Thread 718650986

>metroidvania clone
>dark souls clone
>earthbound clone
>final fantasy clone
>the entire rogue-like genre
Can gamedevs even make anything ORIGINAL anymore? Can they just NOT copycat whatever game they loved in their childhood?

additionally, I shudder to think of how many Deltarune clones we’ll get in the future.

ahem

>>718651032
Close enough to Earthbound clone. Though Earthbound is a million times better

>>718650986 (OP)
Because unless it's a somewhat already well known indie studio, the startup indie devs can't afford to have a failure, so they do games in a safe genre that's currently popular. I personally would like it if we had more stealth games, but that shit is niche and doesn't have a large audience, same can be said for a lot of old genres.

>>718651670
Undertale is the Earthbound clone, Deltarune is the Final Fantasy clone.

"I don't even play indie games" mixrd with crying about "muh originality" when most videogames after the NES have been people trying to do their own spin on something that was already done before.

>>718650986 (OP)
most indie devs are just artists looking for a medium
very few indie devs are deliberate game design specialists

>>718651929
I played a lot of indie games since 2014, the variety was legitimately good back then, now they’re all atrocious cloning. I guess Pizza Tower gets a mild pass from me because it clones Wario Land, which is something I haven’t seen be done before.

>>718650986 (OP)
Why are you making this about indie devs? Look at AAA, retard.

>>718650986 (OP)
I mean, just look at Miyamoto. Genius man who used to make the most innovative ideas in the industry is now only able to recycle the same game over and over again.

>>718650986 (OP)
Too risky for an indie studio to try something brand new that people won't immediately latch onto

>>718650986 (OP)
Name a genre that hasn't been done yet. Protip: You can't.

I don't even care about copycats, I just a game that does good aesthetics, sophisticated writing and non-modern style dialogue. Something like Legacy of Kain and Thief games, I want more of that.

>>718650986 (OP)
this is a problem with all creative media; if you look hard enough most things end up being clones or rehashes of older stuff. there is probably only a slow trickle of unique original ideas being dripped into the whole creative landscape each year, and it's sheer luck that they actually catch on because people dont actually like new ideas.

>>718652401
There were "clones" back then too niggy, people wanted to make their own Isaac or Rogue Legacy too. And there's still neat indie games coming out that appeal to specific tastes.
>Highfleet
>Swirl Watch
>Robodunk
>Intravenous 2
>This Grand Life 2
>Shady Knight
>Clash Artifacts of Chaos
>Echo Point Nova
>Mycopunk
>Peaks of Yore
>I am Your Beast
>Mullet Mad Jack
>Sifu
>Nine Sols
>Door Kickers 2
>Space Beast Terror Fright
>Katana Zero
>Poke all Toads
>Cyber Knights Flashpoint
>Oxygen Not Included
>Against The Storm
>DotAGE
>Labirynth of The Demon King

>>718650986 (OP)
Why do you fags ignore everything which isn't any of those to complain about how everything is the same?
Swear you don't give a shit about games and just want to be upset about something you made up to be upset about.

>>718650986 (OP)
>final fantasy clone
There are one, except e33 and look how it wrecked the competition.

>>718650986 (OP)
fuckin gamescom! every game looks the same

Metroidvanias are fun, I like them
Though desu I don't know why they're such popular indie game genres when neither metroid nor castlevania are that popular

>>718650986 (OP)
Consumerism. Nowadays indies are nothing more than small gremlin corporate wannabe seeking the income over creativity and taking risks. Everyone copies each other formula until someone gets it right and takes all the merits.

>>718654110
Yeah, it's crazy that indie devs actually hope to earn some money and not go bankrupt putting everything into a game that goes under the radar because everyone is playing mainstream shit forced in their faces.

>>718654110
>Nowadays indies are nothing more than small gremlin corporate
Often enough indies have a potential buyer at hand, the moment they found the company.

