Worried that many long running franchises are running out of new ideas, a reader suggests that pastiche is the best way to keep them interesting.
Is your favourite game series at risk of exhaustion and irrelevance? Are you worried about a dearth of new ideas? Do your favourite developers seem to struggle to figure out what’s next for their valuable properties?
‘’There’s got to be a better way!’’
I’m here to tell you that pastiches are the solution.
Pastiche (n)
1. a work of art that mixes styles, materials, etc.
2. a work of art that imitates the style of another artist or period.
(Collins definition)
I’m not talking about licensed spin-offs into different genres but the application of well-established, genre-defining ideas to properties and genres not historically associated with them.
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Here are some of my favourite examples.
Castlevania but it’s a role-playing game
Symphony Of The Night is closing in on 30 years of age but it’s still a top example of how to breathe new life into a series (and a scrolling action genre) that was potentially beginning to struggle in terms of relevance and ideas.
We’ve since seen the RPG-ification of pretty much all genres in one way or another, and there’s a reason for that. I’d consider Symphony Of The Night to be an early pioneer.
Prince of Persia but it’s a Metroidvania
Sticking with a theme for a minute, Prince Of Persia: The Lost Crown has probably been the best in the series over at least the past two decades. It demonstrates how even something that’s now as oversaturated as the 2D Metroidvania can still be fresh and compelling when applied to a series known for its fluid mechanics and satisfying challenges (or at least The Sands Of Time gave the Prince that reputation).
Shout out to Yoku’s Island Express as another pastiche in this genre. That, of course, representing the Metroidvania and the enduringly popular dung beetle simulator…
Pokémon but it’s Dragon Quest Builders
Builders was already a mix of Minecraft and Dragon Quest so Pokopia is worth bringing up if only to show you can nest your pastiches within pastiches.
But here we also have the most recent successful rejuvenation of an increasingly exhausted series as a result of looking more outwards in terms of both developer and premise. One well-executed mix and match has resulted in the most highly praised Pokémon game ever.
Zelda but it’s a rhythm action game
I won’t claim Cadence Of Hyrule: Crypt Of The NecroDancer was the pinnacle of Zelda but it was very worthwhile. Once again, this is the exact sort of approach Nintendo should be taking to keep its biggest and oldest properties fresh, and to attract development resources that’ll do them justice while we wait for the next killer app instalment.
Also worth mentioning is ‘Zelda but it’s a twin stick shooter’. I’ve yet to play Minishoot’ Adventures but there’s a reason it’s celebrated as more than just another Zelda or Geometry Wars clone.
Final Fantasy but it’s a Sekiro style parry fest
For those who could never gel with Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice compared to earlier From games, I’ll die (once) on the hill that says getting to grips with its combat is one of the most satisfying experiences available in all of third person action gaming.
Clair Obscur: Expedition 33’s application of that to a turn-based role-playing game was a masterstroke, to the point where someone like myself – who would traditionally try and avoid too many random turn-based encounters – was actively looking for a fight whenever possible.
It sounds like such a basic thing: when the enemy slashes horizontally, jump and attack. When they come at you with their rhythmic pattern, don’t block or dodge, but take the risk of a parry and you’ll eventually be consistently rewarded with counters that represent high-damage cinematic loveliness.
Gears Of War but it’s a bullet hell roguelite
Around these parts it’s probably accepted a bit more than elsewhere, that Returnal is one of the best games of the generation so far. I’m hopeful Saros will help players to draw out its merits more easily, so fewer are put off by certain design decisions.
Clearing a busy room by maximising the benefits of whatever set-up the game serves you felt balletic, psychedelic, empowering and – crucially – always engaging.
XCOM but it’s a deck builder
Speaking of making the most of the hand you’re dealt, when we first learned about Marvel’s Midnight Suns, the deck builder route attracted a lot of complaining, and I’d be lying if I said I wouldn’t want to see a more pure attempt at Marvel’s XCOM.
The apparent impact of Midnight Sun’s reception on key Firaxis talent is a modern industry tragedy but this is a great game in its own right, with the deck building encouraging some very satisfying moment-to-moment improvisation.
I hope these examples get the point across but here are a few suggestions for new genre mixes that I think could be quite powerful.
Mega Man but it’s a 3D Soulslike
I don’t like the idea of everything copying Dark Souls but I feel the genre’s properties could bring a lot to some games. The bosses, the difficulty, the level structure and the non-linearity of Mega Man are already all there in Demon’s Souls.
Start off in some sort of lab-based hub that branches into different zones. But this time Easy mode involves completing those zones in a logical order based on the abilities you earned from earlier bosses (Wood Man after Heat Man, etc). But on top of the abilities you acquire there are Soulslike attributes to level up and customise Mega Man.
To me it sounds like the best way to bring the series into the modern day (and successfully into 3D for the first time).
Titanfall but it’s a battle royale
This is what I sort of hoped Apex Legends would evolve into. To be honest I’m not sure it would really be better than the amazing Titanfall 2 – I’ve only dabbled in battle royale games so far – but it feels like a logical evolution in terms of scope.
Equal shout out to a Splatoon Battle Royale. I love that series, but it needs to branch out a bit now. Maybe the upcoming Splatoon Raiders will successfully borrow from elsewhere too.
Zelda but it’s a full-on survival game
I feel like some of the best parts of Breath Of The Wild were down to the survival lite resource gathering, but I also think some of the backlash against it came from a refusal to recognise that was a fundamental aspect of the game, at least at the start.
Eventide Island, where you’re stranded with barely a twig to your name, is a real series highlight. To double down on what was good about that, I’m thinking Subnautica, whether Zelda goes back to the sea or it just takes spirit of that game but stays on land or in the sky.
Tears Of The Kingdom was criticised a bit for the arguably unfocused applications of its building system. Let’s see that game’s emergent interactivity mixed with Subnautica’s branching craft-based objective systems and settlement building.
I want to see Link (or Zelda) start with nothing and progress to running a fully customised resource rich estate with a permanent fleet of crafted vehicles and powerful weapons. But with the well-designed dungeons and compelling overworld that Subnautica lacked.
Super Mario but it’s Breath of the Wild
Many will no doubt roll their eyes at the suggestion of another tightly designed series moving into the less focused realm of open world but I’m standing my ground.
I’m sure Sonic Frontiers gives a rough idea of what I’m thinking (maybe it’s one of the reasons GC were fans) but I haven’t played that yet. The basic principle for me is nonetheless that Zelda brought as much to the open world format as the series took from it, and I’d have to think the peerless level of invention associated with Mario would make it an equally great contributor to open world design.
I’d like to hear from others regarding existing examples and suggestions for great genre mix-ups. As I’ve tried to show, it’s long proven to be a way to keep things fresh and interesting but I never seem to see it discussed and acknowledged as much as I’d expect, either as a solution to creative stagnation or commercial struggles.
By reader Panda
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