"You also deserve to copy xxxxx?"
"It's a tribute, you know a XX!"
Whenever a new game inherits and emulates an old game, it can often trigger a fierce mutual hatred on the Internet.
The boundaries of "plagiarism", "tribute" and "learning" are not easy to judge in themselves, legal judgments themselves are very difficult, and in the standards of folk morality, the boundaries of plagiarism and tribute are even more blurred.
In the end, which place crossed the line, people suddenly sprouted a nameless anger of "you also deserve the surname Zhao". In fact, most of the people chatting are also confused: a reproduction of famous lines and scenes? Is the art style similar, or is it a deliberate imitation of the game mechanics? It seems to be both, and it seems that it is not.
But when people see Evolution 2, most people's first reaction is "this is a tribute, not a plagiarism."
This RPG game developed by the European and American team Shiro Games and released by Heartbeat, the domestic mobile version was launched on TapTap and App Store on May 25 this year, and everyone can conclude at first glance that it is a work that pays tribute to its predecessors.
On the surface, the game presents classic scenes from other masterpieces in every way. The scene and the location of the treasure chest in the classic dialogue with the old tree are obviously the well-known levels of "Dragon King", the hidden cardboard box of the prison escape level and the whole process is a mini pixel style "Metal Gear Solid" pinch him, and the protagonist's decryption of the cutscene mini-animation uses the classic "Professor Layton Puzzle Solving". Not to mention the very 2D Zelda's pre-boss battles, the same way of waking up as Neverland... It can be said that there are pictures made by God everywhere.
But to say that this is plagiarism, it is really impossible to talk about, although there are familiar lines, familiar painting styles, familiar scenes and even similar details of the face, but the timing of their appearance and the content of the game have also been obviously carefully redesigned, and these memes are basically "super classic" scenes that you can think of at a glance. Arguably, I'm afraid you won't be able to see it – and that's where "homage" and covert plagiarism are the most different.
And these massive smorgasbord of games with different time and space is not just a random stew, but through the core script of time and space interlacing and traveling, the game makes the appearance of these classic scenes just right. It can be said that almost all the classic gameplay from the 1990s to the present has been carried out in a big series. From the old black-and-white drawings on a green background to the sleek 3D graphics of the present, each space-time time delicately corresponds to a different period of development in the history of the game. It should also be promoted with the in-game story.
Strictly speaking, this isn't the first time Shiro Games has tried to do this, as has the game's predecessor, which moved from the initial pixel wind to the new era of 3D modeling. Like the name "Land of Evolution", players are allowed to "change the style" several times during the game.
In this work, it has intensified in terms of "sudden change in painting style". Before entering the era of color pixels, there was a tutorial on the style of the GB era around 1994, and the picture of the green screen, black, white and gray color schemes, was filled with a strong atmosphere of the last century.
Compared with the previous game, the details and character shaping of each pixel era have also risen from the "era average" to the "good work level". It is more compatible with the style of classic works. But it still maintains the flavor of the original. For example, on the large map after leaving the village, although the pixel color is indeed more modern, the pixel and road composition are still a strong DQ style.
In terms of screen scene restoration, in addition to making the character modeling more in line with the aesthetics of today's players, the interlacing of each scene is also designed. Transitions between scenes are more natural. At the same time, the addition of some appropriate memes also makes this picture restoration more of a subtle coincidence of age and environment.
For example, when exploring the pyramids, you will find characters very similar to Laura, the protagonist of Tomb Raider. In one encounter, the player will encounter a squirrel wearing a strange 4-color blindfold, which is obviously pinching four "super ninja turtles" in his New York sewers. The game's style also corresponds to the mainstream games of the same era.
In addition to the inheritance of graphics and terriers, the game has also added more gameplay elements. For example, decryption, wargames, and even fighting games... If the sudden Layton wind that opened at Grandpa Fishing still made people feel "bright", then the subsequent play of "Fire Emblem" really frightened me.
In other words, this game tries to really make you re-follow the trajectory of the popular trend in terms of gameplay, and let you feel the flow of time from the bottom of your heart. Among them, the part that belongs to the "game" and the part that belongs to the "screen" are a match made in heaven, and the deep polishing in creativity and details has finally become one of the most classic nostalgic games in many hearts.
It is also for this reason that the game has been well received after it was released on PC, and the call for mobile has always been very high - after all, the style of the opening GB era is always almost interesting to play on the computer. Therefore, in 2019, the game launched an overseas version of the mobile terminal, but the quality of Chinese and the feel of operation cannot be regarded as perfect.
But now, with evolution 2 on May 25, when tapTap and the App Store go live, the new version also adds a new boss Rush mode for them to challenge. For those who have not yet touched this game and want to reminisce about the entire history of the game in a game, a better Chinese translation and a more convenient operation feel should also bring them a good adventure.
Well, without further ado, if you really want to play the classics of the old era, let's go back to where it all started and start the adventure.