Software:Excalibur 2555 AD

From HandWiki
Short description: 1997 video game
Excalibur 2555 AD
Developer(s)Tempest Software
Fish (UK) Ltd. (Windows)
Publisher(s)
Platform(s)PlayStation, Windows
ReleasePlayStation
Windows
  • EU: October 1997
  • NA: October 20, 1997[3]
Genre(s)Action-adventure

Excalibur 2555 AD is an action-adventure game developed by Tempest Software and published by Telestar Electronic Studios in Europe and Sir-Tech in North America for the PlayStation in 1997 and ported to Windows by Fish (UK) later that year.

Gameplay

Excalibur 2555 AD plays similarly to Pax Corpus, in that players roam through fully 3D environments with a female character in a futuristic setting, and collect items which can be saved for later use.[4] The game is fully voice-acted, though there is also an option to enable subtitles.[4] Like Pax Corpus, the game received mixed to negative reviews both having been released the same year as Tomb Raider 2.

Plot

Mysterious soldiers from the future have travelled back in time to steal Excalibur from King Arthur's court. The wizard Merlin sends a young female warrior, Beth, into the future to retrieve it. With her giant sword in hand, Beth travels through a gloomy underground city, helping out the local people whenever she can.

History

The game was showcased at E3 1997.[5] In Japan, the PlayStation version was ported and published by Imagineer under the name Lost Sword: Ushinawareta Seiken (ロストソード 〜失われた聖剣〜, Rosuto Sōdo 〜Shichi Wareta Seiken〜) on March 12, 1998.[6]

Reception

Reception
Review scores
PublicationScore
PCPS
AllGameN/AStarStarHalf star[8]
CGSPStarHalf star[9]N/A
CGWStar[10]N/A
EdgeN/A6/10[11]
EGMN/A6.25/10[12]
FamitsuN/A20/40[6]
Game InformerN/A6.25/10[13]
GameRevolutionD+[14]N/A
GameSpot3.9/10[15]4.5/10[16]
IGNN/A3/10[17]
Next GenerationStarStar[18]N/A
OPM (UK)N/A7/10[19]
PC Gamer (US)52%[20]N/A
Aggregate score
GameRankingsN/A54%[7]

The game received mixed but mostly negative reviews. Critics noted that the game had been marketed as being similar to Tomb Raider,[12][14][16][15][17][18] with Shawn Smith recounting in Electronic Gaming Monthly that during development the player character's design had been revised with a ponytail and super-short outfit in an apparent attempt to make her more closely resemble Tomb Raider's player character, Lara Croft.[12] However, critics also overwhelmingly thought Excalibur 2555 A.D. fell far short of that acclaimed game, and GameSpot and Next Generation went so far as to state that the gameplay is too fundamentally different from Tomb Raider to justify any comparison at all.[16][18] Criticisms varied widely, but the most common were that the gameplay is a combination of mindless combat[12][14][16][21] and puzzles which amount to nothing more than repeatedly finding and trading one object for another one.[12][14][16][15][21] GameSpot summarized that "Excalibur 2555 AD misses the mark in being either an engaging action game or an interesting puzzler. While not a horrible title by any means, it's simply boring."[16]

Other complaints voiced by multiple reviewers were that the animations are rudimentary[12][14][15][17] and the music is terrible.[15][17][21] GamePro gave it a 3 out of 5 for graphics and 1.5 in every other category (sound, control, and fun factor), commenting, "The puzzle elements are bland and clichéd, while the battle system is complete trash: You stand toe-to-toe with your foes ... trading blows at a ridiculously slow pace, while awful techno tunes try to keep your blood pumping."[21] IGN also razed the voice acting,[17] while GameSpot and GameRevolution attributed the poorness of the voice tracks to low quality production.[14][15] By contrast, Crispin Boyer of Electronic Gaming Monthly judged that "The graphics are pretty sharp - if not overly colorful - and the voice acting ain't bad either. Its 13 maze-like levels will hold your interest." Boyer's co-reviewer, Ken "Sushi-X" Williams, also had a relatively positive response to the game, but remarked, "Despite the huge exploration, I wonder why I can't jump, climb or look around. These simple functions, when missing, make an extremely flat game, something a 3-D title should never be."[12]

GameSpot noted that the Windows version is a port of the PlayStation version, and criticized its lack of mid-level saving.[15] GameRevolution found the graphical effects and level of detail when using 3D acceleration cards to be impressive, but said it did not make up for the massive plot holes and poor gameplay.[14] Next Generation instead argued that the 3D card compatibility only serves to highlight how limited Excalibur 2555 AD is compared to leading PC games.[18]

