Software:Alundra 2

From HandWiki
Short description: 1999 video game
Alundra 2: A New Legend Begins
Developer(s)Matrix Software[lower-alpha 1]
Publisher(s)
Director(s)Yasuhiro Ohori
Masumi Takimoto
Producer(s)Mika Hayashi (executive)
Tad Horie (associate)
Designer(s)Takahiro Kaneko
Yasuhiro Ohori
Programmer(s)Yasuhiro Matsumoto (character)
Writer(s)Hiroshi Miyaoka
Composer(s)Kōhei Tanaka
Platform(s)PlayStation
Release
  • JP: November 18, 1999
  • NA: March 21, 2000[2]
  • EU: June 20, 2000[3]
  • AU: 2000
Genre(s)Action role-playing
Mode(s)Single-player

Lua error in Module:Lang/utilities at line 332: attempt to call field '_transl' (a nil value). is an action role-playing game developed by Matrix Software and published by Sony Computer Entertainment for the PlayStation.[4] It was released in Japan in 1999 and internationally by Activision in 2000. It was produced by Contrail.

Unlike its predecessor, Alundra, Alundra 2 features a 3D look which opens up a new world of puzzles. Despite its title, Alundra 2 is a standalone sequel, and has no ties with the original. It has a whole new story with a different set of characters, including the main character, Flint. Compared to the darker storyline of Alundra, Alundra 2 has a more light-hearted storyline.

Gameplay

Alundra 2 is an action role-playing game that has the environment in 3D, the character can be moved in all directions, and the camera can be manually rotated 360 degrees. Gameplay consists of fighting enemies, interacting with character NPCs, puzzle solving, platforming, and exploration. The story is presented through text and voiced cutscenes.

The player controls Flint, a young swordsman and silent protagonist. Flint uses a sword to fight enemies and he carries a shield which gives passive damage reduction; stronger versions of both are obtainable throughout the game. Flint can also learn additional successive strikes for his sword, known as combos, by collecting items called Puzzle Pieces and exchanging them with the character Lord Jeehan. The game also features unique magical ring items which grant Flint special powers such as the abilities to float in place or traverse over harmful lava.

Story

Alundra 2's story is set in the kingdom of Varuna. Mephisto, a powerful sorcerer is using magical wind-up keys to control humans and turn animals into mindless, violent machines. Flint is a pirate hunter wanted for treason, and he is after the pirates that caused his parents' death.

The game begins with Flint infiltrating a flying airship. Inside, he finds the ship is staffed by humanoid robots; there are conspicuous keys protruding from their backs and their speech is unintelligible. Also on board is a family of three pirates: Zeppo, Albert, and Ruby. Flint eavesdrops on their conversation and it is mentioned that Mephisto can create "mechanical men" through a technology that only he understands. Baron Diaz, untrusting of Mephisto, tasks the pirates with keeping an eye on him.

Flint is discovered and attacked by Zeppo. The resulting battle damages the interior of the ship and causes it to crash. Flint falls into the sea and washes onto a shore where he is found by a villager and taken in. After recovering, he meets Princess Alexia and joins forces with her. Alexia explains that her father is missing and she knows that Baron Diaz used the pirates to get rid of him.

In their search for incriminating proof, Flint and Alexia encounter Mephisto, battle with his mechanical abominations, and investigate the suspicious "Church of the Key". They are eventually detained by Mephisto and taken by sea to Varuna. Flint is thrown overboard, but he survives and reaches the capital to confront Baron Diaz. The Baron threatens Alexia's life and tasks Flint with retrieving three relics in exchange for her safety. Flint is told to enlist the help of the three pirates he had met before: Zeppo, Albert, and Ruby. They assist him in entering the ruins. Flint goes through the ruins and does battle with their ancient guardians to obtain the three relics.

Flint returns to Baron Diaz and delivers the relics, and the Baron uses them to enter a tower in search of the lost treasure of Varuna. Mephisto follows the Baron inside and reads a mural on a wall. He explains that there are a set of instructions on the mural and that yet another relic is required before the instructions can be completed. Flint is ordered to retrieve a fourth relic and he battles through more dungeons in search of the relic. Along the way, he meets an enslaved dragon named Tirion. Flint frees him and the dragon flies him back to Varuna.

