11 "Hated" Video Games You Should Play In 2022
2. Tunic
Being an indie developer, it's difficult to make a splash, no matter how good your game is. When you're competing against massive gaming companies and universally-known franchises, it's easy to get lost in the shuffle.
That's why it was a dream come true when Andrew Shouldice's first game, Tunic, received high praise immediately upon its release. The game stands out due to its innovative gameplay, creative puzzles, and beautiful aesthetic, which is heavily based on The Legend of Zelda.
Sadly, this caused a massive problem.
Even though Shouldice has made no secret where he drew inspiration from, Nintendo fans saw Tunic as a flagrant rip-off of the classic LoZ series. This seems like an unfair criticism since every game was the brainchild of another property.
The Wunderling took elements from Super Mario Bros.
Hollow Knight follows the same structure as Metroid.
Virtually every fighting game used Street Fighter II as a template.
Now, this criticism could be justified if Tunic was a shallow carbon copy of The Legend of Zelda. Although the similarities are unmistakable, the mechanics, puzzles, and isometric projection allow Shouldice's work to feel like its own thing.
Tunic is certainly enhanced by the Zelda touches but it does not rely on them, which is why this title doesn't deserve so much hate.