Are all turn-based RPGs with parrying a copy of Expedition 33? The Time I Have Left devs defend their game from accusations

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It’s common to see games with similar ideas, and it often leads to the question of whether one is simply copying the other, or building upon an existing concept. The recent case of Palworld and Pokémon is a good example. While their creature-catching systems are alike – and Nintendo is currently pursuing legal action – and some creatures look familiar, labeling Palworld a mere “copy” feels unfair when it shares only a few elements with the popular Pokémon series.

It’s a clear case of unfair call out

Ground, an independent game studio from Barcelona, recently addressed comparisons between their upcoming game, The Time I Have Left, and another game called Expedition 33. They made a clear statement on X (formerly Twitter) about the similarities.

Some players expressed concern that The Time I Have Left plays similarly to Expedition 33, particularly with its dodging and parrying. However, Sandfall Interactive wasn’t the originator of these features in Expedition 33. In fact, it’s difficult to say who first introduced timing-based actions to turn-based games. The Final Fantasy series, for instance, included defensive options like “Defend” and “Counter” that required timing and decision-making, which could be considered an early version of parrying in Japanese role-playing games.

The precise timing of dodges and parries – actively moving to avoid or counter attacks – is a relatively new feature in games. It developed from systems that blend fast-paced action with turn-based elements, such as those found in the Paper Mario games of the 2000s, where hitting a button at the right moment lessens damage or allows a counterattack. Therefore, the mechanics weren’t first created in Expedition 33.

While The Time I Have Left and Expedition 33 both involve a character facing a deadly condition – as described in The Time I Have Left’s Steam description about ‘The Miasma’ – claims that one copied the other aren’t accurate. The demo for The Time I Have Left was actually released on Steam in 2022, well before Expedition 33 was even announced, proving it wasn’t inspired by that game.

As a gamer, I’ve seen so many discussions about whether games are truly original or just copies of each other – like with Roblox Plants vs Brainrots. But it’s funny, because if you think about Stardew Valley, one of the biggest indie games of the last ten years, it heavily borrows from the older Harvest Moon games. Seriously, you inherit a farm from your grandpa, get a farm valuation after three years, and even start with the same crops! But nobody calls Stardew Valley a ripoff, and for good reason – it’s clearly its own thing. So when people dismiss a completely different game as a copy just because it has a few similar mechanics to something popular, it just seems really unfair and, honestly, a bit silly.

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2025-11-13 21:02