Software:Battle Realms

From HandWiki
Short description: 2001 video game
Battle Realms
North American cover art
Developer(s)Liquid Entertainment
Publisher(s)Crave Entertainment
Producer(s)Mike Givens
Designer(s)Ed Del Castillo
Peter Bartholow
Brigand Green
Noah Tool
Programmer(s)Michael Grayford
Artist(s)Ed Del Castillo
Composer(s)Matt Holle
Platform(s)Windows
Release
  • NA: November 8, 2001[1]
  • EU: November 30, 2001
Genre(s)Real-time strategy
Mode(s)Single-player, multiplayer

Battle Realms is a real-time strategy video game published and released by Crave Entertainment and Ubi Soft in November 2001. It was the first game created by Liquid Entertainment. An expansion pack Software:Battle Realms: Winter of the Wolf was released in November 2002. In 2012, the game was re-released on GOG.com.[2] In 2019, the game was re-released on Steam as Battle Realms: Zen Edition, in its early access state with functioning online multiplayer.[3]

Gameplay

The clan's allies are in combat destroying the other clans' opposition. ( the screenshot is taken from the expansion)

Battle Realms' gameplay is like many other real-time strategy games. There are several factions which all have various types of available structures and units to produce. Unlike other real-time strategy games though, the basic worker units (peasants), which are used for resource gathering and construction, also act as the base unit to be upgraded into military units. Thus, military buildings in Battle Realms are used for transforming and upgrading units rather than producing them directly. (Peasants are starters as they must be trained in a military building and later converted into basic warrior unit depending on the building in order to the player to build his or her army)

Another unusual trait is unit generation, where peasants are produced automatically at no cost. The rate at which new peasants are produced is inversely proportionate to the current population of the player's army.

Peasants gather three resources in the game: rice, water and horses. Horses are war units (Optional Resources) that can be used to combine with other military units i.e. riding or can be turned into pack horses when assigned for peasants. Only one type of builder unit is required. Peasants are the only units that can be produced outright. Most of the buildings available are training structures where peasants are trained to become other units.

All factions start off with three basic training structures which produce units along different paths of warfare, such as melee or ranged combat. In most cases, units can be trained in three different structures to produce more highly skilled infantry or Battle Gears (commonly abbreviated as BGs) to improve their combat ability. This allows lower tiered units to defeat higher tier units, which they could not normally defeat. BGs also allow the player to further define the role of a unit, such as damage absorption, building destruction, or reconnaissance.

Another key element of Battle Realms is the Yin/Yang system. Each army obtains points of Yin or Yang when in combat, depending on their moral alliance to the forces of light or darkness. Hero units, or Zen Masters, require Yin/Yang to be summoned and increase their damage. Yin and Yang are also used by structures in the faction's base for military upgrades. The rate of Yin/Yang growth depends on the strength and flair of the army and how far they are from the main base.

Factions

There are four available factions, called clans in Battle Realms, and each has a different philosophy towards life and combat:

  • The Dragon clan is a race of warriors who favor honorable and valorous combat.
  • The Wolf clan is a race of formerly enslaved miners. Their clan members live basic, healthy lives, and their culture emphasizes strong ties to nature. Their former enslavement allowed them to develop armor made from the shale they used to mine.
  • The Serpent clan is the remnant of the old Dragon clan which uses stealth, trickery, and brutality to further its goals. Unlike their predecessors, they have mastered weapon technology to a certain extent (especially gunpowder) and has also dabbled into Necromancy. This is the original and dominant clan before the fall of The Serpent himself.
  • The Lotus clan is an ancient group of sorcerers that delves deeply into the corrupting aspects of magic. They were also the clan that enslaved the Wolf clan and used to serve the Serpent clan.

Unlike most strategy games, all units in Battle Realms have a melee attack, however, missile units typically have drastically weaker melee attacks. Units are very detailed and have distinct fighting animations. Units can dodge projectiles if they run fast enough, and projectiles have different speeds and fire at certain angles.

A unit's attack has a property - either cutting, piercing, blunt, explosive, magic, or fire, as well as a bonus damage against buildings. The property of a unit's missile attack may also differ from its melee attack. Most units have resistances to particular properties and weaknesses to others. For example, the Dragon Samurai has excellent resistance against cutting attacks, but has a poor resistance to explosive and magic damage.

Plot

In single-player, the plot mainly revolves around Kenji, the last heir to the Serpent's Throne. When he returns from exile, Kenji comes across bandits raiding a peasant village. From there, he can either save the peasants or help the bandits in killing them. If he chooses to save the peasants, he will follow the path of the Dragon clan. If he aids the bandits, he will follow the path of the Serpent clan.

