Videogame clones have been around for almost as long as videogames themselves - and ever since then, they've been accused of being cheap imitations and cashing in on the hard work of other people, but are we wrong about clones? Hidden within all the shameless copies and knockoffs, could there be some clones which actually improve the gaming medium, rather than take away from it?
Well, after one too many monster-infested dystopias where time is convoluted, backtracking is commonplace and no-one can agree on what a bonfire looks like, The Architect has discovered that our relationship with clones might be a little more complex than it appears. Whether they're refining existing experiences, catering to niche audiences or pushing beloved genres forward bit by bit - not only do clones do a lot of hard work behind the scenes, but many of our favorite titles may actually have started life as clones as well.
