Software:Eye of the Beholder (2002 video game)

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Short description: 2002 video game
Dungeons & Dragons - Eye of the Beholder
Game Boy Advance cover art
Developer(s)Pronto Games
Publisher(s)Infogrames
Designer(s)Randy Angle
Composer(s)Andrew Edlen
SeriesEye of the Beholder
Platform(s)Game Boy Advance
Release
  • US: November 7, 2002
[1]
Genre(s)Role-playing video game
Mode(s)Single-player

Dungeons & Dragons - Eye of the Beholder is a video game released for the Game Boy Advance in 2002, developed by American studio Pronto Games and published by Infogrames. It is an adaptation of the 1991 game of the same name.

Plot

The once peaceful city of Waterdeep now suffers from raids every night by the Undermountain factions, who have somehow become reunited and organized. The raiders are led by Xanathar's Guild, who have returned to take over Waterdeep. Lacking in manpower from the city Watch, the leading Lord of Waterdeep, Piergeiron the Paladinson summons a group of adventurers to investigate the city sewers, uncover the evil entity and if possible destroy it. [2]

Gameplay

The games uses a stripped-down version of the 3rd edition D&D rules" with only four basic character classes and several traits, feats and skills.[3][4] It is not a port of the original game, though it possesses roughly the same plot. It bears stronger resemblance to the original Gold Box games, such as Pool of Radiance.

Navigating through the dungeons is done in first-person mode, where the characters can make use of their skills to get through difficulties and have very limited use of spells. When an enemy is encountered, the game mode switches to an isometric topdown view, where the player does turn-based combat against monsters.[5] Killing all enemies ends the combat mode. In some places, the player can recruit up to two additional characters, gather information and buy or sell items. Using items requires the player to equip them in a menu-driven inventory system.[2]

Reception

Critical reception

Reception
Aggregate scores
AggregatorScore
GameRankings52%[6]
Metacritic57%[7]
Review scores
PublicationScore
Game Informer55%[8]
GameSpot5.1/10[9]
NGC Magazine41%[10]

The game received moderately negative reviews compared to the original computer game. It was given a 41% rating by NGC Magazine, criticizing it for its slow pace between exploration and combat, its bad interface and confusing menus, while highlighting only its variety of spells and character customization, that give the game some level of depth.[10]

According to GameSpy, this game "only managed to be a curiosity for older gamers and an annoying Western-style RPG for a new generation of Nintendo fans who had no idea what a Gold Box game was".[11]

Promotion

The game was showcased at the 2002 Electronic Entertainment Expo[12] and presented at the DunDraCon XXVII the following year,[13] where the company president and game designer Randy Angle was interviewed.[14]

References

  1. ↑ "Pronto Games - More Additions". 8 November 2002. http://www.prontogames.com/. 
  2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 "Eye of the Beholder" GBA Instruction Booklet. Infogrames, Inc.. 2002. https://www.mocagh.org/ssi/eobgba-manual.pdf. 
  3. ↑ "Welcome to the Dungeon! Infogrames Signs Dungeons & Dragons(R) - Eye of the Beholder". Infogrames. 24 May 2002. http://infogrames.com/corp_pressreleases.php?op=story&sid=275. 
  4. ↑ Kasavin, Greg (18 December 2002). "Dungeons & Dragons: Eye of the Beholder". GameSpot UK. http://uk.gamespot.com/gba/rpg/dungeonsdragonseyeotb/review.html. 
  5. ↑ "Speaker Bios - Randy Angle". Game Developers Conference (GamaNetwork): 114. 4 March 2003. https://archive.org/details/gamedevelopersco2003unse/page/114. 
  6. ↑ "Dungeons & Dragons Eye of the Beholder for GBA - GameRankings". GameRankings. CBS Interactive Inc.. 8 August 2002. https://www.gamerankings.com/gba/561612-dungeons-and-dragons-eye-of-the-beholder/index.html. 
  7. ↑ "Dungeons & Dragons Eye of the Beholder (GBA) reviews at Metacritic.com". Metacritic. 17 December 2002. https://www.metacritic.com/game/dungeons-and-dragons-eye-of-the-beholder/critic-reviews/?platform=game-boy-advance. 
  8. ↑ "Dungeons & Dragons Eye of the Beholder - Game Informer". Game Informer (GameStop). March 2003. 
  9. ↑ Kasavin, Greg (17 December 2002). "Dungeons & Dragons Eye of the Beholder - GameSpot". GameSpot. https://www.gamespot.com/dungeons-and-dragons-eye-of-the-beholder/. 
  10. ↑ 10.0 10.1 "Dungeons & Dragons Eye of the Beholder - NCG". NGC Magazine (Future plc) (77): 56. February 2003. https://archive.org/details/NGC-077-2003-02/page/n55. 
  11. ↑ Rausch, Allen (19 August 2004). "A History of D&D Video Games - Part V". GameSpy. http://pc.gamespy.com/articles/540/540375p3.html. 
  12. ↑ "Pronto Games - After E3 2002". 29 May 2002. http://www.prontogames.com/. 
  13. ↑ "Pronto Games - DunDraCon XXVII". 5 February 2003. http://www.prontogames.com/. 
  14. ↑ "DDC XXVII Program Book". http://www.dundracon.com/DDC_Files/DDC27ProgramBook.pdf. 
  • Official GBA 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 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]

On February 13, 2025, Freyholtz stepped down as the site lead to move onto new projects, leaving operations to Tracy Poff, a veteran coder on the site, and Atari staff.[18]

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. 
  18. ↑ "An update on MobyGames leadership". 2025-02-13. https://www.mobygames.com/forum/3/thread/269628/an-update-on-mobygames-leadership/#post-269628. 
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