Why use 5E clones for OSR-style gaming? Well, it is familiar to many players, and it is just easier to jump into. The structure is the same, the concepts familiar, and players don't have to "shift gears" as hard to get playing.
Granted, the OSR is easy enough to get into - but to each their own.
One I picked up recently is the incredible and rules-light Into the Unknown, which tries to ease the learning curve between OSR-style play and D&D 5E play quite considerably, and it does not require the base 5E books to play. I like that the game is split into five smaller books, each one a mini-sourcebook for characters, playing the game, monsters, spells, and running the game.
I love the 5E-like games that do not rely on the Player's Handbook or 5E SRD, since when you have a PHB handy, the pressure to "just play 5E" is too intense, and the game you are trying to focus on suffers. Plus, finding games that are 5E-like that stand on their own is a cool thing, and worth calling out creators who put in the effort and time to make these creations happen.
ITU tries to simplify the 5E experience into an OGL-like retelling of the 5E base rules, compared to Low Fantasy Gaming which is more of a complete rewrite of the base game - but keeps the 5E structure.
Myself? I like Low Fantasy Gaming because it does a lot of new and original stuff; it adds corrupting and dangerous magic and gives the whole game a dark fantasy feeling.
Otherwise, this is a complete game, worth picking up, and an excellent choice for Wizards-less 5E.
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