Software:D2 (video game)

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D2
North American Dreamcast cover art
Developer(s)Warp
Publisher(s)
Director(s)Kenji Eno
Writer(s)Kenji Eno
Composer(s)Kenji Eno
Platform(s)Dreamcast
Release
  • JP: December 23, 1999
  • NA: August 22, 2000[1]
Genre(s)Action-adventure, survival horror
Mode(s)Single-player

D2[lower-alpha 1] is a survival horror video game developed by Warp for the Dreamcast. Directed and written by Kenji Eno, it was published by Warp in Japan in 1999 and by Sega in North America in 2000. D2 stars the "digital actress" Laura but has an independent story unrelated to the original D, and uses action-oriented gameplay in contrast to the puzzle-driven D.

Gameplay

Laura searching for items in the polar environments

The game has a few different kinds of gameplay. The majority of D2 involves exploring the Canada wilderness from a third-person perspective while interior locations are encountered in a first-person perspective. While exploring the wilderness, the player encounters random battles, much like those of a role-playing video game. When fighting monsters, the player cannot move Laura, but only aim her weapons. Defeating these creatures earns Laura experience points, which are used to level Laura up, increasing her health limit. Laura is initially equipped with a submachine gun with unlimited ammunition and a hunting rifle, which is used to hunt animals for meat which she can use to regain health.

In terms of the hunting feature, animals Laura kills for meat are totaled up during gameplay and on the Options screen, and players can see how many kills she has collected as well as any medals given. Additionally, Laura has a camera that she can use to take pictures any time in the game (except during cinematics). Players can also save the pictures to a VMU and view them later on.

Plot

The game opens with Laura Parton falling asleep on an airplane trip to an undisclosed location. After being jolted awake by a tone over the airplane's PA system and a friendly conversation with a fellow passenger named David, a group of terrorists, who seem to be guided by some kind of mysterious cultist chanting to himself, suddenly and violently takes control of the plane. David, who turns out to be a special agent within the FBI, attempts to stop the terrorists, but he is thwarted when a meteorite strikes the plane, sending it crashing into the Canadian wilderness. After a series of bad dreams, Laura awakens in a small cabin being cared for by Kimberly Fox, a poet, and songwriter who also survived the crash. She explains that ten days have passed since the accident, although Kimberly had only found her some distance from the crash site two days prior, leaving a strange eight-day gap where she was mysteriously taken care of. The moment of peace is broken when another survivor, one of the hijackers, staggers into the cabin before suddenly transforming into a hideous plant-like monster. Here, Laura and Kimberly meet Parker Jackson, a CETI researcher and fellow crash survivor who drives out the monster, only to be driven out himself by a distrusting Kimberly.

Laura then sets out into the wilderness in order to investigate the possibility of contacting the outside world and seeking out other survivors only to discover that more strange, hideous creatures are lurking in the area, as something is causing the crash survivors to mutate into the very same monsters she must avoid and battle while traveling through the region. She is driven deeper into the mystery when she must venture into an abandoned mining facility in order to locate Jannie, a lost little girl Kimberly had found along with Laura and one of the plane's former passengers.

Development

Development for D2 started as a premier game for the cancelled Panasonic M2 console, the successor to the 3DO console.[2] The 3DO Company, with which Warp had a good working relationship, had suggested Warp create a sequel to D for their new console.[3]

In this early version, a pregnant Laura is on a passenger flight to Romania which is attacked by a supernatural force. The plane crashes and her unborn child is spirited away by the Devil to medieval Transylvania, to be the child of a widowed duke who sold his soul for a son. The player would have taken the role of Laura's son as he enters adulthood, and must escape a large castle and fight the Devil to save his father.[4] Unlike the original D, but like the D2 that was released for Dreamcast, the game was to feature full-motion video cutscenes but gameplay entirely played out with real-time graphics, and consisting of both puzzle solving and combat.[4]

D2 was the first M2 game for which screenshots from a playable version were released to the public.[5] Warp employed their usual unorthodox promotional tactics during development. For the first two days of the April 1997 Tokyo Game Show, Warp did not show any games, instead holding a celebration of the arrival of the cherry blossom season at their booth, before finally showing a demo of D2 on the third (and final) day of the show.[6] Though at the time it was believed that D2 was nearly complete when Panasonic officially announced that the M2 was not going to be released,[7] Eno later revealed the game was "about 50 percent finished".[2] Following the abandonment of the M2, Warp began work on porting the game to the Sega Saturn.[8] However, eventually Kenji Eno decided to abandon the original concept and create an entirely new game for the Dreamcast.[2]

In Japan, a demonstration version of D2 was packaged with another Warp-produced game, the Dreamcast remake of the Sega Saturn title Real Sound. This early preview of the game, known as D2 Shock Demo, features modified opening credits and a "heads up display" compared to the completed game. Additionally, it contains a save file that copies to the Dreamcast VMU and unlocks a "secret movie" in the retail Japanese version of D2. This movie is a preview of the shelved M2 version of D2. It was removed from the North American version but can briefly be seen as an in-flight movie during the hijacking sequence.

A playable animation demo of the M2 version of D2 was found and coded to run on M2 kiosk hardware in December 2019. It features the main character of the M2 version, Taren, executing the backflip sword slash seen in the alpha version of D2 previews from 1997.