References

  1. ↑ "Excalibur's Leading Lady Gets Makeover". July 21, 1997. http://www.sir-tech.com/press/06excabe.html. 
  2. ↑ "Computers - PlayStation Games". Staffordshire Newsletter (Uttoxeter ed.): pp. 28. April 11, 1997. https://www.newspapers.com/image/895934765/?terms=%22The%20Crow%3A%20City%20of%20Angels%22&match=1. "Porsche Challenge, Suikoden, Crow City of Angels, MechWarrior II, Soccer 97, Excalibur all just in stock." 
  3. ↑ "Sirtech Release Dates". Imagine Media. October 13, 1997. http://www.pcgamer.com/news/news-1997-10-13.html. 
  4. ↑ 4.0 4.1 "Excalibur 2555 A.D.: If Lara Croft and King Arthur...". Electronic Gaming Monthly (Ziff Davis) (96): 105. July 1997. 
  5. ↑ Lee, Helen (May 29, 1997). "Sir-tech's E3 Lineup". Archived from the original on April 17, 1999. https://web.archive.org/web/19990417143455/http://headline.gamespot.com/news/97_05/29_sirtech/index.html. Retrieved July 25, 2022. 
  6. ↑ 6.0 6.1 "ロストソード 〜失われた聖剣〜" (in ja). Famitsu (Enterbrain). https://www.famitsu.com/cominy/?m=pc&a=page_h_title&title_id=3406&redirect=no. Retrieved October 31, 2021. 
  7. ↑ "Excalibur 2555 A.D. for PlayStation". CBS Interactive. https://www.gamerankings.com/ps/197251-excalibur-2555-ad/index.html. 
  8. ↑ Romero, Joshua. "Excalibur 2555 AD (PS) - Review". All Media Network. http://www.allgame.com/game.php?id=2108&tab=review. 
  9. ↑ D'Aprile, Jason (1997). "Excalibur 2555 AD". Strategy Plus, Inc.. http://www.cdmag.com/articles/008/194/excalibur_review.html. 
  10. ↑ Clarkson, Mark (March 1998). "Excali-bore (Excalibur 2555 A.D. Review)". Computer Gaming World (Ziff Davis) (164): 142. http://www.cgwmuseum.org/galleries/issues/cgw_164.pdf. Retrieved November 1, 2021. 
  11. ↑ Edge staff (April 1997). "Excalibur 2555AD [sic (PS)"]. Edge (Future Publishing) (44): 83. https://retrocdn.net/images/0/0d/Edge_UK_044.pdf. Retrieved October 31, 2021. 
  12. ↑ 12.0 12.1 12.2 12.3 12.4 12.5 12.6 EGM staff (November 1997). "Excalibur 2555 A.D.". Electronic Gaming Monthly (Ziff Davis) (100): 197. 
  13. ↑ "Excalibur 2555 AD (PS)". Game Informer (FuncoLand) (53). September 1997. 
  14. ↑ 14.0 14.1 14.2 14.3 14.4 14.5 14.6 Hubble, Calvin (March 1998). "Excalibur 2555 A.D. Review (PC)". CraveOnline. https://www.gamerevolution.com/review/32713-excalibur-2555-ad-review. 
  15. ↑ 15.0 15.1 15.2 15.3 15.4 15.5 15.6 Sengstack, Jeff (January 6, 1998). "Excalibur 2555 AD Review (PC) [date mislabeled as "May 1, 2000""]. Red Ventures. https://www.gamespot.com/reviews/excalibur-2555-ad-review/1900-2535873/. 
  16. ↑ 16.0 16.1 16.2 16.3 16.4 16.5 Fielder, Joe (October 8, 1997). "Excalibur 2555 A.D. Review (PS) [date mislabeled as "April 28, 2000""]. Red Ventures. https://www.gamespot.com/reviews/excalibur-2555-ad-review/1900-2547446/. 
  17. ↑ 17.0 17.1 17.2 17.3 17.4 IGN staff (October 22, 1997). "Excalibur 2555 AD (PS)". Ziff Davis. https://www.ign.com/articles/1997/10/23/excalibur-2555-ad. 
  18. ↑ 18.0 18.1 18.2 18.3 "Steel Reign (PC)". Next Generation (Imagine Media) (37): 159. January 1998. https://archive.org/details/NEXT_Generation_37/page/n159/mode/2up. Retrieved October 31, 2021. 
  19. ↑ "Excalibur 2555 AD". Official UK PlayStation Magazine (Future Publishing) (17). March 1997. 
  20. ↑ Williamson, Colin (February 1998). "Excalibur 2555 AD". PC Gamer (Imagine Media) 5 (2). http://www.pcgamer.com/reviews/400.html. Retrieved November 1, 2021. 
  21. ↑ 21.0 21.1 21.2 21.3 Boba Fatt (February 1998). "PlayStation ProReview: Excalibur 2555 A.D.". GamePro (IDG) (113): 92. https://archive.org/details/GamePro_Issue_103_February_1998/page/n97/mode/2up. Retrieved October 31, 2021. 
  • 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.




Retrieved from "https://handwiki.org/wiki/index.php?title=Software:Excalibur_2555_AD&oldid=4139312"