In Kenji's Journey, the player may choose which territories he or she wishes to attack first. (Otomo, his lieutenant, gives you the options.) When Kenji returns from Malcomson, he must decide whether to rebirth the Dragon Clan and save the peasants honor with righteousness or take up reigns in his brother's and his father, Lord Oja's, footsteps and lead the Serpent Clan. Taking specific territories might give benefits, and other Zen Masters may join Kenji. Later on, the player can summon these Zen Masters from the Keep. The story focuses on an artifact Called Tarrant's Orb/Orb of the Serpent which Kenji and the other clans are seeking out. Kenji must get to the Orb before them.

There are four clans in the game: Dragon Clan, Serpent Clan, Wolf Clan, and Lotus Clan, each with their own motivations. The ancient Dragon Clan prizes honor above everything else and because of their devotion to such ideals, the Dragon deity assists them during times of great peril. The Serpent Clan, followers of Yin, have forgotten their honorable ways and have resorted to thievery and deceit. Wolf Clansmen prizes freedom above all else, while also being down-to-earth, hardworking people, and take a delight in nature. Lotus clansmen follow the Forbidden Path, which focuses on death and decay.

Reception

Reception
Aggregate scores
AggregatorScore
GameRankings82.04%[4]
Metacritic82/100[5]
Review scores
PublicationScore
AllGameStarStarStarStar[6]
CVG8/10[7]
Edge7/10[8]
GameSpot8.7/10[9]
GameSpy85%[10]
GameZone8/10[11]
IGN8.7/10[12]
PC Gamer (US)70%[13]
PC Zone86%[14]
X-PlayStarStarStarStar[15]
FHMStarStarStar[16]
ActionTrip9/10[17]

The game was met with positive reception upon release, as GameRankings gave it a score of 82.04%,[4] while Metacritic gave it 82 out of 100.[5]

Igromania magazine gave the game 9 out of 10, calling it an "ideal contemporary Real-time strategy". The reviewer noted good gameplay and praised the graphics and animations, but he said the game did not deviate much from traditional RTSes and the AI did not stand out.[18]

The Academy of Interactive Arts & Sciences nominated Battle Realms for the "PC Strategy" award in 2002,[19] which was ultimately awarded to Civilization III.[20]

Expansion

Battle Realms: Winter of the Wolf is the expansion pack, announced on July 7, 2002 [21] and released on November 5, 2002.[22]

Remaster

After under 6 years in early access development, the new remastered edition, Battle Realms: Zen Edition, was fully released on Steam PC on January 27, 2025. It also added themed Steam Trading Cards for Steam users to collect.[23][24][25] The remaster includes the base game and Winter of the Wolf expansion; improved graphics including widescreen resolutions & two monitors support; and numerous bug fixes.[26]

