A petition on Change.org, with the accompanying hashtag #FreeStellarBlade, has blown up this weekend after the title’s day one patch – which also bundles in New Game Plus – is alleged to have changed a couple of outfits due to censorship. The crux of the issue appears to centre on two unlockable outfits in the outing: the Holiday Rabbit and Cybernetic Bondage. In both cases, additional material has been added to the costumes to cover up protagonist Eve’s plentiful cleavage.
Those who purchased the Blu-ray retail release of the game, without the patch installed, can still unlock the original, more revealing versions of the Nano Suits, causing fans to ponder whether the outfits were censored. Director Hyung-Tae Kim, when asked directly about this during a launch event, denied any accusations, stressing “the final costume we wanted to show you is indeed the costume [in the patch]”. However, he admitted this answer “may not be enough to convince our users” and that discussions are taking place “internally” on the matter.
Our view is that Kim is likely telling the truth, because other costumes in the game, like the bikini-style Blue Monsoon, remain readily available and unedited. Surely if this was part of an agenda to cover up Eve’s more revealing costumes, it would apply to all her outfits? The reality is there are a lot of costumes to choose from in the final game, irrespective of whether you want something more revealing or more practical. We suspect the criticism will remain unless the decision is reversed, but don’t let the noise turn you off what is ultimately an excellent game.
[source change.org, via reddit.com]