After Flint returns the final relic, it is set in place and the machinery of the tower is activated. Mephisto reveals that there isn't a lost treasure of Varuna and that he had built the tower two thousand years ago in order to calculate the coordinates of the nerve-center of the planet. A wizard named Lumiere, however, prevented Mephisto from entering by sealing the tower. Mephisto then inserts a key into the Baron, turning him into a mechanical monster. After Flint defeats the monster, Baron Diaz returns to normal. Outside of the capital, Mephisto raises his Star Key, a giant key-shaped structure, out of the sea. His intention is to use its power to mutate the planet and take control.

Tirion flies Flint, Alexia, Zeppo, Albert, and Ruby to the Star Key to confront Mephisto. Flint makes his way through the dungeon and he finds that Zeppo has been captured. Mephisto appears and inserts a key into Zeppo, also turning him into a mechanical monster. Flint defeats the monster, returning Zeppo to his former state, and then faces Mephisto in battle. Flint kills Mephisto and the Star Key collapses into the sea. The group escapes on the back of Tirion; Flint and Alexia share an embrace as they fly away.

Reception

Reception
Aggregate score
AggregatorScore
GameRankings69%[5]
Review scores
PublicationScore
EGM6/10[7][lower-alpha 2]
Eurogamer6/10[9]
Famitsu28/40[4]
Game Informer6.5/10[10]
GameFan79%[11][lower-alpha 3]
(G.N.) 73%[12]
GameRevolutionC[13]
GameSpot4/10[14]
IGN7.7/10[15]
Next GenerationStarStarStarStar[16]
OPM (US)StarStarStar[17]
RPGamer(2008) 5/10[18]
(2011) 1.5/5[19]

The game received average reviews according to the review aggregation website GameRankings.[5] Japanese magazine Famitsu gave the game a score of 28 out of 40.[4]

Dave Zdyrko of IGN praised the game's predecessor Alundra as "one of the PlayStation's best action/RPGs" and its storyline as "one of the darkest storylines of any role-playing games in existence", but also said that Alundra 2 "just doesn't stack up" and that, "even though the writing was exceptional, it didn't make up for the fact that the game had a really fruity storyline." In contrast, he enjoyed "the game's puzzles and was very impressed with the localization job by Activision", but that "the game was really hurt by its less than precise controls, annoyingly difficult boss battles", "uninspiring music, and graphical glitches". He concluded: "Pretend that this has nothing to do with the original Alundra or Zelda, and you'll probably enjoy this game just fine. It's definitely one of the top five action/RPGs on the PlayStation."[15] Jeff Lundrigan of NextGen called it "A pretty standard RPG story gussied up with well-designed action puzzles, terrific graphics, and a huge world. Very nice."[16]

E. Coli of GamePro gave two reviews of the game, one calling it "a thrilling ride that belongs in every action/RPG fan's collection",[21] and another later saying that the game stands on its own with awesome gameplay, a huge and engaging cast of characters, and hours of brain-frying puzzle solving fun."[22][lower-alpha 4] However, Joe Ottoson of AllGame gave it three-and-a-half stars out of five, saying, "if you're feeling a little dashing, a little daring, and possibly courageous and caring, look to Alundra 2 for some stories to share with your faithful and friendly. But if you're a devout fan of Alundra however, you may want to tread lightly as Alundra 2 shares little in common."[23]

Notes

  1. ↑ Produced by Contrail. Additional work by Sony Computer Entertainment Japan.[1]
  2. ↑ Two critics of Electronic Gaming Monthly gave the game each a score of 6.5/10, one gave it 5/10, and the other gave it 6/10.
  3. ↑ In GameFan's viewpoint of the game, three critics gave it each a score of 83, 73, and 80.
  4. ↑ In both reviews of the game, GamePro gave the game three 4.5/5 scores for graphics, sound and control, and 5/5 for fun factor.

