Some say every piece of art is based on another in some way, and video games certainly aren't unique in that regard. With a history spanning generations, the children who used to play on SNES or OG PlayStation are now the ones developing games. One example is Shrine's Legacy, an upcoming 2D RPG from Positive Concept Games that takes inspiration from classic titles. In a recent interview with Game Rant, Positive Concept Games' creative director Alan Gabbard and technical director Joseph Duke discussed Shrine's Legacy's inspirations.
While some games might be more obvious to spot, like the bosses in the 2D Legend of Zelda games, there are more subtle references as well. In fact, Gabbard and Duke worry some of their more obscure inspirations have fallen out of public perception. What was most important to Positive Concept Games is properly making their game feel like an adventure with real stakes and memorable characters. Based on the games they had grown to love, Duke and Gabbard decided they would try to take inspiration from past titles while evolving the formula in their own way.
SNES Titles
The Super Nintendo Entertainment System (SNES) first released near the end of 1990, over 30 years ago. While it didn't boast flashy graphics or complicated mechanics compared to today's offerings, the SNES still managed to capture hearts through the variety of stories players had access to. This stands out in the minds of Gabbard and Duke, who grew up playing titles like Soul Blazer, Terranigma, and Illusion of Gaia. These titles would go on to play a big part in creating Shrine's Legacy, Gabbard said.
"We have this problem where it's really obvious that Illusion of Gaia, Terranigma, and Soul Blazer are big influences, but they're really niche."
The two developers expressed worry that as time goes on, these games that mean so much to them won't be recognized, especially the inspirations their game takes from it. That being said, Shrine's Legacy can be a memorial, if not a beacon, for the titles that inspired it.
Legend of Zelda, Secret of Mana, and Final Fantasy
When entering the first dungeon of the Shrine's Legacy demo, which is available on Positive Concept Games' website, the player may recognize red slimes crawling around the dungeon floor. When they encounter the boss monster, they'll be confronted with a giant blob of slime reminiscent of a boss from one of the Zelda games. The developers at Positive Concept Games feel the Legend of Zelda series had the best puzzles and bosses, and chose Secret of Mana as another influence due to its co-op. Gabbard discussed what they pulled from in detail.
"I would say like the biggest influences for what it is today would be games like Link to the Past, the Mana series, especially for the co-op, and the storytelling of Final Fantasy."
Something the developers pressed on was how much they wanted the story and characters to be as dynamic and meaningful as the ones Final Fantasy has been able to pull off for decades. While characters will range from evil to loveable, the most important ones will have an arc meant to create a more lively environment in Shrine's Legacy.
Shrine's Legacy is a love letter to the classic JRPGs that paved the way for many of the games that players have today. With a new story and a memorable cast of characters, Positive Concept Games seeks to create an experience that borrows from these classic titles while evolving on the classic JRPG formula.
Shrine's Legacy is currently in development.