Software:Axel & Pixel

From HandWiki
Axel & Pixel
Developer(s)Silver Wish Games
Publisher(s)2K
Designer(s)Ivan Kratochvíl
Artist(s)Jan Kokolia
Jan Kottman
Martin Kadlčík
Peter Bílek
Composer(s)Matúš Široký
Platform(s)
Release
  • Xbox 360
  • October 14, 2009
  • Windows
  • October 6, 2010
Genre(s)Graphic adventure, art game
Mode(s)Single-player

Axel & Pixel is a point-and-click adventure video game developed by Silver Wish Games. The game was released on October 14, 2009 for the Xbox 360's Xbox Live Arcade service and on October 7, 2010 for Steam.

The game revolves around Axel, a painter, and his dog Pixel, who awake in a beautiful, yet perilous, dream world of Axel's own creation. Together, they must solve the mysteries of Axel's landscapes to get through the dream world by defeating the Ice Giant and helping Axel fulfill his greatest wish - to paint a picture of all four seasons in a single day.

Gameplay

The game is a traditional point-and-click adventure, where the player has to logically come up with answers and solutions to riddles and problems that are encountered during the course of the game. As a way of making Axel & Pixel unique from other point-and-click adventures, the cursor is made up of a group of glittering lights, which change colour slightly if the player lands the cursor on a point of interest.[1] Aside from the traditional point-and-click mechanics, the game also features different platform mini-games (hot-air balloon through a cave, driving through the mountains, or sailing a boat downstream).[2] The game also makes use of quick time events in a few of the chapters as ways of helping Axel scale walls or avoiding dangerous obstacles.[3] The game is divided into four sections - in the form of the four calendar seasons - which are unlocked through natural progression of the story. Each of the mini-games featured are used once in story mode as ways of pursuing Evil Rat through the dream world, from the last chapter of the current calendar season into the beginning of the next one. Unlike most point-and-click adventures, Axel & Pixel contains no dialogue option between characters, in an attempt to keep the gameplay focused more on solving the puzzles instead of interactions. Axel, however, will speak gibberish to Pixel and to himself occasionally.

Plot

Axel & Pixel tells the story of a painter, Axel, and his dog, Pixel, as they embark on a fantastic journey through the surreal and dangerous dream world of Axel's own artistic creation after the two are hypnotised by a lullaby record. Upon entering the dream world, the primary antagonist, Evil Rat, is found to be in possession of the key which Axel needs to exit the dream world. The first chapter features the same snowy environment outside as in the real world - albeit, with an array of weird and wonderful creatures - but, upon completion of the chapter, the pair move into Spring, where the environments are very flowered, colourful and are inhabited by creatures such as giant honeybees, hard-shelled sheep and a plethora of insect species. Arriving at a derelict temple, Evil Rat destroys a large monument of a golden snake with a missile. After re-assembling the monument and obtaining the paint brush atop the monument, Evil Rat flees the scene on a missile - using it as a form of transport - while Axel quickly paints a hot air balloon in thin air with the paintbrush and boards it with Pixel to pursue Evil Rat into Summer.

Upon arriving in Summer, Pixel is snatched and taken away by a giant dragonfly. Like Spring, the environments are very flowered, but now feature a new selection of creatures, such as large, orange boars; piranha worms and a giant tortoise with continuous track wheels instead of hind legs. After saving a marooned Pixel from a piranha worm-infested pond, the two are reunited and move on where they encounter the iconic giant tortoise with continuous track wheels. The pair encounter Evil Rat again shortly after, who appears to be constructing a ramshackle automobile shortly before Axel soaks him with an ornamental water feature and he drives off hurriedly. Axel quickly paints a bright yellow car in thin air and the pair give chase through a series of hills into Autumn, where the environments now feature a much more vibrant tone in colour, with an emphasis on oranges and, especially, browns. Upon arriving in Autumn, Axel totals his car into the side of a mountain, which he resolves by inflating the tyre to bursting-point and bouncing on it to get to the higher cliffs. As the only way of exiting the cliffs, Axel restores the power to a nearby ski lift, giving the pair the chance to escape. The ski lift drops the pair off at a beaver dam, where they encounter Pesky Hedgehog guarding a ladder to the sewers. Pole vaulting across the river, Axel, with Pixel's help, uncovers a hidden giant catapult, which Axel proceeds to fill with boulders, firing them at the nearby dam, eventually breaking through, sweeping Pesky Hedgehog off his feet and carrying him away in the waves, leaving Axel and Pixel to descend into the sewers. The pair finally re-emerge above ground after Axel restores power to an escalator. Arriving at an oil well, the pair encounter Evil Rat just before he speeds off in a ramshackle speedboat. After clearing the nearby lake of an oil spill, Axel obtains a paintbrush from a newly reanimated tree and paints his final vehicle in thin air: a small sail boat which the pair use to pursue Evil Rat through icy, whirlpool-laden waters into Winter, where the environments are now covered in ice, snow and coloured with white, blues and black, and feature creatures typically suited to colder climates, such as penguins, a large snow cat and a sarcopterygii fish.

