As can be seen in the latest trailer, we have gone from Hoagies to Hearts as the health-metric for the games heroine.
We don’t try to hide the fact that we’re hugely inspired by the Zelda-series for the development of Ittle Dew, but we do try to take it forward where we can. For example we have carefully decided on 4 items that work extremely well together, so we can get rid of the Item-menu and the item switch mechanic that we feel is cumbersome.
However, when we can’t really improve upon the formula, we don’t. There are a number of areas of design where we went around in circles for days before ending up with a design that’s very similar (if not identical) to how Nintendo solved the same problem back in 1991. This goes for the perspective, doors, some monsters, etc, etc.
We will probably have to defend our Zelda-homage more than once for being a rip-off. But I feel there are way too few good action-adventure games out there – see this as a counter-balance to just another FPS about pending doom in four shades of gray.