Being original, for some developers it can be hard nowadays. Video games have been around for a few decades now and the longer the more we see games that are very similar to other games. Is this a bad thing? In my honest opinion, I don’t think this is very bad but it depends on a few things. Did they try to hide it or not? Is it a different plot? Did they make an effort to introduce new mechanics. These are just a few criteria that help me see the difference between a rip-off game or a game that was inspired by another game.
If there was a game series that “inspired” a lot of other games it has to be: The Legend Of Zelda. Of course, a lot of people grew up playing the Zelda games and adore them for the rest of their life so it’s pretty obvious it inspired a few people to make a game like the great Zelda games.
World To The West is a game that has a lot of similarities with the top-down 2D Zelda games, but in comparison to other “Zeldaclones” there are a few notable differences from the start. Instead of just controlling 1 character you have control over 4 characters. This may seem like a little difference but the puzzles in this games offer a lot of new challenges. Created around playing with the 4 characters and the use of their unique abilities. Although some puzzles look very familiar this approach allows for some fresh gameplay mechanics.
The game starts with the 4 characters separated so you can learn more about each character’s backgrounds. To my surprise, these stories had a lot more depth than I anticipated. Eventually the characters cross paths and you are easily introduced to the synergy that the chapters have in order to complete the puzzles. But switching characters is not so easy. You control the characters separately and if you want to switch between them you have to use a totem. It can be a bit frustrating in the beginning because you have to work around the poles and there will probably be a few times that you would prefer to just push a button to switch characters; but in the end it gives the puzzles more depth so they are more satisfying to solve.
Verdict:
To answer my question from earlier: Is this game a rip)off game or a game that was inspired by another game? Well I can honestly say this game is inspired by the Zelda series but has its own unique features and mechanics that make this game good on its own. The story is surprisingly well written and each character feels real and alive. The art style of the game is very basic but I really loved it, and the music… AMAZING. World to the West is a wonderful indie that definitely was inspired by other games but is unique in its own way.
