Software:Agent Armstrong

From HandWiki
Short description: 1997 video game
Agent Armstrong
PlayStation PAL cover
Developer(s)King of the Jungle
Publisher(s)Virgin Interactive
Designer(s)Jolyon Myers
Raffaele Cecco
Programmer(s)Raffaele Cecco
Platform(s)PlayStation, Windows
ReleasePlayStation
  • EU: 18 September 1997
  • JP: 4 December 1997
Windows
Genre(s)Platform
Mode(s)Single-player

Agent Armstrong is a platform game for PlayStation and Microsoft Windows developed by King of the Jungle and published by Virgin Interactive.

Plot

In 1935, the British Secret Service's most respected asset, Agent Armstrong, must put a stop to a mysterious, evil organization known as the Syndicate.[1] He has absconded from the Syndicate with plans that reveal their weaknesses. Armed with this information, he chases the Syndicate and their leader, Spats Falconetti, around the globe as they gradually take over the world.[2]

Gameplay

Screenshot of jungle level showing action with enemy mortars.
Screenshot of the jungle level showing action with enemy mortars.

The game is a side-scrolling 3D platform game. Along with left to right movement, the character can also move back (away from the screen) and forwards (towards the screen). It is broken down into 30 levels taking place in various different locations such as Chicago and the Amazon. The player, armed with a gun and grenades[3] must fight their way through various enemies and large mid-level and end-level bosses.[4] In addition to simply killing enemies the game also contains mission based tasks or objectives that must be completed[4] such as destroying Syndicate supply crates in the level.

The game also features several cutscenes and FMV sequences.

Development

The game was developed by King of the Jungle, a company founded in early 1995.[5] Jolyon Myers, one of the lead developers stated in an interview with Retro Gamer that parts of Agent Armstrong were inspired by the arcade video game ThunderJaws.[6] He also states on his portfolio website that he created the backgrounds for the game in Deluxe Paint[7] and the cover art and other renders using 3D studio.[8] The game runs at 60 frames per second due to specially created set construction software.[1][4]

Reception

Computer and Video Games magazine gave the game 2 out of 5 stating that "the action is repetitive with the same old thing to do all the way through the game.[3]

Jeuxvideo.com gave the game 14 out of 20 in a retrospective review in 2012.[9]

References

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 (in en) Playstation Plus UK Volume 2 Issue 09. June 1997. pp. 48. https://archive.org/details/PlaystationPlusUKVolume2Issue09. 
  2. ↑ Box Office Magazines Ltd. (August 1997). Total Games. Box Office Magazines Ltd.. pp. 29. https://archive.org/details/TotalGamesAug97/page/n27. 
  3. ↑ 3.0 3.1 Lomas, Ed (September 1997). Computer and Video Games - Issue 190 (1997-09)(EMAP Images)(GB). pp. 78. https://archive.org/details/Computer_and_Video_Games_Issue_190_1997-09_EMAP_Images_GB/page/n77. 
  4. ↑ 4.0 4.1 4.2 (in en) Total Playstation Volume 2 issue 4. pp. 24. https://archive.org/details/TotalPlaystationV204/page/n23. 
  5. ↑ "About the company". Archived from the original on June 23, 2000. https://web.archive.org/web/20000623084505/http://www.kingofthejungle.co.uk/company/index.htm. Retrieved June 11, 2025. 
  6. ↑ (in en) Retro Gamer UK Issue 184. pp. 81. https://archive.org/details/RetroGamerUKIssue184. 
  7. ↑ "AA – Backgrounds B" (in en). 2013-05-06. https://jolyonmyers.wordpress.com/2013/05/06/aa-backgrounds-b/. 
  8. ↑ "AA – Renders" (in en). 2013-05-06. https://jolyonmyers.wordpress.com/2013/05/06/aa-renders/. 
  9. ↑ "Test du jeu Agent Armstrong sur PS1" (in fr). 8 February 2012. http://www.jeuxvideo.com/articles/0001/00018330-agent-armstrong-test.htm. 

Features

Edits and submissions to the site (including screenshots, box art, developer information, game summaries, and more) go through a verification process of fact-checking by volunteer "approvers".[2] This lengthy approval process after submission can range from minutes to days or months.[3] The most commonly used sources are the video game's website, packaging, and credit screens. There is a published standard for game information and copy-editing.[4] A ranking system allows users to earn points for contributing accurate information.[5]

Registered users can rate and review games. Users can create private or public "have" and "want" lists, which can generate a list of games available for trade with other registered users. The site contains an integrated forum. Each listed game can have its own sub-forum.

