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Games borrow from one other as much as any other medium of entertainment, but for some reason, video games seem to fall under much more scrutiny.
Darksiders II released last week, and it’s a game that wears its influences proudly on its sleeve. It’s a mixture of God of War, with a dash of Diablo, a sprinkling of Prince of Persia, and it’s all baked inside a delicious Zelda pie crust. Some consider Darksiders’ pie to taste too similar to the pies it’s made of, accusing it of not attempting to develop its own flavor.
What do you think? Is Darksiders paying homage to the video games that influenced its creators (the camp I tend hang to out it in), or is it a collection of stolen ideas mashed together to create something familiar?
Of course, this doesn’t apply just to Darksiders. It’s more of a general question of paying homage. In movies, a filmmaker calling out their influences is seen as smart film making that recognizes the movies that came before their own, but in video games, the word homage is rarely used. When people recognize a mechanic or idea that originated elsewhere, they tend to cry foul and words like “rip-off” get thrown around.
What do you think? Should developers be allowed to pay homage to their favorite games? Or are they just ripping something off? While you guys discuss this, I am going to go play some more Darksiders II.
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I think that this whole question at this stage of the game is utter nonsense. Even the games that are mentioned as being the ones that Darksiders stole ideas from stole ideas from somewhere else first. Even Zelda and Diablo were borrowing ideas that found their way into the electronic game space going all the way back in the mid seventies. There is this strange notion that if the game maker doesn't come up with some completely original mechanic every time then it somehow lessens the value of the work. There is no way to come up with completely original gameplay now that practically every method of playing a game had already been established. They need to just concentrate on making a game that is fun to play.
I think the best way to sum up my feeling on this was quoted by the 19th century humorist Josh Billings, "About the most originality that any writer can hope to achieve honestly is to steal with good judgment."
I do believe there is some homeage being paid from Darksiders but at the same time it really doesnt matter whether it's called homage or ripping off it's basically the same thing and while homeage isn't as bad both are sort of recyling their ideas and not using unique concepts or mechanics.
Let's Break It Down!
Metal Gear Solid, influenced Syphon Filter, Splinter Cell and Deus Ex.
Pretty much any hack and slash influenced G.O.D., Heavenly Sword and Darksiders.
Grand Theft Auto Franchise influenced Saints Row Franchise and many others.
Shooters influenced the evolution of all shooters in FPS Style of 3PS Style.
Regardless of how you look at it. Games, Movies, Music and more have been so integrated in our culture that you cannot escape it, so if you want to cry foul, then do so.
I say just go ahead enjoy the wonderful world of gaming and just let it be.
I know I will.
I think it's even worse in video games because it's not consistent across genres. If NBA's menu system looks just like Madden's menu system, nobody cares because they're both sports games. If COD and Battlefield games can both have domination modes, how come action-RPGs can't all have dungeons without someone saying "Zelda rip-off OMGZHaxx0rz!"
Darksiders 2 is part of a GENRE.
period.
This just reminds me of the South Park Episode "The Simpsons already did it"
Butter's thinks of an idea and gets told he's ripping off the Simpsons when it turns out the exact Simpsons episode being referred to got their idea from an episode of the Twilight Zone.
If a game like Darksider's 2 makes it clear that there were influences, I'm cool with it. Now if the game was to have those similarities and try to pass them off as 100% original, then you have an issue.
Darksiders is, to me, hands down an homage. While its gameplay is heavily influenced by games like Zelda and God of War, it wraps them up into one package that is different from any of the other games.
I believe that Darksiders is on Homage. It's also one of my favorite games of the year. Loving it.
In Rap Music will call "Beat Biting" Well alot of music today use the same tempo and rhythm.. Its entertainment.. if its hot why not? they are not innovators so they will fail early or carbon copy.. imitation is the best of all flattery but it also shows your weak & not intelligent enough to be creative...
I kinda see darksiders as a more action packed zelda which to me makes it one of the best games ever. I think games should definitely borrow from other great games sometimes and then add their own flavor to it to make it different and awesome.I personally love the moments in darksiders 1&2 when I think "oh this is kinda like zelda".
i think other developers should be honored that games are developed with aspects of their own games built into it. if you see that a game of a game series has a winning formula, then why would you not want to use some parts of that game in yours. Traditonally, movies are ridiculed by people when they take a formula from another game, but why? If you like the zelda games then why would you not want to see that same type of formula in another type of game. Again, with the god of war series, people loved those games for their combo system and the violence, and the great story. Now why would you not want those aspects in another game along with its own new features. i am enjoying darksiders 2 very much and i very much like the fact that this game features specs from other games and game series that are among my favorite to play.
excuse me .. I don't get it ..are we here against DarkSiders while it's received a nice review ?!
it may be a mish mash of all the similar games ..but still a good one it remains !
No one here is questioning the quality or review score of Darksiders II persay. I will be picking a copy myself with a new PS3 since my old one is shot, they are simply discussing the homage/ripoff debate as a whole with Darksiders as an excellent example.
Video games are a medium to tell stories, and Darksiders has an amazing story behind it. Game play elements are very difficult to completely re-imagine, and so a healthy dose of borrowing and paying homage to others is perfectly acceptable in my opinion. The reason people pick on games like Darksiders is because when a game play mechanic is borrowed in that genre it's very obvious - much more so than first/third person shooters or strategy games.
homage