DeepBlue Interactive's New Roguelike Mode Called Out for Copying Arknights — Side-by-Side Screenshots So Similar Players Can't Tell Them Apart

One comparison image — Arknights on the left, another game on the right. Can you tell which is which? This NGA post dropped 5 sets of roguelike mode screenshots, and the similarity level absolutely blew up the comment section.

The post title directly calls out DeepBlue Interactive (深蓝互动), developer of Reverse: 1999. The trigger? Their new game's roguelike mode was exposed for having eerily similar UI layout and art direction to Arknights' Phantom roguelike (方舟's flagship roguelike mode). The moment the comparison screenshots hit, the comment section erupted. The OP tried the classic 'I'm not naming names' disclaimer, but everyone knew exactly what was up.

The top-voted comments are basically a mass 'I literally can't tell' moment. One player said it straight: 'Honest to god it looks so similar I can't tell it's two different games... Fun gameplay mechanics spreading around is a good thing, but shouldn't you at least add your own flavor to the design?' Another wrote: 'I'll admit the last two screenshots — I couldn't even tell which one was from 1999 at first glance. The vibe is TOO accurate. If someone told me these were leaked assets from a new Arknights roguelike theme, I'd totally believe it.'

Some more measured voices pointed out that the first comparison isn't that egregious — Arknights' 'Lone Star' (孤星) event's retro-futuristic color palette and aerospace theme does share some DNA with the other game's similar aesthetic, 'but you can still see some original design there.' However, the UI comparisons in the remaining screenshots are basically indefensible. One commenter nailed it: 'The first one's a stretch, but the rest... there's no way around it. Calling these UI designs a straight-up copy is completely fair, right?'

The real plot twist? A commenter pointed out: 'Didn't Hypergryph invest in DeepBlue?' — meaning the party being copied is literally an investor in the copying party. Another player reacted: 'Even with an investment relationship, okay fine, some similarity is expected — but this level of similarity where you literally can't distinguish one from the other? That's too much.' One person summed it up perfectly: 'So basically this is the spiritual successor to Phantom roguelike.'

The most absurd part of this whole saga: setting aside whether it's technically 'copying' or not — DeepBlue Interactive had the audacity to clone their own investor's signature game mode this closely. In the gacha gaming world, this is going down as a legendary 'inspiration' case study. As for the copied party? They can probably only wipe their tears with the investment returns.