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

Sometimes it’s hard not to notice the similarities between two different games. You start wondering: are they just ripping off, or did they take an idea and turn it into something new? Take Palworld and Pokémon, for example. The catching system is very similar, and the Nintendo lawsuit is still dragging on. Some of the Pals even resemble certain Pokémon, so it’s natural that people compare the two. But it feels unfair when a game gets named a “copy” just because it shares a few mechanics with a popular title.

It's a clear case of unfair call out

The Time I Have Left is an upcoming game from Ground, an indie studio based in Barcelona. Yesterday, they posted a pretty straightforward statement on X addressing the comparisons between their game and Expedition 33.

Source: The Time I Have Left; Developer: Ground

Some people apparently weren’t too happy that The Time I Have Left has similar mechanics to Expedition 33, like dodges and parries. But the thing is, Sandfall Interactive wasn’t even the first to use those features in Expedition 33. It’s hard to even pin down who first brought those timing-based actions to a turn-based game. Final Fantasy series, for example, had defensive options like “Defend” or “Counter,” where timing and choice mattered, so we could say that it was an early form of parrying in JRPGs.

Modern dodging and parrying, where you actively time moves to avoid or counter attacks, is more of a recent evolution. It’s influenced by hybrid systems that mix real-time action with turn-based combat, like in the Paper Mario games from the 2000s, where you press a button at the right time to reduce damage or counter. So really, these mechanics weren’t invented in Expedition 33.

The Time I Have Left has a futuristic theme, totally different from Expedition 33. Sure, the Steam description – “A mysterious phenomenon known only as ‘The Miasma’ has marked Aline for certain death” – might sound familiar, but plots like this have been used countless times before. Those accusations just don’t hold up. Especially considering the demo for The Time I Have Left came out on Steam in 2022, way before anyone had even heard of Expedition 33.

There are plenty of cases where a game is clearly inspired by another, and people debate whether it has its own identity or just borrowed some mechanics, like with Roblox Plants vs Brainrots. But here’s the funny part: think about one of the most popular indie hits of the past decade, Stardew Valley. That game borrows a ton from the early Harvest Moon titles. You inherit a farm from your grandpa, you get a valuation after three in-game years, and even the starting crops are the same. Yet no one calls Stardew Valley a ripoff, because it’s clearly not. So when someone labels a completely different game as a copy just because it shares a few mechanics with a popular title, that’s just plain dumb.

The Time I Have Left

2027

Want It!

• Overview

• indie games
• copyright
• RPG games