Release

The game was released in Japan as one standard edition and three limited edition variants. The standard edition features Laura on the cover, while the limited edition covers are white, silver or black, respectively, for the Hope, Bliss, and Eclipse variants.[9] The limited editions also included a calendar of the year 2000. It was jewel-case sized and printed on a single page of translucent plastic, colored either red, blue, or green.[citation needed]

Reception

Reception
Aggregate score
AggregatorScore
Metacritic69/100[10]
Review scores
PublicationScore
AllGameStarStarHalf star[11]
EGM6.33/10[13][lower-alpha 2]
Famitsu32/40[14]
Game Informer4.75/10[15]
GameFan78%[16]
GameProStarStarStarHalf star[17]
GameSpot6.2/10[18]
GameSpy4.5/10[19]
IGN6.2/10[20]
Jeuxvideo.com15/20[21]
Next GenerationStarStarStar[22]

D2 received "mixed or average" reviews according to the review aggregation website Metacritic.[10]

D2 aroused conflicting reactions in reviewers. They lauded the graphics, music, and deep storytelling.[18][20] However, they criticized the actual gameplay for being repetitive, dull[20] and buried with cut scenes.[18] Jeff Lundrigan of NextGen said of the game, "If you've got a lot of patience, it's well worth your time, but D2 desperately needs a better sense of pace."[22] In Japan, Famitsu gave it a score of 32 out of 40.[14]

Notes

  1. ↑ D2 (Ｄの食卓2, Dī no Shokutaku Tsū, lit. "D's Dining Table 2")
  2. ↑ Three critics of Electronic Gaming Monthly gave the game each a score of 5.5/10, 7/10, and 6.5/10.

References

  1. ↑ Gentry, Perry (August 25, 2000). "This Week's New Releases". CNET. http://www.gamecenter.com/News/Item/0,3,0-4664,00.html. 
  2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 Bettenhausen, Shane; Mielke, James (August 7, 2008). "Japan's Wayward Son". Ziff Davis. http://www.1up.com/do/feature?pager.offset=0&cId=3169166. 
  3. ↑ EGM staff (September 1997). "Where Was the M2?". Electronic Gaming Monthly (Ziff Davis) (98): 73. https://retrocdn.net/images/a/ac/EGM_US_098.pdf. Retrieved January 5, 2022. 
  4. ↑ 4.0 4.1 "NG Alphas: D2". Next Generation (Imagine Media) (25): 99–101. January 1997. https://archive.org/details/NEXT_Generation_25/page/n99/mode/2up. Retrieved June 4, 2021. 
  5. ↑ EGM staff (December 1996). "Protos: D2". Electronic Gaming Monthly (Ziff Davis) (89): 56. https://retrocdn.net/images/9/9e/EGM_US_089.pdf. Retrieved January 5, 2022. 
  6. ↑ "Tokyo Game Show Report from Japan". Next Generation (Imagine Media) (30): 16–17. June 1997. https://archive.org/details/NEXT_Generation_30/page/n17/mode/2up. Retrieved June 4, 2021. 
  7. ↑ "M2 Just Not Good Enough". Next Generation (Imagine Media) (34): 23. October 1997. https://archive.org/details/NEXT_Generation_34/page/n23/mode/2up. Retrieved June 4, 2021. 
  8. ↑ "Letters (Part 2)". Next Generation (Imagine Media) (36): 188. December 1997. https://archive.org/details/NEXT_Generation_36/page/n189/mode/2up. Retrieved June 4, 2021. 
  9. ↑ "D2 Limited Edition Covers" (in en-US). https://www.gamespot.com/articles/d2-limited-edition-covers/1100-2446664/. 
  10. ↑ 10.0 10.1 "D2 for Dreamcast Reviews". Red Ventures. https://www.metacritic.com/game/d2/critic-reviews/?platform=dreamcast. 
  11. ↑ Ottoson, Joe. "D2 - Review". All Media Network. http://www.allgame.com/game.php?id=21314&tab=review. 
  12. ↑ Franklin, Eric (August 28, 2000). "D2". CNET. http://www.gamecenter.com/Dreamcast/Reviews/D2/. 
  13. ↑ Mielke, James "Milkman"; Sewart, Greg; Lockhart, Ryan (November 2000). "D2". Electronic Gaming Monthly (Ziff Davis) (136): 245. https://retrocdn.net/images/c/c0/EGM_US_136.pdf. Retrieved January 5, 2022. 
  14. ↑ 14.0 14.1 "ドリームキャスト - Dの食卓2" (in ja). Famitsu (Enterbrain) (915): 38. June 30, 2006. 
  15. ↑ "D2". Game Informer (FuncoLand) (90). October 2000. 
  16. ↑ Ngo, George "Eggo" (April 2000). "D2 [Import"]. GameFan (Shinno Media) 8 (4): 80–81. https://archive.org/details/GamefanVolume8Issue04April2000/page/n81. Retrieved January 1, 2020. 
  17. ↑ 2 Barrel Fugue (August 30, 2000). "D-2 [sic Review for Dreamcast on GamePro.com"]. GamePro (IDG Entertainment). http://www.gamepro.com/sega/dreamcast/games/reviews/6586.shtml. Retrieved June 4, 2021. 
  18. ↑ 18.0 18.1 18.2 Provo, Frank (December 30, 1999). "D2 Review [Import [date mislabeled as "August 17, 2000"]"]. Red Ventures. https://www.gamespot.com/reviews/d2-review/1900-2540035/. 
  19. ↑ Mr. Domino (September 5, 2000). "D2". IGN Entertainment. http://www.planetdreamcast.com/games/reviews/d2/. 
  20. ↑ 20.0 20.1 20.2 Lopez, Vincent (August 22, 2000). "D2". Ziff Davis. https://www.ign.com/articles/2000/08/23/d2. 
  21. ↑ shametblame (March 11, 2011). "Test: D2" (in fr). Webedia. https://www.jeuxvideo.com/articles/0001/00014531-d2-test.htm. 
  22. ↑ 22.0 22.1 Lundrigan, Jeff (November 2000). "Finals: D-2". NextGen (Imagine Media) (71): 118. https://archive.org/details/NextGen71Nov2000. Retrieved January 1, 2020. 
  • 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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