Upon arriving in Winter, Evil Rat - disguised as a snowman - knocks Axel into the icy river with a snowball, who surfaces completely encapsulated in ice. Pixel, who managed to jump out of the boat in time, hoists the frozen Axel onto a nearby sled and the pair take off down the side of the mountain into a cave where Pixel manages to melt the ice around Axel with steam from a boiler pipe. With Axel fully mobile, the pair solve their final puzzle by playing a secret tune on a set of ice drums, opening the doors to the Ice Giant's lair. Inside, Axel defeats Evil Rat with snowballs and claims the key back to reality, but not before defeating the Ice Giant in a series of QTEs; Axel manages to climb atop the Ice Giant's head where the final paintbrush is located, which Axel uses to paint a wrecking ball in thin air, knocking the Ice Giant down into a chasm. Having thwarted the Ice Giant, Axel paints the doors to reality in thin air and the pair enter, where Axel (depending on whether the player collected all of the tubes of paint and paintings), with his newly obtained muse, fulfils his greatest wish by painting a picture of the four seasons in a single day.

Reception

Reception
Aggregate score
AggregatorScore
Metacritic72/100[4]
Review scores
PublicationScore
Adventure Gamers(PC) StarStarStar[3]
Eurogamer7/10[5]
GameRevolutionC−[6]
GamesMaster83%[7]
GameSpot5.5/10[1]
GameZone8/10[8]
IGN8.2/10[9]
OXM (US)7/10[11]
TeamXbox6/10[12]
Teletext GameCentral6/10[13]

The Xbox 360 version received above-average reviews according to the review aggregation website Metacritic.[4] Axel & Pixel was described by critics as "a charming and surreal trip." The dream world, especially, was received with acclaim, with critics calling it "bizarre and beautiful," "unique and charming" and "graceful and fresh." The game was primarily criticized for its short length, as the story can be completed in roughly three hours.

Since its release, the game sold 13,552 units worldwide on the Xbox 360 as of January 2011.[14] Sales had moved to 18,772 units by the end of 2011.[15]

References

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 Todd, Brett (October 22, 2009). "Axel & Pixel Review". Fandom. https://www.gamespot.com/reviews/axel-and-pixel-review/1900-6237531/. Retrieved March 24, 2019. 
  2. ↑ Burke, Ron (October 25, 2009). "Axel & Pixel Review". Archived from the original on August 5, 2020. https://web.archive.org/web/20200805073533/https://gamingtrend.com/feature/reviews/axel-pixel-review/. Retrieved October 15, 2022. 
  3. ↑ 3.0 3.1 Allin, Jack (November 29, 2010). "Axel & Pixel review (PC)". https://adventuregamers.com/articles/view/18491. Retrieved October 15, 2022. 
  4. ↑ 4.0 4.1 "Axel & Pixel for Xbox 360 Reviews". Fandom. https://www.metacritic.com/game/axel-and-pixel/critic-reviews/?platform=xbox-360. 
  5. ↑ Parkin, Simon (October 22, 2009). "Axel & Pixel (Xbox 360)". Gamer Network. https://www.eurogamer.net/axel-and-pixel-review. Retrieved October 15, 2022. 
  6. ↑ Reboucas, Eduardo (November 6, 2009). "Axel & Pixel Review (X360)". CraveOnline. Archived from the original on May 30, 2015. https://web.archive.org/web/20150530093221/http://www.gamerevolution.com/review/axel-and-pixel. Retrieved October 15, 2022. 
  7. ↑ "Review: Axel & Pixel (X360)". GamesMaster (Future plc): 80. Christmas 2009. 
  8. ↑ Hopper, Steven (October 22, 2009). "Axel & Pixel - 360 - Review". Archived from the original on November 3, 2009. https://web.archive.org/web/20091103042648/http://xbox360.gamezone.com/gzreviews/r39055.htm. Retrieved October 15, 2022. 
  9. ↑ Hatfield, Daemon (October 14, 2009). "Axel & Pixel Review". Ziff Davis. https://www.ign.com/articles/2009/10/14/axel-pixel-review. 
  10. ↑ García, Roberto (October 15, 2009). "Aventura inusual" (in es). Archived from the original on October 20, 2009. https://web.archive.org/web/20091020111040/http://www.meristation.com/v3/des_analisis.php?pic=360&idj=cw4a955f299ad0d&id=cw4adb57567dc0c. Retrieved October 16, 2022. 
  11. ↑ "Axel & Pixel". Official Xbox Magazine (Future US): 76. Christmas 2009. 
  12. ↑ Price, Tom (October 14, 2009). "Axel & Pixel Review (Xbox 360)". IGN Entertainment. Archived from the original on May 12, 2012. https://web.archive.org/web/20120512084551/http://reviews.teamxbox.com/xbox-360/1784/Axel-Pixel/p1/. Retrieved October 15, 2022. 
  13. ↑ Hargreaves, Roger (October 2009). "Axel & Pixel (360)". Teletext Ltd.. Archived from the original on October 19, 2009. https://web.archive.org/web/20091019060528/http://www.teletext.co.uk/gamecentral/features-reviews/7eb0421c414eff8957fcc37de18897b6/Axel+amp;+Pixel+(360).aspx. Retrieved October 15, 2022. 
  14. ↑ Langley, Ryan (January 28, 2011). "In-Depth: Xbox Live Arcade's 2010 Sales Revealed". Informa. https://www.gamedeveloper.com/console/in-depth-xbox-live-arcade-s-2010-sales-revealed. Retrieved February 26, 2023. 
  15. ↑ Langley, Ryan (January 20, 2012). "Xbox Live Arcade by the numbers - the 2011 year in review". Informa. Archived from the original on March 25, 2019. https://web.archive.org/web/20190325034553/https://www.gamasutra.com/view/news/39713/Xbox_Live_Arcde_by_the_numbers__the_2011_year_in_review.php. Retrieved October 15, 2022. 
  • 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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