A game very similar to Minecraft is coming to Xbox Live from a different developer under a different name.

Projector Games' FortressCraft not only has a title that sounds similar to Minecraft, but the game is extremely reminiscent too. While Mojang toils away at finishing the final version of Minecraft for the PC (and the iPad/iPhone), Projector Games plans to bring FortressCraft to Xbox Live Indie Games.

Like Minecraft, FortressCraft has players mining for materials and placing blocks. Differently, FortressCraft uses a more detailed graphics engine and will reportedly add new features not found in Minecraft, like minions that can perform tasks. It won't be a direct clone of Minecraft.

Projector Games plans to release FortressCraft on the Xbox Live Arcade Indie Games platform in chapters. The first chapter will be similar to the creative mode found in Minecraft. Subsequent chapters will add crafting, life, machinery, minions, PVP, and a "Fortress Assault" mode. Each chapter will cost 80 Microsoft Points ($1). Eventually, the game will come to other platforms.

After looking into FortressCraft past its exterior, I can say that it might be a game Minecraft fans should look forward to, rather than criticize based on its similarities. There's no doubt that it's taking advantage of the popularity of Minecraft, but there's nothing wrong with taking a game style and adapting it with new ideas, right? In fact, Minecraft creator Marcus "Notch" Persson himself admits that Minecraft was inspired by a very similar title called Infiniminer. For a few bucks, FortressCraft could be a fun way to use those skills built up in Minecraft in a different way.

Source: FortressCraft, via Joystiq