Software:Black & White 2

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Black & White 2
Developer(s)Lionhead Studios
Robosoft Technologies (Mac OS X)
Publisher(s)Electronic Arts
Feral Interactive (Mac OS X)
Designer(s)Peter Molyneux
Ron Millar
Programmer(s)David Bryson
Daniel Deptford
Tid Cooney
Artist(s)Jamie Galipeau
Paul McLaughlin
Christian Bravery
Jon Eckersley
Writer(s)James Leach
Composer(s)Craig Beattie
Platform(s)Microsoft Windows, Mac OS X
ReleaseWindows
  • NA: 4 October 2005
  • EU: 7 October 2005
Mac OS X
  • NA: 6 January 2009
Genre(s)Real-time strategy, god game
Mode(s)Single-player

Black & White 2 is a video game developed by Lionhead Studios and published by Electronic Arts released in October 2005. It is the sequel to 2001's Black & White. A Mac OS X port was released in January 2009,[1] and released for download via the Mac App Store in November 2014.[2] The game blends real-time strategy and god game elements.

Gameplay

The player takes the role of a god called from the void (nothingness) to help the villagers who invoked them. The player must help develop their nature according to their good or evil desires. The player is physically represented in the world as an avatar-like creature, which takes the form of a giant anthropomorphic ape, lion, wolf, turtle, cow, or tiger. The creature can grow to an immense size, and adopt a good or evil persona based on how the player rewards or punishes their actions. In addition to the god simulation and city-building elements introduced in the original Black & White, Black & White 2 also features elements of real-time strategy gameplay, with the addition of controllable warfare and fighting units.

Black & White 2 features a more conventional heads-up display (HUD) system than its predecessor. Rather than the experimental HUD-less gameplay seen in the original game, Black & White 2 features HUD notifications that inform players of their creature's state of mind, the effects of their actions on their creature, the status of villages, etc. The user interface is almost button-less. The player sees little else on the screen but the world, the player's hand, and toolbars which the player can make disappear.

The only way the player can directly interact with this world is through the player's hand, which can be used to pick up people, trees, food, and influence[clarification needed] the ground. The player can also cast miracles for a certain amount of "Prayer Power" (in essence, "Mana"), which comes from the player's believers.

Two creatures battling in the Greek city.

To do things such as cast miracles, the player moves the hand in such a way to make a symbol on the ground, referred to as a gesture. This activates the miracle, and if the player has enough Prayer Power, it appears in the player's hand ready to cast. Miracles have a variety of different uses. There are six ordinary miracles: fire, lightning, water, shield, heal, and meteor, (each of which can be thrown or poured), and four epic wonders[clarification needed]: siren, hurricane, earthquake, and volcano.

Black & White 2 can be played in three ways: Good, Evil, or combination of the two. Evil involves the use of fear, torture, conquest and destruction using armies along with the creation of building such as a pit of torture. Good involves benevolence, more positive city building, and looking after the populace, particularly defending it from attacks. Both of these require ore and wood, of which there is a limited amount.

The player's tribe is the Greeks. Other tribes include Egypt, Norse, Aztec, and Japanese.

As in Black & White, players can create disciples to do the player's job in certain areas of the game while the player tends to other business. For example, if the player needs to lead an invasion, they can set villagers, and even their creature to farm for them while they lead an invasion.

Creatures

The player can choose between several creatures, including the ape, lion, wolf, cow and tiger, although the tiger is not available in the base game. The player's creature can do most things the player can do, such as cast miracles. Since the player trains the creature, their personality can become whatever the player makes of it. Each tribe, like the player, owns creatures at some stage. As the game progresses, the enemies' creatures increase in strength and size. Unlike Black & White, in which the creature had to be taught miracles through repetition, Black & White 2 allows the player to 'buy' creature miracles with 'Tribute' currency. Along with this, Black & White 2 allows the player to revisit everything they've taught their creature in order to alter and fine-tune it at any time, while the original Black & White only allowed changes to be made as the creature repeated an action.

Plot

The player comes upon a scene of a Greek city being devastated by a huge Aztec army after being summoned from a "pure prayer". After the player saves a certain number of people, their people are transported to a new land with a handful of refugee worshipers, the player must re-establish a power base[clarification needed] from which to eventually defeat the Aztec empire. To do so, the player must conquer the Norse, the Japanese and the Aztecs, either by peace or war. Throughout the game there is a theme of "The prophecy", which states that a tribe will be destroyed by the mightiest power in the world but will receive a god who will lead them to glory and dominance of the world.

