Software:Fantasy General

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Fantasy General
Developer(s)Strategic Simulations
Publisher(s)Mindscape
Producer(s)Jan Lindner
Designer(s)SSI Special Projects Group
Programmer(s)Paul Murray
Artist(s)David Jensen
Composer(s)Danny Pelfrey
Rick Rhodes
Platform(s)MS-DOS
ReleaseMarch 11, 1996 (original)[1]
16 September 2021 (Steam)[2]
Genre(s)Computer wargame
Mode(s)Single player, multiplayer

Fantasy General is a fantasy computer wargame published by Strategic Simulations in 1996.[3] Its structure was taken from the game Panzer General with some modifications to the base system.[4] It was the third in the Five Star General series. It allows gaming against other human players by email. It was published on GOG.com in May 2015 with support for Windows, macOS, and Linux after GOG Ltd acquired the copyright to the title.[5]

A successor called Fantasy General II: Invasion was released by publisher Slitherine Software and developer Owned by Gravity in 2019.

Gameplay

Fantasy General is a turn-based game situated in a high fantasy world. The player can play either a single scenario against a computer or human opponent or a campaign. There are two sides, Good and Evil, each with unique units, though they share unit equivalents.

In campaign mode, the player selects one of four heroes and sets out to defeat the Shadowlord and his four generals, evil counterparts to the heroes. It concludes with the liberation of four continents and final defeat of the Shadowlord at the Fire Isle.

Gameplay is based on a traditional hex map, with a wide variety of units available. Fantasy General is an operational-level game. Unlike Panzer General, where units represent battalion-size groups, Fantasy General units approximate squads, with most units consisting of fifteen soldiers, though some (e.g. heroes, mechanical forces) represent single entities.

Units

There are four unit categories: Mortal, Magical, Beast and Mechanical. Non-mortal units are usually stronger, but cannot be upgraded and will eventually become obsolete as the player researches new units.

In Campaign mode, the player allocates gold toward researching new grades of units. Units range in grade from 0 to 5, though not all categories of units have a unit available for every grade. Mechanical units, for example, are only available in grades 0, 1, 3, and 5.

Units are further divided into classes. The classes are Heavy Infantry, Light Infantry, Skirmishers, Cavalry, Light Cavalry, Archers, Bombardiers, Sky Hunters, Siege Engines, and Spell Casters. There are Mortal units available from grades 0 to 5 for every class. Other unit categories vary, though every category has Heavy Infantry, Cavalry, and Sky Hunter units available.

Music

The soundtrack to Fantasy General was arranged by Rick Rhodes and Danny Pelfrey and featured soprano Marisa Lenhardt. The game's music featured original settings of Strife is O'er, the Dies Irae, the Easter sequence Victimae Paschali Laudes, Let All Mortal Flesh Keep Silence, Dona Nobis Pacem and two works by Johann Sebastian Bach, Komm, süßer Tod, komm selge Ruh and Wir essen und leben.

Reception

Reception
Review scores
PublicationScore
CGWStarStarStarStarStar[6]
Next GenerationStarStarStar[11]
PC Gamer (US)78%[7]
Arcane7/10[8]
PC MagazineStarStarStarStar[9]
Computer Games Strategy PlusStarStarStar[10]
Computer Game Review89/100[12]
PC GamesB[13]

Fantasy General sold at least 50,000 units by September 1997.[14]

Fraser Brown from PC Gamer wrote of Fantasy General that it was a "wargame for people who rightly felt that the otherwise excellent Panzer General didn't have enough dragons".[15] Computer Gaming World praised the game's pacing and AI, stating it challenged the player to think intelligently unlike other strategy games. They also praised the game's performance given how smoothly it ran. They did, however, also criticize the instability on Windows 95, simplified magic system, and lack of scenario descriptions but overall rated the game as equal or more to its predecessor.[16] A reviewer for Next Generation commented that typical war simulation fans would likely be turned off by the game's unhistorical setting, lighthearted atmosphere, and lack of challenge, but that its solid sense of fun would make it entertaining for those willing to try something different.[11]