References

  1. ↑ "JAPANスタジオ作品一覧 2000年～1999年" (in ja). Sony Interactive Entertainment. 2021. https://www.playstation.com/ja-jp/corporate/playstation-studios/japan-studio/history-1999-2000/. 
  2. ↑ IGN staff (March 20, 2000). "The Games of March/April". Ziff Davis. https://www.ign.com/articles/2000/03/21/the-games-of-marchapril-2. 
  3. ↑ "Alundra 2 sur PSone" (in fr). https://www.jeuxvideo.com/jeux/playstation-ps1/00002894-alundra-2.htm. 
  4. ↑ 4.0 4.1 4.2 "アランドラ2 〜魔進化の謎〜 [PS"] (in ja). Famitsu (Enterbrain). https://www.famitsu.com/cominy/?m=pc&a=page_h_title&title_id=8718&redirect=no. Retrieved October 6, 2023. 
  5. ↑ 5.0 5.1 "Alundra 2 for PlayStation". CBS Interactive. https://www.gamerankings.com/ps/250564-alundra-2/index.html. 
  6. ↑ Young, Jeffrey Adam (April 14, 2000). "Alundra 2". CNET. http://www.gamecenter.com/Consoles/Sony/Alundra2/. 
  7. ↑ Johnston, Chris; Hsu, Dan "Shoe"; Smith, Shawn; Chou, Che (May 2000). "Alundra 2". Electronic Gaming Monthly (Ziff Davis) (130): 149. https://retrocdn.net/images/9/91/EGM_US_130.pdf. Retrieved October 6, 2023. 
  8. ↑ Grant, Jules (May 4, 2000). "Alundra 2". Greedy Productions Ltd.. http://www.elecplay.com/review.html?article=2464&full=1#mr_toppy. 
  9. ↑ Goldsmith, Linda "Bloomers" (June 13, 2000). "Alundra 2". Gamer Network. http://www.eurogamer.net/content/alundra2_psx. 
  10. ↑ McNamara, Andy; Fitzloff, Jay; Reiner, Andrew (May 2000). "Alundra 2". Game Informer (FuncoLand) (85). https://www.gameinformer.com/reviews/review_detail.cfm?ITEM_ID=4580. Retrieved January 16, 2021. 
  11. ↑ Mylonas, Eric "ECM"; Weitzner, Jason "Fury"; Rodriguez, Tyrone "Cerberus" (May 2000). "Alundra 2". GameFan (Shinno Media) 8 (5): 12. https://archive.org/details/Gamefan_Vol_8_Issue_05/page/n13/mode/2up. Retrieved January 16, 2021. 
  12. ↑ Ngo, George "Eggo" (May 2000). "Alundra 2". GameFan (Shinno Media) 8 (5): 36. https://archive.org/details/Gamefan_Vol_8_Issue_05/page/n37/mode/2up. Retrieved January 16, 2021. 
  13. ↑ Liu, Johnny (March 2000). "Alundra 2 Review". CraveOnline. https://www.gamerevolution.com/review/34133-alundra-2-review. 
  14. ↑ Nutt, Christian (April 3, 2000). "Alundra 2 Review". Fandom. https://www.gamespot.com/reviews/alundra-2-review/1900-2546546/. 
  15. ↑ 15.0 15.1 Zdyrko, David (April 12, 2000). "Alundra 2". Ziff Davis. https://www.ign.com/articles/2000/04/13/alundra-2. 
  16. ↑ 16.0 16.1 Lundrigan, Jeff (May 2000). "Alundra 2". NextGen (Imagine Media) (65): 101. https://archive.org/details/NextGen65May2000/page/n101/mode/2up. Retrieved January 16, 2021. 
  17. ↑ Steinman, Gary (May 2000). "Alundra 2". Official U.S. PlayStation Magazine (Ziff Davis) 3 (8): 88. https://archive.org/details/Official_U.S._Playstation_Magazine_Issue_32_May_2000/page/n87/mode/2up. Retrieved January 16, 2021. 
  18. ↑ Tidwell, Mikel (2008). "Alundra 2 - Review". CraveOnline. https://archive.rpgamer.com/games/alun/alun2/reviews/alun2strev1.html. 
  19. ↑ Moehnke, Mike (2011). "Alundra 2 - Staff Retroview". CraveOnline. https://archive.rpgamer.com/games/alun/alun2/reviews/alun2strev2.html. 
  20. ↑ Chu, Ken (April 24, 2000). "Alundra 2". Emerald Shield Media LLC. https://www.rpgfan.com/review/alundra-2-2/. 
  21. ↑ E. Coli (May 2000). "Alundra 2". GamePro (IDG) (140): 123. https://retrocdn.net/images/0/0b/GamePro_US_140.pdf. Retrieved October 6, 2023. 
  22. ↑ E. Coli (April 19, 2000). "Alundra 2 Review for PlayStation on GamePro.com". GamePro (IDG Entertainment). http://www.gamepro.com/sony/psx/games/reviews/5294.shtml. Retrieved January 16, 2021. 
  23. ↑ Ottoson, Joe. "Alundra 2 - Review". All Media Network. http://www.allgame.com/game.php?id=20803&tab=review. 
  • Alundra 2 on IMDb
  • 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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