Indie Game Accused Of Plagiarising Zelda
Naturally, when it comes to creating any form of art, nothing is truly original. It's probably the easiest way to look at things, considering that so few nowadays can make something that isn't influenced by something else - accepting this is probably the closest we'll get to artistic enlightenment.
It's a bit deep, but it's true that imitation is the sincerest form of flattery. But, of course, there's also plagiarism - a blatant theft of ideas that can't be seen as anything but a cheap copy. And now, one indie game is coming under fire, being accused of exactly that.
Zelda Fans Call Out Mysplaced Developer
A game has been revealed as part of an IGN Game Jam that has caught some flak. If you can't spot the similarities, many Nintendo fans have called it out for ripping off The Legend of Zelda: Link's Awakening.
The game is titled Mysplaced and was revealed by the fifth episode of the Rogue Jam for IGN. Mysplaced has been attacked pretty viciously by fans on Twitter, who accused the game of straight-up plagiarism, suggesting that the title doesn't do enough to distance itself from the mechanics of the game it's clearly taking inspiration from. The comments soon filled with Zelda fanatics saying it comes off as a total rip-off.
Even Reggie Fils-Aime - one of the judges of the competition - suggests that it could be a step too far, saying: "When the community sees that what you're doing is essentially a replication of an idea that's already been done… the community can be harsh." Ouch.
Fans React To 'Zelda Clone' Mysplaced
Zelda die-hards are pretty insulted by the game seeming so much like Link's Awakening - and naturally, they've made it very clear on Twitter. One angry gamer raged: "Imagine using words like reminiscent and inspired when discussing what amounts to complete plagiarism. But you don't have to imagine that when you're ign, you can just pass it off as a legit game showcase."
Whether or not this counts as a rip-off is up to you, but it seems like the internet has already (for the most part) made its mind up. Looks like Mysplaced has already made its legacy. As games like TUNIC get praised for being like the wide world of Zelda, there's a big difference between this and being accused of ripping off Link's legacy.