Andy Butcher reviewed Fantasy General for Arcane magazine, rating it a 7 out of 10 overall.[8] Butcher comments that "Fantasy General is good but not great - you can happily while away a few hours with it but it's unlikely to keep you up 'till three in the morning for 'one more go'".[8]

Fantasy General was a finalist for the Computer Game Developers Conference's 1996 "Best Strategy/War Game" Spotlight Award,[17] but lost the prize to Command & Conquer: Red Alert.[18] It was a runner-up for Computer Gaming World's 1995 "Strategy Game of the Year" award, which ultimately went to Command & Conquer and Heroes of Might and Magic (tie). The editors called Fantasy General "addictive and deep enough to be the true heir to Panzer General's throne", and noted that it "could have won had the competition not been so strong".[19]

Reviews

  • Envoyer (German) (#1 - Nov 1996)[20]

Sequel

Strategy publisher Slitherine Software and developer Owned by Gravity announced a sequel Fantasy General II: Invasion for Microsoft Windows in April 2019.[21][22] The Steam port was released on 5 September.[23]

The intention of Owned by Gravity was to resurrect the Fantasy General franchise.[24] It was released in September that year.[25] PlayStation 4 and Xbox One versions were released in 2020.[26] A Nintendo Switch port was released on October 21, 2021.[27]

The New Zealand magazine NAG called the game a "worthy, lovingly crafted successor".[28] Strategy Gamer called it a "great success".[29] Metacritic gave the game a weighted average score of 80 out of 100 based on 9 reviews, indicating "generally favorable reviews".[30] Digitally Downloaded and 4Players gave positive reviews to the PS4 version.[31] Onslaught, the first DLC, adds a new procedurally-generated campaign. It was released in March 2020.[32] The second DLC, Empire Aflame, was added in October that year.[33] The third DLC, Evolution, was released in February 2021.[34]

