Thread 724989771

Some games leave a lasting mark while others just vanish into the sea of releases. I think the key is: a game has to commit fully to what makes it unique instead of playing it safe halfway.

Take La-Mulana for example. It stands out because it goes all-in: brutal, cryptic puzzles that demand real dedication from the player, and a design that doesn't just imitate 8-bit aesthetics but pushes that spirit into overdrive. It's uncompromising, and that commitment makes it memorable. Or Rain World, which commits just as hard in a different way: a hostile ecosystem where survival feels alien and unfair, yet unforgettable. I don't understand why more games don't try to stand out like this.

Compare that to the flood of metroidvanias on Steam right now. So many of them blur together: same side-scrolling maps, same light RPG mechanics, same art direction. They're "fine," but they're interchangeable. Do you really wanna play another one where you can instantly spot the “obvious double jump area” and already know how the design will unfold?

A game doesn't need to please everyone. It needs to own its identity so strongly that it couldn't be mistaken for anything else.

What do you think: is it better to go extreme and risk alienating some players, or to stay middle-ground and risk being forgotten?

>tfw can't play La Mulana 2 because my speakers are fucked and I can't hear sound effects like the whip when near the left side of the screen
It's an abstract kind of feel.

If you want money:
>make some friendslop fotm co-op game/ some roguelike "numbers go up" dopamine hack, get lucky and become rich
If you want to stand the test of time:
>have a vision for a game, and polish and refine it with 0 compromises until a good game comes out of it(very hard)

It's all about passion and experience.
La-Mulana came about by a trio of friends who lived the 8-bit era and channeled all their memories into a project.
Most metroidvanias are inspired by at most two other games.

Better to make money.
Ken and Roberta Williams of Sierra fame made a ton of iconic games and spent about 20 years in the industry, with the company they made being considered one of the old legendary names of gaming. They ended up getting pushed out of the company they founded and built up, and have little more than their memories to show for it. Most modern gamers never even heard of them or their games.
Notch of Minecraft made a clone of another indie game called Infiniminer, got lucky, and sold it to another company for millions. He's been rich and able to do whatever the hell he wants ever since. People are still playing his game all these years later.
The Williams tried to focus on making a quality product that would stand the test of time. They are effectively forgotten, and barely anyone plays their games anymore. Notch just copied something else that was somewhat popular and sold out at the first chance. His name is still tied to Minecraft and even kids play Minecraft despite it's age. It's better to focus on making money, you are more likely to make something timeless that way.

>>724989771 (OP)
That’s just Indiana jones

>>724993547
Correct.
It's the best Indiana Jones game ever created.

>>724989771 (OP)
La mulana is a shit game for retards.

release ahamkara already you nigoros