No more of a rip off than any platformer is of super mario bros. Pikmin showed an effective way to create a Real time Strategy-esque game on consoles. All of the overlord games took the formula and added their own Jazz to it, as does LKS.

It is far more complex than pikmin as well. In pikmin 2 you had a total of 5 different pikmin (compared to 3 in pikmin), and honestly the variance between them wasn't particularly extreme. LKS has 14 different classes and the differences are very extreme. You can also equip your villagers with items, armor ect. You also get different formations for your group with different purposes. You have to fight alot more strategically as well. It's definitely not just a "rip off" of pikmin, anymore than Megaman was a "rip off" of Super Mario Bros. Very similar concepts, but with alot of stuff added on top.

unfortunately, this game will likely win the award of "best game no one played" :'(

and killerjoshies, i was thinking the same way about this game a few months ago. you really should at least rent it and play it so you can see for yourself how it's similar to pikmin, how it's different, and why so many people on this site are loving it.

Well guess what? Gaygamer review:
9.0/10

damn it I must have this game now. I probably wont be able to get it until the middle of august though.

tough luck kid. well, look on the bright side, maybe you'll be able to find it for less than full price :).