Software:Crypt Killer

From HandWiki
Short description: 1995 video game
Crypt Killer
North American arcade flyer
Developer(s)Konami[lower-alpha 1]
Publisher(s)Konami
Director(s)Kuniaki Kakuwa
Producer(s)Hideki Oyama
Programmer(s)Tadasu Kitae
Hisataka Yoshikawa
Mitsuhiro Nozaki
Artist(s)Kuniaki Kakuwa
Mitsuhiro Nomi
Motoki Toyama
Composer(s)Yuji Takenouchi
Mutsuhiko Izumi
Platform(s)Arcade, PlayStation, Sega Saturn, Windows
ReleaseArcade
PlayStation, Saturn
  • JP: March 7, 1997
  • PAL: March 21, 1997
  • NA: April 24, 1997
Windows
Genre(s)Light gun shooter
Mode(s)Single-player, multiplayer
Arcade systemKonami System GQ

Crypt Killer (released as Henry Explorers[lower-alpha 2] in Japan) is a 1995 light gun shooter video game developed and published by Konami for arcades. Ports for the PlayStation and Sega Saturn were released in 1997, along with a CD-ROM conversion for Microsoft Windows released exclusively in Japan the same year. The Saturn version makes use of Sega's Virtua Gun (released as the Stunner in North America),[2] whereas the PlayStation version is compatible with Konami's own Hyper Blaster light gun peripheral (released in North America as The Justifier). The game's scenery and characters are all 3D polygon models, while most of the enemies and their projectiles are 2D sprites.[3]

Plot

The players are "crypt raiders" guided by Galazon, the spirit of travels, who resembles a floating head to travel through variously themed caves, temples and crypts in search of the "Eyes of Guidance" which would open the doors of fate. On their journey they are armed with a shotgun to fend off many mythical enemies, such as mummies, skeletons, fish-men, gargoyles, and an array of other monsters.

Gameplay

One, two or three players simultaneously travel through levels "on rails", as in the vast majority of light gun shooters. At certain points on each level the players choose their path by selecting to go one of two different ways. The opening screen allows the player to choose from any of the six levels.[4] There are three areas (besides the boss area) per level. At the end of each level, the player encounters a boss guarding the "Eyes of Guidance" needed to progress. The player can temporally upgrade their weapon by finding concealed more powerful guns such as a Gatling gun, grenade launcher, a more powerful shotgun, and an automatic hidden behind breakable objects. In the console versions, for each life the player has three bombs which can destroy all enemies on screen.

Every time the player finds two Eyes of Guidance, an ending is revealed, although Galazon tells the players to keep playing until they clear all six levels. All endings start with placing the Eyes of Guidance in the statue. The eye obtained is either red or blue depending on the path chosen at the end of Act 2 in each level. Depending on the color combination of the two eyes that are obtained, the endings are:

  • Normal/Good Ending: He encounters a skeleton, shoots it, and says that he is somehow tricked by an ancient text. The player finds the real treasure. This ending is reached if the first eye is blue and the other is red.
  • Behind-The-Scenes Ending: The player directs a movie based from the game, and it is revealed that the monsters (skeletons, fish-men, gargoyles, etc.) are stunt men and actors. This ending is reached if both eyes are blue.
  • Bad Ending: The player finds many treasure chests in a river which turns out to be fake. Then he is surrounded by all the bosses in the game. The player tries to escape but is killed. This ending is reached if both eyes are red.
  • Legendary Sword Ending: The player finds a legendary sword. He activates its powers, consequently becoming its wielder. This ending is reached if the first eye is red and the other is blue.

Reception

Reception
Aggregate score
AggregatorScore
GameRankings46% (PS1) [8]
Review scores
PublicationScore
EGM4.625/10 (PS1)[5]
GameSpot3.8/10 (PS1)[6]
Next GenerationStarStar (ARC)[7]
Sega Saturn Magazine47% (SAT)[2]

Reviewing the arcade version, a Next Generation critic praised Crypt Killer's ending but summed up that "besides the free-moving, hand-held sawed-off shotgun, enabling pump-handle reloading (a nice element), this game blends in quite well with the pile of new laser-gun shooters with little distinction."[7]

The Saturn and PlayStation versions received overwhelmingly negative reviews, with critics deriding the heavily pixelated and blocky graphics,[5][6][2][9] the lack of scariness in the enemies' appearance,[5][6][2] the numerous cheap hits,[5][9] and the player character's overdone acrobatics, which cause the perspective to spin and bounce around frequently in a nauseating manner.[5][9][10] Lee Nutter of Sega Saturn Magazine was particularly vehement in his criticism, remarking that "more fun could be derived from the Virtua Gun if you were to spend an entire evening pistol whipping yourself with it". A sidebar on the seven light gun games which had been released for the Saturn in the UK up to that point showed that Crypt Killer had the lowest rating from Sega Saturn Magazine.[2] Dan Hsu of Electronic Gaming Monthly defended the game, saying it "deserves a look" due to its unique mythical theme, but his three co-reviewers gave firmly negative assessments.[5] GamePro remarked that "Although the action gets frantic, it never intensifies to the point of hysteria, the way a good shooter like Area 51 does."[10] GameSpot's Jeff Kitts found the game's poor quality especially unforgivable since it came from the same company as the seminal light gun game Lethal Enforcers.[6]

Notes

  1. ↑ PlayStation and Saturn versions developed by Konami Computer Entertainment Tokyo; Windows version developed by Konami Computer Games Aoyama and System Sacom.
  2. ↑ ヘンリーエクスプローラーズ Henrī Ekusupurōrāzu

References

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 Akagi, Masumi (October 13, 2006) (in ja). アーケードTVゲームリスト国内•海外編(1971-2005). Japan: Amusement News Agency. pp. 28, 122. ISBN 978-4990251215. https://archive.org/details/ArcadeGameList1971-2005/page/n29/mode/2up. 
  2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 2.4 Nutter, Lee (May 1997). "Review: Crypt Killer". Sega Saturn Magazine (Emap International Limited) (19): 54–55. 
  3. ↑ "Crypt Killer". Electronic Gaming Monthly (Ziff Davis) (91): 46. February 1997. 
  4. ↑ "Crypt Killer: Demons, Spiders and Heads-Oh My!". Electronic Gaming Monthly (Ziff Davis) (92): 100. March 1997. 
  5. ↑ 5.0 5.1 5.2 5.3 5.4 5.5 "Review Crew: Crypt Killer". Electronic Gaming Monthly (Ziff Davis) (93): 54. April 1997. 
  6. ↑ 6.0 6.1 6.2 6.3 Kitts, Jeff (March 27, 1997). "Crypt Killer Review". https://www.gamespot.com/reviews/crypt-killer-review/1900-2547192/. Retrieved 4 March 2018. 
  7. ↑ 7.0 7.1 "Crypt Killer". Next Generation (Imagine Media) (12): 201, 205. December 1995. 
  8. ↑ "Crypt Killer for PlayStation". https://www.gamerankings.com/ps/197013-crypt-killer/index.html. 
  9. ↑ 9.0 9.1 9.2 "PlayStation ProReview: Crypt Killer". GamePro (IDG) (103): 79. April 1997. 
  10. ↑ 10.0 10.1 Scary Larry (June 1997). "Saturn ProReview: Crypt Killer". GamePro (IDG) (105): 76. 
  • Crypt Killer at Arcade-History
  • 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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