You fuckers are missing out on abiotic factor

>>718653410
>Highfleet
>Intravenous
>Space Beast Terror Fright
>Echo Point Nova
>Peaks of Yore
>Sifu
Good fucking taste

>>718650986 (OP)
There won't ever be a large studio that will make some highly specific autistic sim like back in the 80's ever again

>>718650986 (OP)
Roguelikes let you farm many hours of play time from few hours of dev time

>>718654678
There's a lot of bias towards Indies. It's a retarded hive mind that developed from an idiotic and misunderstood concept.

>>718650986 (OP)
yes they can. you just dont wanna play them and ignore their existence for some retarded reason
>>718654813
>>718653410
based intravenous

https://store.steampowered.com/app/2608270/Intravenous_2/
https://store.steampowered.com/app/1545990/Deadeye_Deepfake_Simulacrum/
https://store.steampowered.com/app/1718570/ASTLIBRA_Revision/
https://store.steampowered.com/app/423230/Furi/
https://store.steampowered.com/app/736260/Baba_Is_You/

>Indie game devs, 90’s and early 00’s
Elder Scrolls (Arena to Morrowind)
Half-Life & Counter-Strike
Baldur’s Gate 1 & 2
Fallout 1 & 2
>Indie game devs now
Copy-cat nclones that are more commentary than game

>>718653550
Please recommend me some indie games that are actually original, I’m starting to understand I was overreacting and ignorant after reading this post : >>718655215

>>718655406
that's not true and you know that

>>718650986 (OP)
You forgot deck builder games

>>718653410
>>718655215
Love me Intravenous. Also to add a couple of my favorites to the list.
https://store.steampowered.com/app/2135150/Elin/
https://store.steampowered.com/app/3371240/Beyond_Citadel/
https://store.steampowered.com/app/2790330/Blood_Typers/
https://store.steampowered.com/app/2719060/Mirage_Feathers/
https://store.steampowered.com/app/2152740/ADEN/
https://store.steampowered.com/app/2212330/Your_Only_Move_Is_HUSTLE/
https://store.steampowered.com/app/2279600/Raw_Metal/

>>718652610
People latch onto characters, settings, and community. Gameplay design isn't that important. New ideas are usually too ambitious and half baked for a game dev with little to no real experience to do.

None of you hate Toby Fox enough

>>718656126
here are some of my picks:
https://store.steampowered.com/app/779590/Scavenger_SV4/ (50% off right now)
https://store.steampowered.com/app/274500/Brigador_UpArmored_Edition/ (goes on -66% sale often)
https://store.steampowered.com/app/1428520/Mech_Engineer/ (30% off)
https://store.steampowered.com/app/55000/Flotilla/
https://store.steampowered.com/app/792120/FIGHT_KNIGHT/

>>718650986 (OP)
I'll take these over comp slop games any day fatty faggot.

It all went wrong when you put any amount of thought into "number of devs" instead of playing the games
>"woah, this is the legit two-dev experience"
>"that's nothing I play one-devlikesxd"
>"for me it's A4"

>>718650986 (OP)
Sounds like a you are unable to search stuff for your own and instead just eat up some twitter/gamescom/e3 feed.

>>718656192
most of steam links posted itt are pure gameplay games, with quite a few being incredibly novel like Deadeye Deepfake Simulacrum, Baba is You, Your Only Move is HUSTLE, Scavenger SV4 and Mech Engineer.
just heads up, anon, i know you don't won't check out those games either way :)

>>718656126
I can vouch for YOMI Hustle, but Mirage Feathers was doodoo garbage.

>>718656339
the best genre is 4 niggas in a room

>>718656126
https://store.steampowered.com/app/254320/Duskers/
https://store.steampowered.com/app/1129310/Receiver_2/
https://store.steampowered.com/app/283160/House_of_the_Dying_Sun/
https://store.steampowered.com/app/858210/Nova_Drift/
https://store.steampowered.com/app/2386720/STRAFTAT/
https://store.steampowered.com/app/528230/SYNTHETIK_Legion_Rising/
https://store.steampowered.com/app/337350/Flywrench/

when im in a "dogshit early access" competition and niggas start putting in collectathons, iframes, and progression resets

>>718656485
What didn't you like about it Anon? I thought it was a fun little game to play for just $5.

