Gauntlet series reimagined some ideas

[commodorejohn]

If you were to do a Gauntlet clone, it'd be nice to have characters that play more distinctively (so yeah, special moves, melee versus ranged weapons, that kind of thing.)

[commodorejohn]

I don't think you necessarily need a story-driven game to increase the RPG factor. The Etrian Odyssey series is a prime example of an uncluttered, game-focused RPG: the mechanics work, the battles are fun, the exploring's fun, and the plot never tries to get in the way. A more RPG-like Gauntlet clone should probably be closer to that, because nobody plays Gauntlet for the plot.