References

  1. "Battle Realms Gold" (in en). October 30, 2001. https://www.ign.com/articles/2001/10/31/battle-realms-gold. 
  2. "Release: Battle Realms + Winter of the Wolf". CD Projekt. September 20, 2012. https://www.gog.com/news/release_battle_realms_winter_of_the_wolf. Retrieved December 9, 2019. 
  3. Nieva, Jason (November 15, 2019). "Battle Realms Arriving To Steam Early Access On November 25". https://www.player.one/battle-realms-arriving-steam-early-access-november-25-131417. Retrieved December 9, 2019. 
  4. 4.0 4.1 "Battle Realms for PC". GameRankings. http://www.gamerankings.com/pc/256847-battle-realms/index.html. Retrieved November 21, 2014. 
  5. 5.0 5.1 "Battle Realms for PC Reviews". https://www.metacritic.com/game/battle-realms/critic-reviews/?platform=pc. Retrieved November 21, 2014. 
  6. Allen, Christopher. "Battle Realms - Review". AllGame. Archived from the original on November 14, 2014. https://web.archive.org/web/20141114115746/http://www.allgame.com/game.php?id=24179&tab=review. Retrieved November 21, 2014. 
  7. Ellis, Les (January 15, 2002). "PC Review: Battle Realms". Computer and Video Games. Archived from the original on September 19, 2007. https://web.archive.org/web/20070919035324/http://www.computerandvideogames.com/article.php?id=23731. Retrieved November 21, 2014. 
  8. Edge staff (January 2002). "Battle Realms". Edge (106). 
  9. Kasavin, Greg (November 12, 2001). "Battle Realms Review". http://www.gamespot.com/reviews/battle-realms-review/1900-2824092/. Retrieved November 21, 2014. 
  10. Abner, William (November 30, 2001). "Battle Realms (PC)". GameSpy. Archived from the original on January 12, 2005. https://web.archive.org/web/20050112005925/http://archive.gamespy.com/reviews/november01/battlerealms/. Retrieved November 21, 2014. 
  11. Code Cowboy (November 28, 2001). "Battle Realms Review - PC". GameZone. Archived from the original on October 5, 2008. https://web.archive.org/web/20081005193817/http://pc.gamezone.com/gzreviews/r14706.htm. Retrieved November 21, 2014. 
  12. Butts, Steve (November 21, 2001). "Battle Realms". http://www.ign.com/articles/2001/11/22/battle-realms. Retrieved November 21, 2014. 
  13. Harms, William (February 2002). "Battle Realms". PC Gamer: 78. Archived from the original on November 22, 2004. https://web.archive.org/web/20041122172614/http://www.pcgamer.com/reviews/archives/review_2002-07-10a2.html. Retrieved November 21, 2014. 
  14. Pullin, Keith (December 29, 2001). "PC Review: Battle Realms". PC Zone. Archived from the original on October 30, 2007. https://web.archive.org/web/20071030181858/http://www.computerandvideogames.com/article.php?id=23039. Retrieved November 21, 2014. 
  15. Rubenstein, Glenn (November 21, 2001). "'Battle Realms' (PC) Review". X-Play. Archived from the original on November 23, 2001. https://web.archive.org/web/20011123111331/http://www.techtv.com/extendedplay/reviews/story/0%2C23008%2C3361448%2C00.html. Retrieved November 21, 2014. 
  16. "Battle Realms". FHM. December 2, 2001. Archived from the original on May 29, 2002. https://web.archive.org/web/20020529033718/http://www.fhm.com/games/reviews/gamereview.asp?intID=1554. Retrieved November 21, 2014. 
  17. Katilovic, Dusan "Lynx" (December 3, 2001). "Battle Realms Review". ActionTrip. http://www.actiontrip.com/reviews/battle-realms.phtml. Retrieved November 21, 2014. 
  18. Полянский, Олег (February 2002). "Battle Realms" (in Russian). Igromania 53. http://www.igromania.ru/articles/45439/Battle_Realms.htm. Retrieved 2013-11-19. 
  19. "Academy of Interactive Arts and Sciences Announces Finalists for the 5th Annual Interactive Achievement Awards" (Press release). Los Angeles: Academy of Interactive Arts & Sciences. February 5, 2002. Archived from the original on 2002-06-02. Retrieved 2018-11-03.
  20. "Academy of Interactive Arts and Sciences Announces Recipients of Fifth Annual Interactive Achievement Awards" (Press release). Las Vegas: Academy of Interactive Arts & Sciences. March 1, 2002. Archived from the original on 2002-03-06. Retrieved 2018-11-03.
  21. Walker, Trey (2002-07-01). "Battle Realms: Winter of the Wolf announced". GameSpot. http://www.gamespot.com/articles/battle-realms-winter-of-the-wolf-announced/1100-2873042/. Retrieved 2014-11-22. 
  22. Calvert, Justin (2002-11-05). "Battle Realms: Winter of the Wolf ships". GameSpot. http://www.gamespot.com/articles/battle-realms-winter-of-the-wolf-ships/1100-2896701/. Retrieved 2014-11-22. 
  23. To@st (Username) (January 30, 2025). ""Battle Realms Zen Edition" Full Release Out Now - Devs Introduce Trading Card System". https://www.techpowerup.com/331828/battle-realms-zen-edition-full-release-out-now-devs-introduce-trading-card-system. 
  24. Christoph Licht (February 1, 2025). "Co-Op Monthly Round-Up for January 2025". https://www.co-optimus.com/article/17701/co-op-monthly-round-up-for-january-2025.html. 
  25. "Battle Realms: Zen Edition – Steam Stats". https://vginsights.com/game/battle-realms-zen-edition. 
  26. "Gamepressure bio for Battle Realms: Zen Edition". Gry-Online. https://www.gamepressure.com/games/battle-realms-zen-edition/zb6c20. 
  • The official BattleRealms.com website
  • 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. 
  • No URL found. Please specify a URL here or add one to Wikidata.

Template:Atari



  • 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. 
  • No URL found. Please specify a URL here or add one to Wikidata.

Template:Atari