References

  1. ↑ "SSI: Press Releases: FIVE STAR FANTASY!". 1996-11-19. http://www.ssionline.com/cgi-bin/omixlink?709815180+insider/press_releases/pr_fantasy.html. 
  2. ↑ "Fantasy General on Steam". https://store.steampowered.com/app/1741120/Fantasy_General/. 
  3. ↑ Ryan, Michael E. (July 1996), "Fantasy General", PC Magazine 15 (13): 472, https://books.google.com/books?id=2KIKOEwqk-QC&pg=PA472 
  4. ↑ IGN Staff (January 4, 2001), PC Retroview: Fantasy General, http://www.ign.com/articles/2001/01/04/pc-retroview-fantasy-general, retrieved 2015-12-20. 
  5. ↑ "Release: Pacific General + Fantasy General". 5 May 2015. http://www.gog.com/news/release_pacific_general_fantasy_general. 
  6. ↑ Chin, Elliott (June 1996). "PanzerArmee Fantasy". Computer Gaming World (143): 178, 180. 
  7. ↑ Trotter, William R. (June 1996). "Fantasy General". PC Gamer US. http://www.pcgamer.com:80/reviews/423.html. Retrieved August 16, 2019. 
  8. ↑ 8.0 8.1 8.2 Butcher, Andy (May 1996). "Games Reviews". Arcane (Future Publishing) (6): 70. 
  9. ↑ Ryan, Michael E. (July 1996). "Same Thing We Do Every Night: Try to Take Over the World; Fantasy General". PC Magazine 13 (15): 472. 
  10. ↑ Udell, Scott (1996). "Fantasy General". Computer Games Strategy Plus. http://www.cdmag.com:80/articles/003/147/fantasy_general_review.html. 
  11. ↑ 11.0 11.1 "Fantasy General". Next Generation (Imagine Media) (20): 96. August 1996. 
  12. ↑ Gehrs, Scott (May 1996). "Fantasy General". Computer Game Review. http://www.nuke.com/cgr/reviews/9605/fantasyg/fantasyg.htm. 
  13. ↑ Withers, John P. (June 1996). "Fantasy General". PC Games. http://www.pcgamesmag.com:80/games/Jun96/fant696.html. Retrieved August 16, 2019. 
  14. ↑ MacDonald, T. Liam (September 23, 1997). "Panzer General II Preview". GameSpot. http://gamespot.com:80/gamespot/stories/previews/0,10869,2560272,00.html. 
  15. ↑ "Fantasy General 2 is a modern sequel to the classic wargame". 8 April 2019. https://www.pcgamer.com/fantasy-general-2-is-a-modern-sequel-to-the-classic-wargame/. 
  16. ↑ Chin, Elliot (June 1996). "PanzerArmee Fantasy: The General's Back, Waving a Magic Wand". Computer Gaming World (Ziff-Davis): 178, 180. http://www.cgwmuseum.org/galleries/index.php?year=1996&pub=2&id=143. Retrieved June 22, 2017. 
  17. ↑ Staff (April 15, 1997). "And the Nominees Are...". Next Generation. http://www.next-generation.com:80/news/041597e.chtml. 
  18. ↑ "Spotlight Awards Winners Announced for Best Computer Games of 1996" (Press release). Santa Clara, California: Game Developers Conference. April 28, 1997. Archived from the original on July 3, 2011.
  19. ↑ Staff (June 1996). "The Computer Gaming World 1996 Premier Awards". Computer Gaming World (143): 55, 56, 58, 60, 62, 64, 66, 67. 
  20. ↑ "Fantasy General - Feldherr der Grottenschrate | Article | RPGGeek". https://www.rpggeek.com/rpgissuearticle/106366/fantasy-general-feldherr-der-grottenschrate. 
  21. ↑ "Slitherine - Fantasy General II is announced!". https://www.slitherine.com/news/fantasy-general-ii-is-announced-05-04-19. 
  22. ↑ "Fantasy General 2 is a modern sequel to the classic wargame". PC Gamer. https://www.pcgamer.com/uk/fantasy-general-2-is-a-modern-sequel-to-the-classic-wargame/. Retrieved July 4, 2020. 
  23. ↑ "Fantasy General II on Steam". https://store.steampowered.com/app/1025440/Fantasy_General_II/. 
  24. ↑ "Fantasy General II: Reviving a strategy game for a modern audience". 4 December 2019. https://venturebeat.com/2019/12/04/fantasy-general-ii-reviving-a-strategy-game-for-a-modern-audience/. 
  25. ↑ "Fantasy General II Review". https://www.strategygamer.com/reviews/fantasy-general-2/. 
  26. ↑ "Fantasy General II: Reviving a strategy game for a modern audience". 4 December 2019. https://venturebeat.com/2019/12/04/fantasy-general-ii-reviving-a-strategy-game-for-a-modern-audience/. 
  27. ↑ Whitehead, Thomas (28 October 2021). "Nintendo Download: 28th October (North America)". Hookshot Media. https://www.nintendolife.com/news/2021/10/nintendo-download-28th-october-north-america. 
  28. ↑ "Fantasy General 2 review > NAG". 25 September 2019. https://www.nag.co.za/2019/09/25/fantasy-general-2-review/. 
  29. ↑ "Guides". https://www.strategygamer.com/reviews/fantasy-general-2/. 
  30. ↑ "Fantasy General II: Invasion". https://www.metacritic.com/game/fantasy-general-ii-invasion/critic-reviews/?platform=pc. 
  31. ↑ "Fantasy General II for PlayStation 4 Reviews". Fandom. https://www.metacritic.com/game/fantasy-general-ii-invasion/critic-reviews/?platform=playstation-4. 
  32. ↑ Vasile, Cosmin (9 March 2020). "Fantasy General II Gets Its First DLC on March 12". Softpedia. https://news.softpedia.com/news/fantasy-general-ii-gets-its-first-dlc-on-march-12-529395.shtml. 
  33. ↑ "Fantasy General II: Empire Aflame DLC Now Available". 22 October 2020. https://nichegamer.com/2020/10/22/fantasy-general-ii-empire-aflame-dlc-now-available/. 
  34. ↑ "Fantasy General II: Evolution has been released". Valve Corporation. 25 February 2021. https://store.steampowered.com/news/app/1025440/view/3044967655735434679. 
  • 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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