Threads
- Light of Motiram, an upcoming Chinese game, is essentially Horizon meets Palworld.
- The game’s under attack for being a blatant rip-off, but it’s too early to judge.
- Genshin Impact was called such, too, but it ended up setting itself apart.
In a time when video game genres and design ideas are as numerous as the stars in the sky, certain concepts shine a lot brighter than others, and it’s only a matter of time before they invite others wishing to be like them. Being so popular that others want to imitate you is the greatest form of flattery after all.
I don’t think there’s necessarily a problem with wishing to adopt a popular idea. Taking a template and molding it into your vision is also a form of art. However, the boundary between inspiration and imitation is quite thin. Is Light of Motiram in the latter category?
Why it matters: Light of Motiram may look like a shameless copy, but considering past examples like Genshin Impact and BoTW, the verdict should be delayed a bit.
Light Of Motiram, Horizon Meets Palworld
My reason for having this discussion is the appearance of a rather controversial title from Tencent games called Light of Motiram, an open-world survival game where human civilization has receded, and the grassland-rich world is overrun with nightmarish machines that now stand in your way.
Your goal is to reign triumphant in this machine-controlled world by gathering and training small machines called Mechanimals to fight alongside you. You can craft bases and upgrades and customize these mechanical friends. Where have I seen all this before?
That’s right, the first part of this explanation is Sony’s Horizon series, down to the very last detail, while the latter is supposed to be Palworld’s second coming.
Inspiration? Or Just A Blatant Rip-Off?
Ever since Light of Motiram was unveiled, it has been under attack by almost everyone who comes across it. Accusations like “a blatant rip-off” and “a shameless copy” are flying like sparks. And to be honest, I don’t think people calling it so are in the wrong. From what I’ve seen so far, I’m inclined to agree.
From the core concept to the open world, environments, gameplay mechanics, and even the designs of the machines, it’s “we have Horizon at home” through and through, to the point that I can’t see any originality. And the “raising Mechanimals” aspect differs from Palworld in name only.
It’s not surprising, considering the history of Chinese games. Although novel and genuinely entertaining Chinese games do exist now, their past is practically filled with blatant copies and rip-offs. This is why the world is skeptical.
However, keep in mind that exceptions exist now more than ever. Chinese games are slowly redeeming themselves.
The Case Of Genshin Impact And BoTW
The most important example to support my claim is Genshin Impact. When the game was first unveiled, it was met with universal criticism for being a blatant Breath of the Wild clone. Nintendo’s legendary open world was so popular that countless clones emerged, but Genshin was particularly a lot imitative, exactly like Light of Motiram.
Even when it was released, for a few months, it had little stuff it could call its own. Being a hardcore Genshin fan, even I admit this. However, Genshin Impact didn’t let all this discourage it and continuously strived for improvement. When the Sumeru region was released, Genshin had long left its “blatant rip-off” past behind.
With Fontaine’s underwater exploration, Genshin Impact cemented itself as a brilliantly novel and entertaining title. It undoubtedly started as a BoTW clone, but calling it nothing more than a rip-off right now would be an insult to all its efforts.
Genshin is just a cheap BOTW clone/rip off right? Right?
byu/Shinucy inGenshin_Memepact
If Genshin Impact can accomplish this despite being universally called a shameless clone, I don’t see why Light of Motiram can achieve the same. With time and more gameplay reveals, who knows, it just might do something unique enough to appeal to the masses.
It’s Too Early To Dismiss Light Of Motiram
Besides, one of the games Light of Motiram is copying, Palworld, itself was a Pokemon clone. Despite being labeled a shameless copy, Palworld’s explosive popularity and renown overshadowed every Pokemon game.
It copies a little too much from Pokemon, no doubt, but its entertaining gameplay loop and unique take on the concept were too delicious to dismiss. It’s grown to the point that people wish to imitate this imitation, which speaks volumes.
Thus, I think we ought to give Light of Motiram and Tencent the benefit of the doubt for a little longer. Who knows, under this blatantly imitative cover, a genuinely intriguing and creative game awaits?
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Shameer Sarfaraz has previously worked for eXputer as a Senior News Writer for several years. Now with Tech4Gamers, he loves to devoutly keep up with the latest gaming and entertainment industries. He has a Bachelor’s Degree in Computer Science and years of experience reporting on games. Besides his passion for breaking news stories, Shahmeer loves spending his leisure time farming away in Stardew Valley. VGC, IGN, GameSpot, Game Rant, TheGamer, GamingBolt, The Verge, NME, Metro, Dot Esports, GameByte, Kotaku Australia, PC Gamer, and more have cited his articles.
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