DUDE
LACK OF LIFE EXPERIENCE
LMAOOOOOO

>>718656770
It's not like putting your life experiences automatically elevates a game, you know. Just see Heartbound.

>>718650986 (OP)
I only wishlist quality games

>>718653410
>>718655215
>>718656126
>>718656297
>>718656601

Good thread i need me some more indie recomendations, feels like /v/ is the only place where i can get stuff not done a milion times already.

Here's my list for the day:
https://youtu.be/ttwBelIlLv8?si=LmBg6lAUxZncoHgj
https://youtu.be/t7piSlCp1NM?si=wM4JZVYp6B-ugI4i
https://youtu.be/SaVosrWPDE4?si=f3137uO3XNXAmZAV
https://youtu.be/M67WecraicA?si=UoK1tUfPhtkCFssN
https://youtu.be/ZXUMv487h2I?si=N8u89bQhR--nAkTa
https://youtu.be/ILolesm8kFY?si=3iXRlv_vbyfhOoD4

>>718656694
It's one big ecchi cutscene before being thrown into action that never ends against the same background.
I thing a stage structure with story fed to you stage by stage and powering up as you play or as a choice between stages that looked different from eachother would've been better for pacing.

>>718650986 (OP)
You forgot generic chinese game

>>718657919
General descriptions, and more stuff about the game if it sounds interesting under the spoiler.
Cogmind:
Traditional roguelike about being a robot and grabbing stealing parts to rebuild yourself. Extremely deep and difficult.
A unique take on the genre, it has some of the most interesting design aspects i've ever seen in a game, and it forces you to learn and abuse them all - because it's jawbreakingly, horribly hard. First normal win with the easiest build took me 86 hours of gameplay to achieve. And there are more than ten different endings. Surprisngly deep lore which is obtained in a very interesting way.
https://corru.observer
A thing. Go in blind. If you have even a sliver of interest - just play it.
An insane shizocore mystery-adventure with JRPG and VN elements set in nearby future with experimentally bizzare mechanics, completely unique artstyle, amazing soundtrack and a lot of interesting topics to think about. Lore is very well developed. Just play it.
INFRA
A finnish game by about being an industrial safety inspector.
Full of blunt finnish humour and general slapstick attitude, but it's never up-front in your face. Most beatiful source game ever made, you get to explore brutalistic industral architecture nearby a small forest village. Unexpectedly good story.

>>718658032
Same background? I'm pretty sure there was a different backdrop for each level with a few of them even having stage hazards you have to avoid. The story does feel lackluster I must admit.

>>718658659
Thanks for corru.observer, i once saw it posted in a thread but never managed to find it again.
Cogmind sounds great!

"I do believe that Saturn Quest: R. U. N. E. 3000 is one of the best video games ever created."

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xnpbMoizswo

That wasn't me speaking, that's how the dev markets his game on Steam.

bump
good thread

I was going to say so much shit, and all of yall beat me too it.
Extremely surprised at that.
First time on v in like 6 years.

There is indie bullshit like you said but truly there are some fantastic gems that were mentioned here.
Indie is basically all we have, triple a is dead and hardly anyone is doing anything less anymore.

>>718650986 (OP)
Hollow Knight is a Metroidvania with Dark Souls mechanics! Ya see, it's forward-thinking.

>>718657919
I'll never forget the "Oh shit i can do that?" moments i had with teardown.
>One of the first missions
>waste 10 minutes looking around for a way in
>"oh shit i can just blowtorch off the door hinges"
>Reach the safe, sloppily hammer the window
>Drag the safe to it and toss it out
>Slowly drag it along the floor towards the extraction point on a time limit
>Total time 15 minutes

Later i want to revisit that same mission because i had a lot of new toys to try out and didn't even need them:
>Jump the fence and immediately disable any possible allarm by cutting electric wires
>Take a buldozer, raise the bucket and plow through the building
>kick the safe in the bucket and drive out
>Total time: 1 minute 30 seconds
The game activated my neurons like nothing before it.

