10 Shameless Video Game Rip-Offs (That Were Actually Great)
8. Stardew Valley
Stardew Valley is perhaps the crowned king of awesome video game ripoffs - or "homages," if we want to be kind.
Developer Eric Barone has never shied away from the fact that his farming sim was heavily inspired by Harvest Moon, though rather than listlessly imitate it, he wanted to create a game that improved upon its template and rectified the perceived shortcomings of the flagging series.
Barone felt that while Harvest Moon had so many great elements, none of the series' titles had "brought it all together in a perfect way." And he was absolutely right.
And ultimately, from its deeper, more expansive mechanics to its effortlessly superior aesthetic and sheer charm, Stardew Valley is a better game than Harvest Moon has ever been.
It takes Harvest Moon's addictive simulation schematic and updates it with additions like combat, crafting, and same-sex marriage.
Hell, even Harvest Moon's creator, Yasuhiro Wada, gave his approval, stating that he was happy that his franchise continued on in spirit.