Best Video Game Copycats Worth Playing
On some occasions, developers attempt to make their own version of a widely popular game and succeed. These are some instances like that. Here are some great video game Copycats that are worth playing.
Some of these titles may even be better than the ones they were inspired by.
Saints Row II
The Saints Row series is one of the first Grand Theft Auto clone franchises, and I still firmly believe that the second game is the best in the franchise. The developer Deep Silver Volition made Saints Row II and released it in 2008, and it’s still adored for its great humor, accessible open world, and customization.
Speaking of customization, Saints Row II offered one of the best character creators of its time, with the ability to even change your character’s in-game voice. Its gunplay was also very good for the time and the gameplay was stylish and well-paced. Many people believe that this game might even be better than the GTA games of the time.
Binary Domain
Developed by Ryu Ga Gotoku Studio, the people behind the popular Yakuza series, Binary Domain was originally called a rip-off of Gears of War. While it certainly was heavily inspired by Gears of War, it was far from a failure. It had a great story and memorable characters. Its gunplay is satisfying and parts of your enemies could be destructed with well-aimed shots. It’s more than just a Gears of War clone, and I encourage everyone to go give it a try.
Nioh
Back in 2009, Demon’s Souls was the first of a revolutionary franchise that gave birth to a new subgenre: Soulslike games. Nioh was made by Koei Tecmo games and it had a complex, difficult, and addictive combat system like the Souls games.
While the level design is far inferior to that of the Souls games, its combat system is very complex and difficult to master. There are a great variety of Japanese armaments to choose from and to base your playstyle around them. In my opinion, Nioh and Nioh 2 are some of the better Soulslikes.
Sleeping Dogs
One of my favorite games that never got a sequel, Sleeping Dogs was and still is one of the best GTA clones ever. It’s action-packed and really beautiful. This game was set in Hong Kong and the city feels lifelike and alive. Small details that make the game world immersive are present around every corner, and it had a great implementation of parkour that was used in epic chases through the neon-lit streets of Hong Kong.
And I must mention how Sleeping Dogs executed the concept of a great martial arts combat system perfectly. Objectively, the combat system (both melee and ranged) is way better than that of any GTA game to date.
Middle-earth: Shadow of Mordor
While some Tolkien fans would utterly despise the lore and the story of Shadow of Mordor and Shadow of War, they really aren’t what’s shining in these Assassin’s Creed-inspired titles. What we need to talk about is the award-winning Nemesis system of this game that allowed for nearly endless replayability and epic boss battles all throughout the map. The combat and the stealth surpassed those of Assassin’s Creed by a huge margin and it’s safe to say that Shadow of Mordor is the superior game when it comes to gameplay.