Reception

{{Video game reviews | MC = 75/100[3] | Edge = 7/10[4] | EuroG = 6/10[5] | GI = 8.5/10[6] | GamePro = StarStarStarHalf star[7] | GSpot = 8.2/10[8] | GSpy = StarStarStarHalf star[9] | GT = 8.6/10[10] | GameZone = 9/10[11] | IGN = 8.8/10[12] | PCGUS = 83%[13] | rev1 = The Sydney Morning Herald | rev1Score = StarStarStarHalf star[14] The game received "generally favorable reviews" according to video game review aggregator Metacritic.[3]

Black & White 2 received a "Silver" sales award from the Entertainment and Leisure Software Publishers Association (ELSPA),[15] indicating sales of at least 100,000 copies in the United Kingdom.[16]

Expansion pack

An expansion pack, Black & White 2: Battle of the Gods, was released in April 2006. It includes a new creature, new lands, miracles, enemies, challenges and the tiger from the Black & White 2 Special Edition. The premise involves the player's return to Eden, where they discover that the Aztecs have raised their own evil deity which must be confronted head-on for control of the land. The player may choose how they will challenge this new god, either by countering the evil deity's actions with good deeds, or attempting to defeat through evil actions.

References

  1. ↑ Holt, Chris (23 February 2009). "Review: Black and White 2". Macworld. http://www.macworld.com/article/1138954/black_and_white_2.html. Retrieved 25 January 2016. 
  2. ↑ "Mac App Store - Black & White 2". https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/black-white-2/id437519881?ls=1&mt=12. 
  3. ↑ 3.0 3.1 "Black & White 2 for PC Reviews". https://www.metacritic.com/game/black-and-white-2/critic-reviews/?platform=pc. 
  4. ↑ Edge staff (November 2005). "Black & White 2". Edge (155): 94. 
  5. ↑ Walker, John (4 October 2005). "Black & White 2". http://www.eurogamer.net/articles/r_blackwhite2_pc. 
  6. ↑ Juba, Joe (November 2005). "Black & White 2". Game Informer (151): 172. http://www.gameinformer.com/NR/exeres/A2BC7823-A29B-4EB9-A5A0-C008EF3F0F1E.htm. Retrieved 25 January 2016. 
  7. ↑ Boba Fatt (4 October 2005). "Black & White 2 Review for PC on GamePro.com". GamePro. http://www.gamepro.com/computer/pc/games/reviews/48834.shtml. Retrieved 26 January 2016. 
  8. ↑ Ocampo, Jason (5 October 2005). "Black & White 2 Review". http://www.gamespot.com/reviews/black-and-white-2-review/1900-6135160/. 
  9. ↑ Rausch, Allen "Delsyn" (5 October 2005). "GameSpy: Black & White 2". GameSpy. http://pc.gamespy.com/pc/black-white-2/656318p1.html. 
  10. ↑ "Black & White 2 Review". GameTrailers. 28 October 2005. http://www.gametrailers.com/game/156.html. 
  11. ↑ Knutson, Michael (17 October 2005). "Black & White 2 - PC - Review". GameZone. http://www.gamezone.com/reviews/black_white_2_pc_review. 
  12. ↑ Butts, Steve (28 September 2005). "Black & White 2". http://www.ign.com/articles/2005/09/29/black-white-2. 
  13. ↑ "Black & White 2". PC Gamer: 74. 25 December 2005. 
  14. ↑ Hill, Jason (3 November 2005). "Traditional and structured". The Sydney Morning Herald. http://www.smh.com.au/news/games/traditional-and-structured/2005/11/01/1130823211254.html. 
  15. ↑ "ELSPA Sales Awards: Silver". Entertainment and Leisure Software Publishers Association. http://www.elspa.com:80/?i=3942. 
  16. ↑ Caoili, Eric (26 November 2008). "ELSPA: Wii Fit, Mario Kart Reach Diamond Status in UK". Gamasutra. https://www.gamasutra.com/view/news/112220/ELSPA_Wii_Fit_Mario_Kart_Reach_Diamond_Status_In_UK.php. 

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 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]

On February 13, 2025, Freyholtz stepped down as the site lead to move onto new projects, leaving operations to Tracy Poff, a veteran coder on the site, and Atari staff.[18]

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. 
  18. ↑ "An update on MobyGames leadership". 2025-02-13. https://www.mobygames.com/forum/3/thread/269628/an-update-on-mobygames-leadership/#post-269628. 
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