Software:Ankh (video game)

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Short description: 2005 video game
Ankh
Developer(s)Deck13 Interactive (Windows)
VIS Games (DS)
Publisher(s)BHV Software (Windows)
Xider Games (DS)
Daedalic Entertainment (DS)
Designer(s)Timm Schwank
EngineOGRE
Platform(s)Linux, Mac OS X, Windows, Nintendo DS
Release
Genre(s)Adventure
Mode(s)Single-player

Ankh is a graphic adventure game from German developer Deck13 and published by bhv Software in 2005. It has a 3D environment with cinematic camera movement and incorporates humor. Ankh is a remake of Ankh: The Tales of Mystery, a 1998 adventure game developed by Artex Software for the Acorn Archimedes.

Ankh spawned two sequels: Ankh and Ankh. In 2006, the original Ankh was ported to Linux and OS X. A Special Edition of the game was released in the UK in February 2007.[3] A Nintendo DS port was released in 2008 under the title Ankh: Curse of the Scarab King.

Plot

Screenshot showing the game interface

The player takes the role of Assil, the son of a respected architect in Cairo. Assil is a party animal but at some point one of his party-nights turned out sour. When he tries to have some fun in the pyramids with two friends of his, he accidentally breaks some urns and thus disturbs the mummy resting in the pyramid. The mummy punishes Assil by placing a death curse on him, and now he has 24 hours to remove the curse and save himself. Later in the game Assil meets the Arabian ambassador's daughter Thara, who is also a playable character.

Jan Klose, Creative Director at Deck13 Interactive, also cited Monkey Island to be an influence for the Ankh series.[4]

Development

The soundtrack for the game was composed by Dynamedion and was rated as 1st place for “Best German Soundtrack 2005”.[5] According to GameStar, Ankh was produced on a small budget "in the low six-digit range".[6]

Reception

Reception
Review scores
PublicationScore
GameStar78/100[7]
PC Games85/100[8]
4Players85/100[9]
PC Action86%[10]

Ankh was a commercial hit in the German market, with sales of 100,000 units in that region alone. The Kölner Stadt-Anzeiger reported that it also saw success worldwide.[11] According to Deck13, the combined global sales of Ankh and its first two sequels—Heart of Osiris and Battle of the Gods—surpassed 500,000 units by August 2009.[12]

Reception
Review scores
PublicationScore
DSPC
Adventure GamersHalf star[13]StarStarStarHalf star[14]
EurogamerN/A6/10[15]
GamesMasterN/A88%[16]
GameSpotN/A7.3/10[17]
GameZoneN/A7.8/10[18]
NGamer50%[19]N/A
PC Gamer (UK)N/A76%[20]
PC ZoneN/A68%[21]
VideoGamer.comN/A8/10[1]
Aggregate score
Metacritic61/100[22]74/100[23]

The Microsoft Windows and Nintendo DS versions received "mixed or average reviews" according to the review aggregation website Metacritic.[22][23]

References

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 Vandervell, Andrew (January 12, 2006). "Ankh Review". VideoGamer.com. https://www.videogamer.com/reviews/ankh-review. 
  2. ↑ "Ankh". Linux game database. https://lgdb.org/game/ankh. 
  3. ↑ "Xider launches a Special Edition of "Ankh" in the UK". February 16, 2007. http://bhvftp.com:80/www/xider.com/english/news/ankhspecialedition.html. 
  4. ↑ Barton, Matt (May 21, 2008). "Jan Klose - Deck 13 Interactive". Adventure Classic Gaming. http://www.adventureclassicgaming.com/index.php/site/interviews/334/. 
  5. ↑ "Dynamedion Track Record". 2006. http://www.dynamedion.com. 
  6. ↑ Staff (July 19, 2006). "Deutsche Spiele im Ausland" (in German). GameStar. https://www.gamestar.de/artikel/deutsche-spiele-im-ausland,1462953.html. 
  7. ↑ Schmidt, Christian (December 2005). "Das hätte auch den Pharaonen gefallen" (in German). http://www.gamestar.de/magazin/test/adventure/ankh/1457242/ankh.html. 
  8. ↑ Weiss, Thomas (December 2005). "Test; Ankh" (in German). PC Games: 144, 145. 
  9. ↑ Naser, Bodo (November 7, 2005). "Ankh" (in German). 4Players. http://4players.de/4players.php/dispbericht/PC-CDROM/Test/6834/4054/0/Ankh.html. 
  10. ↑ Schütz, Felix (January 2006). "Mit Stil am Nil" (in German). PC Action: 138. 
  11. ↑ Boldt, Martin (August 19, 2010). "Retter der Abenteuerspiele" (in German). Kölner Stadt-Anzeiger. https://www.ksta.de/adventures-retter-der-abenteuerspiele-12159892. 
  12. ↑ Simon, Tobias (August 17, 2009). "Neuankündigung auf der gamescom" (in German). Gameswelt. http://www.gameswelt.de/ankh-der-fluch-des-skarabaeenkoenigs/news/neuankuendigung-auf-der-gamescom,97190. 
  13. ↑ Morganti, Emily (August 12, 2009). "Ankh: Curse of the Scarab King review". Adventure Gamers. http://www.adventuregamers.com/articles/view/18319. 
  14. ↑ Allin, Jack (March 17, 2006). "Ankh review". Adventure Gamers. http://www.adventuregamers.com/articles/view/17919. 
  15. ↑ Superb, Egon (February 6, 2006). "Ankh". http://www.eurogamer.net/articles/r_ankh_pc. 
  16. ↑ "Ankh". GamesMaster. February 2006. 
  17. ↑ Todd, Brett (September 18, 2006). "Ankh Review". http://www.gamespot.com/reviews/ankh-review/1900-6157830/. 
  18. ↑ Aceinet (October 1, 2006). "ANKH - PC - Review". GameZone. http://www.gamezone.com/reviews/ankh_pc_review. 
  19. ↑ "Ankh: Curse of the Scarab King". NGamer: 66. November 2008. 
  20. ↑ "Ankh". PC Gamer UK. February 2006. 
  21. ↑ PC Zone staff (March 2006). "PC Review: Ankh". PC Zone. http://www.computerandvideogames.com/article.php?id=134179. Retrieved January 26, 2017. 
  22. ↑ 22.0 22.1 "Ankh: Curse of the Scarab King (ds:2008) [date mislabeled as "August 31, 2007": Reviews"]. http://www.metacritic.com/games/platforms/ds/ankhcurseofthescarabking?. 
  23. ↑ 23.0 23.1 "Ankh for PC Reviews". https://www.metacritic.com/game/ankh-curse-of-the-scarab-king/critic-reviews/?platform=pc. 

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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