Didn't I play this before.. ?

[Tim]

While playing through FFVI advance, I've noticed for the first time all the similarities between VI and IX. I mean, the personalities of characters of specific classes, backstories for certain characters, places, and huge influences on the storyline.

There's Locke, for example, who constantly stresses "You don't need a reason to help people," only not in so many words. In the very beginning, Locke smuggles Terra out've Narshe to help her just as Zidane gets Garnet out've Alexandria (Even though zidane's situation has a more promising reward, as a smart thief I'm sure Locke would have to know the implications of having one of the few magic users on the side of the returners). Not to mention that both character's seem to be as about girls as the other (I'd like to think Edgar and Locke were combined to make Zidane's personality).

You have Shadow, who Amarant's personality is practically a carbon copy of. They both utilize the throw command even though they're entirely different classes (I guess?). Both bounty hunters/mercenaries. They both prefer fighting alone.

Beatrix is Celes, not only in personality, but in looks as well.

Quina fulfills the role of the minless Gau. Both use a form of blue magic, kinda. Both add practically nothing to the story.

Eiko takes the place of slightly less useless Relm as the annoying little girl. While their backstories differ, they both kinda play the same role of adding lightheartedness and whatnot to the story in times of seemingly endless turmoil.

Not to mention the similarities in the whole Kefka/Gestahl and the Kuja/Brahne thing. I mean, nutter general oversteps king/queen, etc, etc.

There's also the whole beginning of IX, which is pretty much entirely inspired by VI's opera scene. Put on play. Get's interrupted. Bitch gets kidnapped. Everyone leaves.

I think Square kinda knew that they had a hit with VI, but it was completely overcast by the shadow of VII once it came out with all it's fancy graphics and whatnot. I think they tried to take and remix the entire concept just enough to be a new game while garnering the same respect the storyline for VI had and at the same time the audience that the new 3D versions of FF grabbed in the process.

I could go on and on with the similarities.

So have you come across any games and thought, "man, this is the same game just a bit fancier?" Also I don't mean like "Yeah lol I saw black mages in FFI and then they were in all of them." I mean stuff that just stands out as a total plotline arc or character personality/storyline ripoffs for the sake of reiterating or reinventing previous success.

(This may be my first attempt at not spam in years.)

[AP]

I think FF9's similarities with 6 were undertaken fairly deliberately; after all, it was intended as a throwback to the older great FFs and if you're going to copy elements from the other games you're best off copying from the game with the most critical acclaim... it has quite a bit in common with 4, too.

As for the question... hmm, let me think on that one.

[Minion]

I've said before that FFIX was, to me, what a final fantasy should have been. It had an excellent story, good graphics (for it's time), took things back to the ATB bar and MAGIC (I, to this day, despise the Draw System), and was just all-around enjoyable to play.

Mind you, im not bashing any of the other FF's (save for VIII), but the similarities are there in a few of them, if you look hard enough.

But as for games that resemble one another....eh. I cant say i've looked that hard into it. I do see the resemblance of Star Wars: Battlefront to LotR: Conquest. But I have no complaints because they both own in so many ways. =P

[Aether]

Well, APs right. Final Fantasy IX was intended to copy from other Final Fantasies. Check out the plot of the Original Final Fantasy and the characters, and you'll see it.

As to the question, I've played games like that before. Most of all things like Doom...always the same. In fact pretty much all FPS (with possibly Portal as the only exception) are all the same pretty much. Go to some remote location, kill aliens/demons/monsters, blow the place up.

And if any of you have ever played a ren'ai game (the clean Japanese Visual Novels) you will agree with me when I say you could grab any of those games and play through the plot as they're all the same.

[AP]

Portal and Marathon are very similar, though. Both shooters by Bungie, admittedly about ten years apart... but Marathon is very much the 'basis' of what Halo would become. The Marathon character's helmet is usable by players in Halo 3's multiplayer, too.