Imitation is the sincerest form of flattery, or so the saying goes, and when basically any game makes a sizable enough splash with players, there are going to be dozens of me-too games sliding out of the woodwork to try and cash in.

But every so often a game that's inspired by a bonafide classic isn't merely a solid effort, but genuinely great in its own right, and in the rarest of circumstances even manages to surpass the achievements of the very game that inspired it.

That's assuredly the case with all of these games, which despite being built on the foundations of others that released years, even decades before, did something wildly fresh and inventive with the formula.

Even though they were dubbed rip-offs, and one was even sued to that effect, these games all earned their keep with their fresh spin on the original concept, their gameplay evolutions, and the sheer charm they brought to the table.

The lesson here? Just because a game looks like it's cynically ripping off an existing hit, every so often you might end up pleasantly surprised...

True Crime: Streets of LA occupies a bit of an awkward spot in the annals of open-world action-adventure games, because while many dismissed it at the time as an also-ran Grand Theft Auto III clone, it brought a whole ton of its own distinct personality to the table.

After all, did GTA III let you fight a dragon? Methinks not.

Sequel True Crime: New York City was released in 2005, and though a third game was planned, it was ultimately cancelled in 2011.

Square Enix then ended up acquiring the rights to this game and reworked it into an entirely original title, Sleeping Dogs.

Sleeping Dogs boasts the lived-in world and brutal violence you’d expect from a True Crime game but also dared to go deeper, with its more emotionally engaging story and generally polished presentation.

The combat, the characters, and the evocative Hong Kong setting elevated Sleeping Dogs far above the already stellar achievements of the original True Crime, yet a planned sequel was sadly scrapped because the game failed to meet Square Enix’s lofty sales targets. Boo.

Jack Pooley

Contributor

Stay at home dad who spends as much time teaching his kids the merits of Martin Scorsese as possible (against the missus' wishes). General video game, TV and film nut. Occasional sports fan. Full time loon.

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