>>718657919
Check this game out
https://orsonik.itch.io/scav-prototype
Really unique roguelite, like somebody took PZ's medical system and made it actually fun and consequental, then crammed it into a talkative and responsive protagonist who really doesn't want to go through this shit

>>718659686
i drew a map that roughly shows the cyst in corru

One last bump before i go to sleep, keep the thread alive lads.

>>718658260
Chinese games are either gacha or soulslop

>>718650986 (OP)
Indie games were ALWAYS like that. You're just noticing it now.

>>718669189
what's the point of this post
can't you just scroll up a dozen posts and click on a random steam link?

>>718654007
>Make up your own setting
>Instead of stringing players into a linear sequence, leave them the whole world to explore
>Make it interconnected and give them traversal abilities to make going through it multiple times fun
No wonder why a lot do it.
But I'm always weary starting a metroidvaina because yu knever know the level of quality and thought put into the world (oftentimes it's shit worldbuilfding and narrative)

>>718650986 (OP)
Indies are nowhere near as creative as some people want you to believe

>>718668994
You forgot the third category: weird ultra-niche experimental horror VN with 7 girls and 12 endings, half of which require you to replay the game while holding down the 'shift' key at a full moon.
But yeah, it’s either “mobile tier lootbox addiction simulator” or “we remade Sekiro in Unity, but every enemy has 3x health.”

>>718650986 (OP)
The bigger problem is how shallow they are. There's no depth to the gameplay.

>>718669670
>literally every new genre or subgenre coming out in the last 20 years was from an indie game
>"indies are not original"
Bait used to be believable.

>>718650986 (OP)
that's the most zoomer take I've seen in a while

>>718671726
Ah, another Forspoken chad, we should really teach indies on a shoestring budget how it's done.

>>718671849
Budget has nothing to do with depth, moron.

>>718672025
NTA, anon, but
Some of the games posted ITT rival in complexity simulation engines and put modern AAA to shame
I suggest you to take a leisurely scroll through Cogmind's manual
https://www.gridsagegames.com/cogmind/manual.txt

>>718672025
Was your AAA Forspoken disaster a deep game?

Sometimes I feel like 2/3rds of /v/ posters are bots

>>718650986 (OP)
>The post-postmodern era
>Consensus on what constitutes an era can not be easily achieved while that era is still in its early stages. However, a common theme of current attempts to define post-postmodernism is emerging as one where dialogue, environmental engagement, sincerity, trust and faith can work to transcend postmodern irony. The following definitions, which vary widely in depth, focus, and scope, are listed in the chronological order of their appearance.


That's why. Everything has been done to death. All the game ideas we can think of have been thought up. All the subversive meta parodies (they know they're in a game wowowowoow) have also been done to death. We have prefab games now where we can just put in assets and it'll "be a game" with that theme. Hogwarts legacy literally didn't even need movement to succeed in combat. You pressed the color over your hit regardless of timing. 3rd person combat is reducible to

>you can cancel your actions (devil may cry)

>You can't cancel your actions (souls)

So people are just going to make the best with what they can. They're going to fill the world with their personal ideas and they're going to do it with the best technology available. It will be an era of sincerity and completely boring nonsense while we reminisce about how games used to be more fun when we were kids.

We won't get another revolutionary game for a while and we're going to be stuck with this open world slop because culling is built into unreal engine (who could've seen this coming???). At best we can hope that devs realize people want games to either be cinematic, trigger your flow state, or be friendslop/anxiety reduction games and they lean heavily into it with absolute intention.

>>718650986 (OP)
Yeah, so counterpoint: Yandere Simulator exists...