. I enjoy the different ways similar games have chosen to convey their characters/stories as well, dependant on context. For instance, I love Nier:Automata more than almost anything, but I don't like the outfits. I understand why they do/did it (whch I think explaining kind of spoils the genious of it and Yoko Taro in general), but it makes sharing the beauty of that story almost inpenetrable to those that can't get the meaning/joke and look past it (or especially prejudge people based on that context), which sucks. That doesn't mean it shouldn't be that way, or that it would be better without it, it's just the reality of the baggage that comes with it.

My favorite part of these games is how they are uniquely-equipped to handlecriticism (often with diffusive humor/positive action), almost as-if they've been through all of it before (or it's engrained in their culture) or something.

It will be a treat to see how their unique style of and/or twist on entertainment (such as music/film/literature) translate to large-scope games of this ilk that may more-widely connect with a western audience.

Remember kids, it's important to state you appreciate the "aesthetic choices". What does that mean? Whatever you say which is different than the assumption someone attempting to be negative towards your enjoyment is making.

You're welcome. Just kindly don't be a misogynist.

The games look pretty darn impressive imho, especially from studios and/or genres we haven't seen from them before. Not trying to be seperationalist (as we're all humans and good ideas/games can come from anywhere and be enjoyed by anyone regardless of location/culture), nor have the definitive authoritative take, but it's notable to see this particular influx, which I think is uniquely healthy for the space. A fresh perspective is never a bad thing.

(FWIW, I'm very much a dude that is all-about inclusiveness [and respect opinions of those on things that may more personally have an effect on themselves than me]; the type that's not a fan of the Harry Potter writer on a personal level, and was very-much happy when we dispensed with dude-bro culture [especially in gaming]. That said, there's a time and a place for all things (as long as they are not purposely hurtful and the people personally involved are treated well/are fine with how they are portrayed), and not everything has to have an explicit outward-facing political agenda and/or be tamed down [female empowerment expressed through a visual can, in-fact, be a thing as cosplayers once taught a naive, self-righteous younger-me]. Sometimes things can just be fun (and cute/sexy), while other times they shouldn't be because in-fact not everyone is or should [feel the need to] be a super model or stereotype [especially wrt certain situations]. In my experience with it over 20+ years, Korean entertainment has (especially as time has passed and we've all become more considerate/sensitive) generally been very good (if not ahead of the curve) at mixing all aspects of these things dependent upon the zeitgeist while maintaining a positive/humorous, if not thought-provoking experience [sometimes in unexpected ways] for everyone...and I'm here for the next iteration.)