History

Logo used until March 2014

MobyGames was founded on March 1, 1999, by Jim Leonard and Brian Hirt, and joined by David Berk 18 months later, the three of which had been friends since high school.[6][7] Leonard had the idea of sharing information about computer games with a larger audience. The database began with information about games for IBM PC compatibles, relying on the founders' personal collections. Eventually, the site was opened up to allow general users to contribute information.[5] In a 2003 interview, Berk emphasized MobyGames' dedication to taking video games more seriously than broader society and to preserving games for their important cultural influence.[5]

In mid-2010, MobyGames was purchased by GameFly for an undisclosed amount.[8] This was announced to the community post factum , and the site's interface was given an unpopular redesign.[7] A few major contributors left, refusing to do volunteer work for a commercial website.{{Citation needed|date=June 2025} On December 18, 2013, MobyGames was acquired by Jeremiah Freyholtz, owner of Blue Flame Labs (a San Francisco-based game and web development company) and VGBoxArt (a site for fan-made video game box art).[9] Blue Flame Labs reverted MobyGames' interface to its pre-overhaul look and feel,[10] and for the next eight years, the site was run by Freyholtz and Independent Games Festival organizer Simon Carless.[7]

On November 24, 2021, Atari SA announced a potential deal with Blue Flame Labs to purchase MobyGames for $1.5 million.[11] The purchase was completed on 8 March 2022, with Freyholtz remaining as general manager.[12][13][14] Over the next year, the financial boost given by Atari led to a rework of the site being built from scratch with a new backend codebase, as well as updates improving the mobile and desktop user interface.[1] This was accomplished by investing in full-time development of the site instead of its previously part-time development.[15]

In 2024, MobyGames began offering a paid "Pro" membership option for the site to generate additional revenue.[16] Previously, the site had generated income exclusively through banner ads and (from March 2014 onward) a small number of patrons via the Patreon website.[17]

See also

  • IGDB – game database used by Twitch for its search and discovery functions

References

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 Sheehan, Gavin (2023-02-22). "Atari Relaunches The Fully Rebuilt & Optimized MobyGames Website". https://bleedingcool.com/games/atari-relaunches-the-fully-rebuilt-optimized-mobygames-website/. 
  2. ↑ Litchfield, Ted (2021-11-26). "Zombie company Atari to devour MobyGames". https://www.pcgamer.com/zombie-company-atari-to-devour-mobygames/. 
  3. ↑ "MobyGames FAQ: Emails Answered § When will my submission be approved?". Blue Flame Labs. 30 March 2014. http://www.mobygames.com/info/faq7#g1. 
  4. ↑ "The MobyGames Standards and Practices". Blue Flame Labs. 6 January 2016. http://www.mobygames.com/info/standards. 
  5. ↑ 5.0 5.1 5.2 Miller, Stanley A. (2003-04-22). "People's choice awards honor favorite Web sites". Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. 
  6. ↑ "20 Years of MobyGames" (in en). 2019-02-28. https://trixter.oldskool.org/2019/02/28/20-years-of-mobygames/. 
  7. ↑ 7.0 7.1 7.2 Plunkett, Luke (2022-03-10). "Atari Buys MobyGames For $1.5 Million". https://kotaku.com/mobygames-retro-credits-database-imdb-atari-freyholtz-b-1848638521. 
  8. ↑ "Report: MobyGames Acquired By GameFly Media". Gamasutra. 2011-02-07. https://www.gamedeveloper.com/game-platforms/report-mobygames-acquired-by-gamefly-media. 
  9. ↑ Corriea, Alexa Ray (December 31, 2013). "MobyGames purchased from GameFly, improvements planned". http://www.polygon.com/2013/12/31/5261414/mobygames-purchased-from-gamefly-improvements-planned. 
  10. ↑ Wawro, Alex (31 December 2013). "Game dev database MobyGames getting some TLC under new owner". Gamasutra. https://www.gamedeveloper.com/business/game-dev-database-mobygames-getting-some-tlc-under-new-owner. 
  11. ↑ "Atari invests in Anstream, may buy MobyGames". November 24, 2021. https://www.gamesindustry.biz/articles/2021-11-24-atari-invests-in-anstream-may-buy-mobygames. 
  12. ↑ Rousseau, Jeffrey (2022-03-09). "Atari purchases Moby Games". https://www.gamesindustry.biz/atari-purchases-moby-games. 
  13. ↑ "Atari Completes MobyGames Acquisition, Details Plans for the Site's Continued Support". March 8, 2022. https://www.atari.com/atari-completes-mobygames-acquisition-details-plans-for-the-sites-continued-support/. 
  14. ↑ "Atari has acquired game database MobyGames for $1.5 million" (in en-GB). 2022-03-09. https://www.videogameschronicle.com/news/atari-has-acquired-game-database-mobygames-for-1-5-million/. 
  15. ↑ Stanton, Rich (2022-03-10). "Atari buys videogame database MobyGames for $1.5 million". https://www.pcgamer.com/atari-buys-videogame-database-mobygames-for-dollar15-million/. 
  16. ↑ Harris, John (2024-03-09). "MobyGames Offering “Pro” Membership". https://setsideb.com/mobygames-offering-pro-membership/. 
  17. ↑ "MobyGames on Patreon". http://www.patreon.com/mobygames. 
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