Software:Critters for Sale

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Short description: 2021 video game


Critters For Sale
Steam header art
Developer(s)Sonoshee
Publisher(s)Sonoshee
EngineUnity
Platform(s)Windows, Linux
Release3 June 2021
Genre(s)Adventure
Mode(s)Single-player

Critters For Sale is a 2021 adventure video game by Moroccan independent developer Sonoshee. Described as "a hybrid between (a) point and click adventure and visual novel", the game is an episodic collection of five short stories unified by themes including "time travel, black magic and immortality".[1]

Plot

Critters For Sale is a compilation of five non-linear short stories, set in different eras and locations: Snake, Goat, Monkey, Dragon, and Spider.[1] Although the stories are largely self-contained, each allude to a broader and overarching cosmological conflict between the celestial Paradise Architects and the Devil-like Noid Men. In the first episode, Snake, the player is Sergei Volkov, a man from the year 2033 receiving a cryptic message inviting him to the Limelight Club, a place with ties to aliens, secret societies, alternate timelines, and a doomsday machine.[2] In other episodes, the player assumes identities as Jaafar, a wanderer seeking a treasurer in the desert in 972, Othman, a Moroccan teenager in 1991, and a patron of a mysterious casino in 1997.[3] The subject matter is purposefully asynchronous and disjointed, for instance including real-world celebrities as characters in the game, such as musicians Michael Jackson and MC Ride.

Gameplay

A screenshot of Critters for Sale

Critters For Sale is a traditional point and click adventure game, in which the player follows the story by interacting with people for dialog or clicking on objects to receive information about the surrounding environment.[4] Dialog in the game features choices that lead to different endings across episodes, with eighteen separate endings. Once playthroughs of an episode are completed, the player can fast forward through dialog in that episode to expedite repeat playthroughs. Although the game is essentially non-linear in structure, and any episode can be played in any order, the game requires certain episodes to be played before puzzles in other episodes are solvable.[3] The game also offers occasional interactive puzzles and games secondary to the core gameplay, such as a casino that features memory games and reaction tests.[5]

Development

In January 2019, two episodes of an alpha build of Critters for Sale, Snake and Goat, were released as free downloads.[6] The preview was received favorably, with Rachel Watts of PC Gamer praising the unusual atmosphere of the game, stating "if every other episode in the full game (is) as bonkers and surreal as the first, we're in for a wild ride".[7] A demo of the first chapter of Critters For Sale, Snake, was previewed in January 2021, with the full game released for download on Steam and itch.io on 3 June 2021.[1] A soundtrack of Critters For Sale by VRTLHVN, containing unreleased and bonus tracks, was also released on Bandcamp on 3 June 2021.[8]

Reception

Reception
Review scores
PublicationScore
Adventure GamersStarStarStarStar[3]
Indie Game Website7.5[9]

Reception of Critters For Sale was positive, with many critics remarking on the distinctively unusual and unclassifiable qualities of the game. Jesse G of Dread XP praised the game as "a piece of art unlike any you've experienced before", stating "to describe this game is to describe a fever dream".[4] Adventure Gamers noted, however, that the game is "not simply bizarre - it's compelling, and while much of the story feels impossible to grasp on the surface, there's an ineffable quality to the imagery that resonates somewhere deeper, on an almost unconscious level."[3] Pixel Die, who subsequently cited Critters for Sale as one of the "best surprises" of the year,[10] stated the game had "one of the weirdest plots of any game this year", praising "how well-made and tightly packed in these outlandish ideas were brought to fruition".[11]

The monochrome graphics of the game elicited differing responses from reviewers. Dread XP praised the "unbelievably great art style" for its "intricate collage of places and things that you've never experienced before".[4] Alexis Ong of The Indie Game Website stated the game featured "one of the most striking visual experiences around", praising its "hypnotic animations and hyper-stylised full motion video-style snippets."[9] Vulgar Knight stated "the visual approach is an acquired taste", noting "without any hotspots and lacking definition, it can be hard to see what's going on."[5] Save or Quit noted that the game "opens with an epilepsy warning for good reason, although this art style does seem to make the violence and gore feel sanitised".[12]

Critics were divided on the merits of the game's narrative as an expression of a coherent plot. Joel Couture of Indie Games Plus observed the game was not "meaningless", but contained a "vastness to its complexity that is downright overwhelming".[13] Writing for The Indie Game Website, Alexis Ong stated "There are no real revelations or complicated plot twists, only encounters with a galactic assortment of freaks and weirdos. If you’re looking for deep lore and heady chunks of exposition, this is not for you."[9] Kain Klaren of Klardendum stated "the plot doesn't really matter, as it's more of a collection of things that happen, even though there is a defined storyline going through the episodes. Either way, you’re here for the weird, not to analyze it."[14] Save or Quit expressed boredom with the game's narrative, noting that "the game dabbles with classic science fiction and fantasy themes but skirts engaging with the concepts on a deeper level".[12]

References

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 Sonoshee (4 June 2021). "Critters for Sale". https://store.steampowered.com/app/1078420/Critters_for_Sale/. 
  2. ↑ Wilson, Mike (12 January 2021). "Surreal Graphic Adventure Game 'Critters For Sale' Arrives This June". https://bloody-disgusting.com/video-games/3647898/surreal-graphic-adventure-game-critter-for-sale-arrives-this-june/. 
  3. ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 3.3 Aickman, Will (6 October 2021). "Review for Critters for Sale". https://adventuregamers.com/articles/view/critters-for-sale. 
  4. ↑ 4.0 4.1 4.2 G, Jesse (6 July 2021). "Get What You Pay For in Critters For Sale". https://www.dreadxp.com/editorial/ultra-indie-spotlight-sunday-get-what-you-pay-for-in-critters-for-sale/. 
  5. ↑ 5.0 5.1 "To Live Is To Die In Critters For Sale". 12 July 2022. https://vulgarknight.com/critters-for-sale-review/. 
  6. ↑ Robertson, KJ (4 January 2019). "Critters For Sale - Alpha Download". https://www.alphabetagamer.com/critters-for-sale-alpha-download/. 
  7. ↑ Watts, Rachel (21 January 2021). "Critters for Sale is a psychedelic point-and-click fever dream, out in 2021". https://www.pcgamer.com/critters-for-sale-is-a-psychedelic-point-and-click-fever-dream-out-in-2021/. 
  8. ↑ VRTLHVN (3 June 2021). "Critters For Sale - Official Soundtrack". https://vrtlhvn.bandcamp.com/album/critters-for-sale-official-soundtrack. 
  9. ↑ 9.0 9.1 9.2 Ong, Alexis (28 June 2021). "Critters for Sale Review". https://www.indiegamewebsite.com/2021/06/28/critters-for-sale-review/. 
  10. ↑ "The 2021 Pixel Die Game Awards". 29 December 2021. https://pixeldie.com/2021/12/29/the-2021-pixel-die-game-awards/. 
  11. ↑ "Critters for Sale - Review". 14 July 2021. https://pixeldie.com/2021/07/14/critters-for-sale-review/. 
  12. ↑ 12.0 12.1 "Review - Critters for Sale". 21 June 2021. https://saveorquit.com/2021/06/21/review-critters-for-sale/. 
  13. ↑ Couture, Joel (3 June 2021). "'Critters for Sale' Captures a Surreal, Unsettling Existence With its Stories". https://indiegamesplus.com/critters-for-sale-review/. 
  14. ↑ "Thoughts on Critters For Sale". 9 September 2021. https://klardendum.com/review/thoughts-on-critters-for-sale/. 
  • 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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