The indie RPG Entropy draws inspiration from earlier game design. Discussing the potential fatigue caused by large open worlds, lead creator James Wragg noted that one appeal of older games is knowing when to end, avoiding overly drawn-out experiences.
Entropy is being developed by Lovely Hellplace, the studio behind Fear & Hunger. Both titles feature a retro visual style and draw design inspiration from early games, with works from the PS1, PS2, and GameCube eras cited as reference points in the discussion.
Wragg also mentioned that he hasn't finished The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild; instead, he felt like revisiting the 2002 title The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker. The article's author shared a similar personal experience: having not completed a second playthrough of Breath of the Wild, they recently shifted from Elden Ring to Bloodborne and Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice, which are easier to play in segments.
Although Fear & Hunger is an open-world game, its map is relatively compact, with a playtime of about 15 to 20 hours. Based on the map snippets shown for Entropy, the article's author judges that its world might be quite large and hopes the team continues their previous approach of creating a sense of scale within limited scope. This remains the author's observation and cannot be taken as confirmation of Entropy's actual length.
Players can currently check out the free demo for Entropy on Steam, as well as the Early Access version priced at $12.