[quote][url=https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Asset_flip]Warning: Asset Flip![/url][/quote]
Clowns is an asset flip, what Valve calls a "fake game". The "developer", Big Black Bear/Repa Games/ImperiumGame, took a template from GameMaker Studio, slapped a couple of asset flipped sprites on it, and dumped the results onto Steam as a cash grab scam.
Big Black Bear/Repa Games/ImperiumGame has shown a repeated pattern of ripping off GameMaker Studio and Unity templates and dumping them on Steam.
Don't believe me? Here's some other asset flips from exactly the same template, all shamelessly dumped on Steam as nasty cash grabs:
[list]
[*] "[url=https://store.steampowered.com/app/1533760]Crazy Doc[/url]", copy + pasted from the same template by HotFoodGames
[*] "[url=https://store.steampowered.com/app/1218530]LastShot[/url]", copy + pasted from the same template by Astero
[*] "[url=https://store.steampowered.com/app/1197840]The incredible friends[/url]", copy + pasted from the same template by Astero
[/list]
Look for yourself... these are all exactly the same game!
An important note: ImperiumGame are known asset flippers and have previously taken other developers work and put it on Steam in an attempt to scam gamers and get paid for someone else's effort. ImperiumGame have shown a repeated pattern of trying to scam gamers, here are some examples of other asset flip scams they've pulled:
[list]
[*] "[url=https://store.steampowered.com/app/857570]World of Feudal[/url]" = [url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GGslj41TSFY]Tayphyn[/url] developed by Bocharov Anton
[*] "[url=https://store.steampowered.com/app/1488020]Bird[/url]" = [url=https://assetstore.unity.com/packages/templates/systems/sky-flight-full-game-template-113460]Sky Flight Full Game Template[/url] developed by Puppeteer
[*] "[url=https://store.steampowered.com/app/1496430]Relax Fly[/url]" = [url=https://assetstore.unity.com/packages/templates/systems/sky-flight-full-game-template-113460]Sky Flight Full Game Template[/url] developed by Puppeteer
[*] "[url=https://store.steampowered.com/app/1470820]Mad Bus[/url]" = [url=https://assetstore.unity.com/packages/templates/packs/zigzag-infinite-runner-game-100035]ZigZag Infinite Runner Game[/url] developed by Puppeteer
[*] "[url=https://store.steampowered.com/app/913150]Kitten and Food: Adventure Park[/url]" = [url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kje_0eMY7g4]Cat and Food[/url] developed by Softrave
[/list]
The products that result from asset flips aren't "real" games. They lack depth and content, because they're just simplistic copies of demos or tutorials. In this case, "Clowns" is just a basic 2D retro pixel 1-screen platformer shooter with enemies that fall from the top of the screen, and doesn't have any merit as a proper, fully fledged PC game, so a copy+paste of it can't be recommended.
Asset flips don't involve any professional game development. Sure, sometimes they may change a few cosmetic things, swap out different assets etc, but at heart it's functionally identical to the asset they're ripping off. Asset flips are an insult to both PC gamers and to professional game developers who create genuine, high quality PC games. Asset flips like this are harmful to the gaming industry and to Steam because they reduce the visibility that sincerely made indie games should have. They make it harder for gamers to find genuine games made by honest developers.
To cement the position of this asset flip as nothing but a cash grab, it was dumped onto cheap DailyIndieGame shovelware bundles very shortly after launch. Don't reward this morally bankrupt, unethical behaviour from Big Black Bear/Repa Games/ImperiumGame.
