Software:Akuji the Heartless

From HandWiki
Short description: 1999 video game

Akuji the Heartless
Developer(s)Crystal Dynamics
Publisher(s)Eidos Interactive
Director(s)Glen Schofield
Producer(s)Sam Player
Jonathan Miller
Jeffrey Zwelling
Designer(s)Josh Rose
Programmer(s)David Minogue
Artist(s)Rodger Ferris
Todd Gantzler
Damon Redmond
Steven A. Ross
Glen Schofield
Robb Waters
Writer(s)Jim Curry
Eric Lindstrom
Composer(s)Jim Hedges
Platform(s)PlayStation
Release
Genre(s)Action-adventure
Mode(s)Single-player

Akuji the Heartless is a 1999 action-adventure video game developed by Crystal Dynamics and published by Eidos Interactive exclusively for the PlayStation.

Gameplay

Akuji the Heartless is a free-roaming 3D action game.[3] The player character, Akuji, can attack enemies with retractable claws or use spells to light enemies on fire, summon demons, and possess the bodies of enemies.[4]

Plot

The game centres on the voodoo priest and warrior Akuji, who had his heart ripped out on his wedding day, and through the use of voodoo magic is now cursed to wander the Underworld. Kesho, his would-be bride, finds him in hell and speaks to him in soul form: she informs him that it was Orad, Akuji's own brother, who orchestrated his murder. She begs Akuji to escape and stop him, as their families are preparing for war, and Orad is preparing to sacrifice her to the gods.

Upon traveling through the first level of the Underworld and consulting loa Baron Samedi, Akuji discovers he has a chance for redemption: if he traverses hell and collects the souls of his ancestors, which the Baron despises for their evil, then he will grant Akuji safe passage out of the underworld. On his way through, he must also defeat the wardens of each of the vestibules of hell, which will enable him to advance on his quest for the souls.

After Akuji retrieves the Seal of Sadiki on the Baron's request, the Baron steals it from him and reveals he tricked Akuji into purging the souls of his ancestors so it would allow him to break free of his own imprisonment in the Underworld and exact his revenge on the mortal world while also making Kesho his servant once he sacrifices her. Kesho further confirms that the Baron had orchestrated Akuji's murder by possessing Orad and had also earlier used her voice to lead Akuji to him. Akuji engages the Baron in one last battle and succeeds, rescuing Kesho who in turn restores Akuji's heart, sending both Akuji and Kesho back to the mortal world.

Development

Akuji the Heartless was built on the Software:Gex: Enter the Gecko game engine.[3][5] The game's titular character is voiced by actor Richard Roundtree.[6][7]

Reception

Reception
Aggregate score
AggregatorScore
GameRankings65%[8]
Review scores
PublicationScore
AllGameStarStarStar[9]
CVG3/10[10]
Edge5/10[11]
EGM7.125/10[lower-alpha 1]
Game Informer6.75/10[13]
GameProStarStarStarHalf star[15]
GameRevolutionB−[14]
GameSpot6.2/10[16]
IGN8/10[17]
Next GenerationStarStarStar[18]
OPM (US)StarStarStar[19]
PSMStarStarStarStar[20]

Next Generation reviewed the PlayStation version of the game, rating it three stars out of five, and stated that "Crystal Dynamics has certainly provided gamers with a solid action title with enough imagination to please those who possess a penchant for the macabre. Yet the rough controls and animations keep Akuji from truly stepping into the genre's limelight."[18]

The game received mixed reviews according to the review aggregation website GameRankings.[8]

Notes

  1. ↑ In Electronic Gaming Monthly's review, four critics scored Akuji the Heartless differently: 7.5, 6, 7, and 8.[12]

