Software:Dark Horizon

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Short description: 2008 video game

Dark Horizon
Developer(s)Quazar Studio
Publisher(s)Paradox Interactive, Akella
Platform(s)Microsoft Windows
Release
  • NA: September 23, 2008
  • EU: September 26, 2008
Genre(s)Space combat simulator
Mode(s)Single-player

Dark Horizon, released as Tarr Chronicles: Guardians of the Border (Russian: Хроники Тарр: Стражи Пограничья) in Russia, is a space combat simulation game developed by Russian team Quazar Studio and published by Paradox Interactive. The game released in North America on September 23, 2008. Dark Horizon is the prequel to Tarr Chronicles.

The game received mixed reviews, and it was the second and last game produced by Quazar Studio.

Gameplay

The game takes place circa 100 years prior to Tarr Chronicles. The game is set in a fictional galaxy called Enosta, which is under the invasion of a malignant entity simply known as the Mirk. The player is a member of the Guardians, a society of people partially infected by the Mirk, who are attempting to construct a structure to contain the entity from wiping out rest of the galaxy, called the Light Core. The player is assigned to defend the Guardians from attack from the Mirk and ultimately finish construction of the Light Core.[1]

Dark Horizon plays similarly to its predecessor. Players can now switch between 2 unique fighting modes; Shadow mode briefly turn the player's starship invisible, while decreasing firepower and speed. Corter mode sharply increases the player's offensive capabilities, but will constantly drain the player's shields until deactivated. The usage of these modes is determined by a 'cooling' system; If the player's starship is cooled down enough, Shadow mode will be activated. The opposite is true for Corter mode. Players can choose between third-person and first-person view.

Reception

Reception
Aggregate score
AggregatorScore
Metacritic55/100[2]
Review scores
PublicationScore
GameSpot4.5/10[3]
GamesRadar+StarStarStar[4]
IGN6/10[5]
PC Zone62%[6]
411Mania7/10[7]

The game received "mixed" reviews, more so than the first, according to video game review aggregator Metacritic.[2] IGN called the game "flawed" and "almost unifinished", but praised the graphics improvement from Tarr Chronicles[5] - although GameSpot criticized the graphical design, calling it "very dark, even for deep space". Gamespot also criticized the confusing storyline and level design.[3]

See also

References

  1. ↑ "Dark Horizon Official Website". Paradox Interactive. http://quazar-studio.com/horizon/. 
  2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 "Dark Horizon for PC Reviews". Metacritic. https://www.metacritic.com/game/dark-horizon/critic-reviews/?platform=pc. Retrieved January 31, 2016. 
  3. ↑ 3.0 3.1 Todd, Brett (November 10, 2008). "Dark Horizon Review". https://www.gamespot.com/reviews/dark-horizon-review/1900-6200853/. Retrieved January 31, 2016. 
  4. ↑ Brown, David (October 22, 2008). "Dark Horizon review". https://www.gamesradar.com/dark-horizon-review/. Retrieved June 29, 2020. 
  5. ↑ 5.0 5.1 Goble, Gord (September 29, 2008). "Dark Horizon Review". http://www.ign.com/articles/2008/09/29/dark-horizon-review. Retrieved January 31, 2016. 
  6. ↑ "PC Review: Dark Horizon". PC Zone: 69. December 2008. 
  7. ↑ Vicari, Chris (September 26, 2008). "Dark Horizon (PC) Review". 411Mania. Archived from the original on September 29, 2008. https://web.archive.org/web/20080929195332/http://www.411mania.com/games/reviews/86161/Dark-Horizon-(PC)-Review.htm. Retrieved January 31, 2016. 
  • 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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