Software:Back to Stone

From HandWiki

Short description: 2006 video game
Back to Stone
North American box art
Developer(s)Hidden Floor[1]
Publisher(s)
Composer(s)Frédéric Motte[2]
Platform(s)Game Boy Advance
ReleaseDecember 14, 2006
Genre(s)Action role-playing
Mode(s)Single-player

Back to Stone is an action role-playing game using an isometric 3D perspective developed by French studio Hidden Floor.[3] It was published by Neko Entertainment / Big Ben Interactive in Europe and by Graffiti Entertainment / O~3 Entertainment in North America.[3] It was released for the Game Boy Advance in 2006.[3]

Gameplay

The player controls a warrior who is mysteriously amnesiac and has been experimented on by demonic creatures. Players can move the character around the game's environments freely, jump around platforms, and fight enemies dynamically. Killed enemies turn to stone, which can then be moved around and used to solve puzzles. When the player's character is wounded, he transforms into a demonic monster, which improves his fighting capabilities.[4][5]

The game does not feature any way to save the player's progress, which had been a standard feature of video games for many years by 2006. Instead, the game relies on passwords to allow the player to return to the game where they had left off when they last turned off the console.

Reception

Reception
Aggregate score
AggregatorScore
Metacritic55/100[6]
Review scores
PublicationScore
GameSpot5.5/10[7]
GameZone6.8/10[8]
Jeuxvideo.com14/20[9]
Joypad6/10[10]

The game received "mixed or average" reviews, according to the review aggregation website Metacritic.[6] Most critics considered the gameplay to be "simple" and "familiar",[4][5] but the stone-pushing puzzles to be "unimaginative", unoriginal, and repetitive.[8][7][11]

Some reviewers considered the graphics and design to be "charming and varied",[4] easy to discern (in contrast to Software:Banjo-Kazooie: Grunty's Revenge),[5][9][11] but many judged the presentation to be "drab", "grainy" and "muddy".[5][12][11] The game's smooth framerate and special effects have received praise,[8][13] as have the intricate boss battles.[8][7][12]

Several reviewers have noted that controlling the character from the game's isometric 3D perspective was very difficult and "unintuitive" because of the rigidity of a directional pad and the difficulty in judging depth.[4][5][7][13][9][12][11] Multiple critics have praised the game's length (estimated between 8 and 15 hours), which is considered good for a portable game.[4][5][7][13] The translation's poor quality has also been criticized.[8]

Back to Stone was heavily criticized almost unanimously for its lack of saving functionality, instead relying on a password-based system to track the player's progress, which was seen as a "cumbersome" flaw for a game on a handheld console, as well as "stupefying", "unforgivable" and "inexcusably archaic" when compared to other games released in this era.[5][8][7][9][12][11]

References

  1. ↑ "Bienvenue" (in fr). Archived from the original on May 14, 2023. https://web.archive.org/web/20230514204626/http://www.hiddenfloor.com. Retrieved May 19, 2024. 
  2. ↑ "Contact" (in fr). Hidden Floor. Archived from the original on January 28, 2023. https://web.archive.org/web/20230128132351/http://backtostone.hiddenfloor.com/frmcont/contact.html. Retrieved May 19, 2024. 
  3. ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 "Back to stone" (in fr). Archived from the original on September 17, 2013. https://web.archive.org/web/20130917191848/http://www.e-neko.com/?p=1397. Retrieved May 19, 2024. 
  4. ↑ 4.0 4.1 4.2 4.3 4.4 "Après plusieurs années de développement, Back to Stone arrive enfin sur GBA" (in fr). Archived from the original on September 29, 2015. https://web.archive.org/web/20150929144202/https://jeuxpo.com/game_test-2219.html. Retrieved May 19, 2024. 
  5. ↑ 5.0 5.1 5.2 5.3 5.4 5.5 5.6 Nielsen, Clark (December 31, 2006). "Back to Stone Game Boy [Advance Review"]. Archived from the original on July 27, 2008. https://web.archive.org/web/20080727024130/http://www.nintendospin.com/reviews/gameboy/1741/back-to-stone.html. Retrieved September 11, 2015. 
  6. ↑ 6.0 6.1 "Back to Stone". Fandom. Archived from the original on May 19, 2024. https://web.archive.org/web/20240519183108/https://www.metacritic.com/game/back-to-stone/. Retrieved May 19, 2024. 
  7. ↑ 7.0 7.1 7.2 7.3 7.4 7.5 Provo, Frank (February 28, 2007). "Back to Stone Review". Fandom. Archived from the original on April 30, 2019. https://web.archive.org/web/20190430205859/https://www.gamespot.com/reviews/back-to-stone-review/1900-6166565/. Retrieved May 19, 2024. 
  8. ↑ 8.0 8.1 8.2 8.3 8.4 8.5 Platt, Dylan (February 14, 2007). "Back to Stone - GBA - Review". Archived from the original on September 27, 2008. https://web.archive.org/web/20080927220858/http://gameboy.gamezone.com/gzreviews/r31078.htm. Retrieved May 19, 2024. 
  9. ↑ 9.0 9.1 9.2 9.3 Romendil (December 22, 2006). "Test: Back To Stone" (in fr). Webedia. Archived from the original on January 17, 2022. https://web.archive.org/web/20220117185740/https://www.jeuxvideo.com/articles/0000/00007225-back-to-stone-test.htm. Retrieved May 19, 2024. 
  10. ↑ "Back to Stone" (in fr). Joypad (171): 72. February 2007. Archived from the original on May 19, 2024. https://web.archive.org/web/20240519222929/https://download.abandonware.org/magazines/Joypad/joypad_numero171/Joypad%20171%20p72.jpg. Retrieved May 19, 2024. 
  11. ↑ 11.0 11.1 11.2 11.3 11.4 Boot, Justin (February 2, 2007). "Back to Stone". Archived from the original on February 20, 2008. https://web.archive.org/web/20080220032938/http://www.thunderboltgames.com/reviews/viewreview.php?rid=951. Retrieved September 11, 2015. 
  12. ↑ 12.0 12.1 12.2 12.3 Napolitano, Jayson (February 27, 2007). "(GBA) Back to Stone". Archived from the original on September 29, 2015. https://web.archive.org/web/20150929071043/http://www.entdepot.com/handheld/article_2074.php. Retrieved September 11, 2015. 
  13. ↑ 13.0 13.1 13.2 Olivier B. (January 31, 2007). "Back to Stone" (in fr). Archived from the original on August 29, 2022. https://web.archive.org/web/20220829225929/http://www.pvg24.com/t428. Retrieved May 19, 2024. 
  • Official website (in French)
  • 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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