Software:Combat Mission II: Barbarossa to Berlin

From HandWiki
Short description: 2002 video game
Combat Mission II: Barbarossa to Berlin
Developer(s)Battlefront.com
Publisher(s)CDV Software
Designer(s)Charles Moylan
Stephen Grammont
Programmer(s)Charles Moylan
SeriesCombat Mission
Platform(s)Microsoft Windows, Mac
ReleaseWindows
Mac
Genre(s)Turn-based tactics, Wargame
Mode(s)Single-player, multiplayer

Combat Mission II: Barbarossa to Berlin is a 2002 computer wargame developed and published by Battlefront.com. A turn-based computer game about tactical battles in World War II, it is the sequel to Software:Combat Mission: Beyond Overlord. The game has been described as the "reigning champ of east front tactical warfare for the PC."[2]

Features

Barbarossa to Berlin is both a complement to the earlier Software:Combat Mission: Beyond Overlord, in that it presented a different theatre of war, as well as a sequel, by way of improving game features and adding new ones. The playable nations are: Nazi Germany, Soviet Union, Romania (pre- and post- defection), Hungary, Finland, Poland (under Soviet command) and Italy.

In order to conform to German law, depictions of the swastika were removed. Additionally, all Waffen SS units were renamed "Waffen Grenadier".

Demo

A playable public demo is offered by Battlefront.com. The demo did not include access to the mission editor, but did permit solo, hotseat, email or TCP/IP play of two pre-made scenarios.

Alternate titles

The game was originally released as Combat Mission: Barbarossa to Berlin; it was known in Europe as Combat Mission 2.

A Special Edition, known as Combat Mission II: Barbarossa to Berlin (Special Edition) was released with a "bonus disc" which included graphic mods and additional scenarios collected from designers within the CM community.

Reception

Reception
Aggregate score
AggregatorScore
Metacritic89/100[3]
Review scores
PublicationScore
CGWStarStarStarStarHalf star[4]
GameSpot9.1/10[5]
GameSpyStarStarStarStarStar[6]
GameZone8.6/10[7]
IGN9/10[8]
PC Gamer (UK)86%[9]
PC Gamer (US)90%[10]
PC Zone69%[11]

The game received "generally favorable reviews", just one point short of "universal acclaim", according to the review aggregation website Metacritic.[3] GameSpot named it the second-best computer game of October 2002.[12] It was also a runner-up for GameSpot's annual "Best Single-Player Strategy Game on PC" award, which went to Software:Medieval: Total War.[13]

It was a runner-up for GameSpy's 2002 "PC Strategy Game of the Year" award, which ultimately went to Software:Medieval: Total War. The editors wrote of Combat Mission II, "This sleeper hit might be hard to find, but if you like realistic World War II tactics you owe it to yourself to track down a copy."[14] Barbarossa to Berlin won Computer Gaming World's 2002 "Wargame of the Year" award. The editors wrote that it "doesn't change the genre the way its predecessor did, [but] it still towers high above the competition."[15]

References

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 "Combat Mission II: Barbarossa to Berlin (2002) Macintosh release dates". MobyGames. http://www.mobygames.com/game/combat-mission-ii-barbarossa-to-berlin/release-info. Retrieved September 16, 2017. 
  2. ↑ Prouty, Kevin. "Platform Comparison: Combat Mission: Barbarossa to Berlin vs. Panzer Command". Tactical Wargamer's Journal (1). ISSN 1918-9729. 
  3. ↑ 3.0 3.1 "Combat Mission: Barbarossa to Berlin for PC Reviews". https://www.metacritic.com/game/combat-mission-barbarossa-to-berlin/critic-reviews/?platform=pc. Retrieved September 16, 2017. 
  4. ↑ Beryk, Bruce (February 2003). "Combat Mission: Barbarossa to Berlin". Computer Gaming World (223): 70–71. http://www.cgwmuseum.org/galleries/issues/cgw_223.pdf. Retrieved September 16, 2017. 
  5. ↑ Chick, Tom (October 29, 2002). "Combat Mission: Barbarossa to Berlin Review". https://www.gamespot.com/reviews/combat-mission-barbarossa-to-berlin-review/1900-2896002/. Retrieved September 16, 2017. 
  6. ↑ Lackey, Jeff (November 25, 2002). "GameSpy: Combat Mission: Barbarossa to Berlin". GameSpy. http://pc.gamespy.com/pc/combat-mission-barbarossa-to-berlin/544169p1.html. Retrieved September 16, 2017. 
  7. ↑ Zacarias, Eduardo (October 17, 2002). "Combat Mission 2: Barbarossa to Berlin - PC - Review". GameZone. Archived from the original on January 25, 2009. https://web.archive.org/web/20090125215604/http://pc.gamezone.com/gzreviews/r18991.htm. Retrieved September 16, 2017. 
  8. ↑ Butts, Steve (November 18, 2002). "Combat Mission: Barbarossa to Berlin Review". http://www.ign.com/articles/2002/11/18/combat-mission-barbarossa-to-berlin-review. Retrieved September 16, 2017. 
  9. ↑ "Combat Mission 2: Barbarossa to Berlin". PC Gamer UK. December 2002. 
  10. ↑ "Combat Mission: Barbarossa to Berlin". PC Gamer: 102. January 2003. 
  11. ↑ Emery, Daniel (December 10, 2002). "PC Review: Combat Mission 2: Barbarossa to Berlin". PC Zone. Archived from the original on July 26, 2010. https://web.archive.org/web/20100726233529/http://www.computerandvideogames.com/article.php?id=84189. Retrieved September 16, 2017. 
  12. ↑ ((The Editors of GameSpot)) (November 2, 2002). "GameSpot's Game of the Month, October 2002". GameSpot. Archived from the original on October 17, 2003. https://web.archive.org/web/20031017065623/http://www.gamespot.com/gamespot/features/all/gotm/110202/index.html. 
  13. ↑ GameSpot Staff (December 30, 2002). "GameSpot's Best and Worst of 2002". GameSpot. Archived from the original on February 7, 2003. https://web.archive.org/web/20030207155400/http://gamespot.com/gamespot/features/all/bestof2002/. 
  14. ↑ GameSpy staff (December 2002). "GameSpy Best of 2002 (Page 8)". GameSpy. Archived from the original on December 4, 2003. https://web.archive.org/web/20031204114108/http://www.gamespy.com/goty2002/pc/index9.shtml. 
  15. ↑ Staff (April 2003). "Computer Gaming World's 2002 Games of the Year". Computer Gaming World (225): 83–86, 88, 89, 92–97. 
  • Official 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





Retrieved from "https://handwiki.org/wiki/index.php?title=Software:Combat_Mission_II:_Barbarossa_to_Berlin&oldid=3951637"