References

  1. ↑ "Out Now! Latest Releases". Daily Mirror: pp. 22. February 26, 1999. https://www.newspapers.com/image/790284476/?terms=%22pitfall%203d%22&match=1. "Game Boy - Akuji the Heartless - Out Today - Currys Price £39.99" 
  2. ↑ Groll, Steve (January 21, 1999). "Akuji the Heartless Brings Voodoo Magic, Blood Sacrifice, and High Testosterone Action/Adventure to the Sony PlayStation on January 22, 1999". http://www.eidosinteractive.com/corporate/pr_012199.html. 
  3. ↑ 3.0 3.1 "PlayStation Previews: Akurji the Heartless". Electronic Gaming Monthly (Ziff Davis) (106): 56. May 1998. 
  4. ↑ Johnny Ballgame (May 1998). "Sneak Previews: Akuji the Heartless". GamePro (IDG) (116): 57. 
  5. ↑ "NG Alphas: Akuji: The Heartless". Next Generation (Imagine Media) (32): 59. August 1997. https://archive.org/details/NEXT_Generation_32/page/n60. 
  6. ↑ Bell, Carrie (March 13, 1999). "EnterActive". Billboard 111 (11): 30. ISSN 0006-2510. https://books.google.com/books?id=6A0EAAAAMBAJ&pg=PA30. Retrieved October 26, 2023. 
  7. ↑ Mullen, Micheal (April 28, 2000). "Akuji Gets Shaft (Star)". https://www.gamespot.com/articles/akuji-gets-shaft-star/1100-2465260/. 
  8. ↑ 8.0 8.1 "Akuji the Heartless for PlayStation". CBS Interactive. https://www.gamerankings.com/ps/196572-akuji-the-heartless/index.html. Retrieved February 15, 2014. 
  9. ↑ Romero, Joshua. "Akuji the Heartless – Review". All Media Network. http://www.allgame.com/game.php?id=11765&tab=review. Retrieved December 13, 2014. 
  10. ↑ Fulljames, Stephen (1999). "PlayStation Review: Akuji the Heartless". Computer and Video Games (Future plc). http://www.computerandvideogames.com/article.php?id=8417. Retrieved February 15, 2014. 
  11. ↑ Edge staff (February 1999). "Akuji the Heartless". Edge (Future plc) (68). 
  12. ↑ "Akuji the Heartless". Electronic Gaming Monthly (116): 129. March 1999. https://archive.org/details/ElectronicGamingMonthly_201902/Electronic%20Gaming%20Monthly%20Issue%20116%20%28March%201999%29/page/n127/mode/2up. Retrieved July 5, 2021. 
  13. ↑ McNamara, Andy; Anderson, Paul; Reiner, Andrew (March 1999). "Akuji The Heartless – PlayStation". Game Informer (FuncoLand) (71): 38. https://archive.org/details/Game_Informer_Issue_071_March_1999/page/n39. Retrieved June 11, 2019. 
  14. ↑ Mark (March 1999). "Akuji the Heartless Review [game mislabeled as "Shadowman""]. CraveOnline. https://www.gamerevolution.com/review/33969-akuji-the-heartless-review. Retrieved December 10, 2019. 
  15. ↑ Air Hendrix (1999). "Akuji The Heartless Review for PlayStation on GamePro.com". GamePro (IDG Entertainment). http://gamepro.com/sony/psx/games/reviews/87.shtml. Retrieved February 15, 2014. 
  16. ↑ Garrett, Steven (January 25, 1999). "Akuji the Heartless Review". CBS Interactive. https://www.gamespot.com/reviews/akuji-the-heartless-review/1900-2545918/. Retrieved February 15, 2014. 
  17. ↑ Nelson, Randy (January 20, 1999). "Akuji The Heartless". Ziff Davis. https://www.ign.com/articles/1999/01/21/akuji-the-heartless-2. Retrieved February 15, 2014. 
  18. ↑ 18.0 18.1 "Finals". Next Generation (Imagine Media) (52): 90. April 1999. 
  19. ↑ Rybicki, Joe (March 1999). "Akuji the Heartless". Official U.S. PlayStation Magazine (Ziff Davis) 2 (6): 74. https://archive.org/details/Official_US_PlayStation_Magazine_Volume_2_Issue_6_1999-03_Ziff_Davis_US/page/n73. Retrieved December 10, 2019. 
  20. ↑ "Review: Akuji the Heartless". PSM (Future US). 1999. 
  • MobyGames is a commercial database website that catalogs information on video games and the people and companies behind them via crowdsourcing. This includes over 300,000 games for hundreds of platforms.[1] Founded in 1999, ownership of the site has changed hands several times. It has been owned by Atari SA since 2022.

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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