If imitation is the sincerest form of flattery, then I wonder how Steve Fawkner and Infinite Interactive feel after hearing the news that casual game giant, PopCap games, and RPG mega giant, Square Enix, have combined forces to create what looks like the ultimate Puzzle Quest:Challenge of the Warlords clone called Gyromancer.
The match-3 puzzle and RPG elements are there, as well as spells, combos, story mode etc. Heck, it's even in the fantasy genre as well.
Take a peek at the trailer below:
Here are some details on the game:
STORY
Rivel, leader of the rebel faction Temperance and sorcerer vessel of the Godseye, follows Qraist, the countslayer, into the enchanted Aldemona Wood. The wood whispers to the two. For Rivel, the wood holds the key to his locked memories. For Qraist, the wood holds his calling -- to be its master. Unbeknownst to either, the nefarious Everett watches quietly from the shadows. Within this enchanted wood, severed from the outside world by ritual, lie mysteries and answers, knowledge and wonder. Each enters in search of something -- but what is it they will find?
FEATURES
* Assume the role of Rivel, a deadly mage, as he rids Aldemona Wood of a brooding darkness through over 10 compelling game stages
* Experience an all-new battle system based on the popular puzzle game Bejeweled Twist
* Command over 50 unique beasts! Powerful new beasts can be acquired as players gain levels in battle
* Search the map for items, coins and new beasts to join Rivel's fight
* Participate in the online ranking system to register high scores
Personally...
it looks a bit meh.
This game has some very good art to back it up but from what I can see by looking over the gameplay screen it doesn't look like they tired to add their own twist to the original. I could be wrong of course. But it just strikes me as an uninspired attempt on pop-caps behalf to get a market share of casual bejeweled / puzzle quest players.
Also the world map looks like ass.
TBH there are some effects in
TBH there are some effects in those screen shots that the infinite engine does not seem capable of at the moment. i.e. neither galactrix or puzzle quest presented near the level of special effects presented in those clips.
I suspect its time for the Infinite engine to get a bit of a upgrade.
Hmm..
I can't wait for the pokemon franchise to take one of these styles..
Just see it, you have you're different pokemon that you summon and each has different abilities.. You summon pokemon normally and have the normal pokemon style game though mana is gained of the board..
Hey Nintendo! Make this game and give me some of the profits. :)
When in Russia, do as Russians do.
An' match 3 was original? Come on, people have been copying Bejeweled for ages which I'm sure is a copy of another game. Feel for Infinite for how similar th' artwork looks but then again they're not too good at crediting their game designers either hey -- so who's black?
Sheesh - you accidentally
Sheesh - you accidentally leave an ex-employee's name off a credit list once... I sense I'll be apologizing for that forever...
But I guess "it only takes one goat" as Luigi the Goatf*&%er said... :-) heh
Cheers
-Steve
To infinity .. and beyond!
Well at least you're honest enough to admit it which is admirable. Personally, I'd find it quite a big deal since it's th' currency for getting work in th' industry however one could always make amends through Mobygames perhaps. I suppose I've had my rant an' said person in question is far more gracious than to make a big deal of it. Respect for that, I'm all about th' powered underpants in ways though probably shouldn't get so caught up in local disappointments.
On the subject...
On the subject of Gyromancer though, it looks gorgeous, and I'm always happy to have someone raise the bar in some area of a genre we work in... it makes us all work harder to be better!
Cheers
-Steve Fawkner
Fact Similar
We're seeing more an' more of this happening now though which is a worry. Companies with eerily similar ideas to other titles from smaller developers or even independents [ re: Enemy Airship / Hudsonsoft shadow gameplay ] that are able to bring titles to market with larger teams based on indie prototypes. How do people feel about this? It seems at th' end of th' day, th' players don't care anyway.
more players
Luckily I think Infinite's made a big splash with their brand of game and it'll take more than a similar game with flashy graphics to debunk them.
If anything it'll probably drive sales as new players get introduced to the formula and find they want more!
Scott.
Cheating
It makes me wonder how they'll tackle the issues that the original game had, particularly with the perception of cheating. I'm sure everyone knows by now that there was no cheating implemented into the AI, and so I assume it's either inherent with the game design or just players perception.
Anyway, I can't think of any two bigger companies in the casual & rpg field, and I would be bitterly disappointed if they couldn't come up with their own twist or new features.
Ahhh... Cheating...
Interestingly, they have sidestepped the cheating issue by not having an AI player.
It is really a single player game where you win by matching "damage" gems, and lose by matching "fail" gems. Quite clever, because whatever you do feels like your fault, not the fault of some "cheating" AI. Still not the same as PQ though.