Software:Final Liberation: Warhammer Epic 40,000

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Final Liberation
Developer(s)Holistic Design
Publisher(s)Strategic Simulations
Director(s)Andrew Greenberg
Ken Lightner
Producer(s)John Eberhardt
Programmer(s)Ken Lightner
Artist(s)Brian Mead
Composer(s)The Samsara Project
SeriesWarhammer 40,000
Platform(s)Microsoft Windows
ReleaseNovember 20, 1997[1]
Genre(s)Turn-based tactics
Mode(s)Single-player, multiplayer

Final Liberation is a turn-based tactics video game released for Microsoft Windows in 1997, and re-released on GOG.com in 2015. The game is best known as the first video game based on Epic, a table-top wargame set in the fictional Warhammer 40,000 universe, in an attempt to recreate the table-top experience on a computer as opposed to using it as a backdrop for games in other genres. As a result, the game borrows heavily in terms of rules and style from the table-top game, demanding a combination of luck and tactics necessary to succeed in game warfare.

Gameplay

The game features two modes, campaign and skirmish. In the campaign mode, the player works through a series of linked games to eradicate the Ork presence on the planet Volistad. The recruitment of new units has an experience point system attached, meaning newly recruited units are less effective than seasoned veterans. The campaign mode is only single-player, and only the Imperium of Man is available to the player. In the Skirmish mode, the player can set up a battle which pits the player against an array of computer or human-controlled opponents via a hot-seat mode, or network play over a local network or the Internet. Such battles can be played on maps ranging in size from vast to small.[citation needed] Unlike the campaign, Orks are fully playable in this mode.

Each battle in the game operates a turned based system where players carry out all actions for all of their available units, or where players take alternate turns acting with one unit at a time.

The campaign features a non-linear story line where the player controls the Imperial forces to liberate the planet of Volistad[2] from Ork raiders. The territory controlled at each stage determines the points available for the replacement and repair of units.

Unit and formation selection plays a large part of the campaign mode of the game. Both sides, the Orks and the Imperium, are presented with a wide variety of units. These units include a large selection of infantry, ground vehicles (tanks, armoured personnel carriers, and artillery) and aircraft drawn from the Warhammer 40,000 universe. Winning certain maps gives access to specialist units such as superheavy tanks or Titans.

The game also includes live action cutscenes mixed with CGI.

Reception

Reception
Review scores
PublicationScore
CGWStarStarStarStar[3]
PC Gamer (US)86%[4]
Computer Games Strategy PlusStarStarStarHalf star[5]

PC Gamer US's T. Liam McDonald wrote, "Final Liberation is a fun, tactically challenging game that faithfully captures the Warhammer system for the first time on PC." Although he criticized its graphics, he concluded that "computer gaming finally has a game worthy of the Warhammer name."[4] In Computer Gaming World, Tim Carter echoed McDonald's criticism of the graphics, calling Final Liberation "perhaps the ugliest game I have seen in ages." However, he enjoyed the game, and summarized, "Other than better graphics, what more could you ask for?"[3]

Phil Thé of Computer Games Strategy Plus felt that the game contained "quirks and idiosyncrasies", criticizing its artificial intelligence, interface and full motion video cutscenes. However, he concluded, "If you're a 40K fan, you're probably going to buy this game; if you're not, perhaps you should."[5]

Final Liberation was a runner-up for GameSpot's 1997 "Best Cinematics" award, which went to The Curse of Monkey Island. The editors wrote, "SSI's conversion of the popular science fiction tabletop war game packs a special surprise: full-motion-video cinematics to rival those of the biggest-budgeted game release you could think of."[6]

Reviews

References

  1. ↑ Staff (November 17, 1997). "Now Shipping". PC Gamer. http://www.pcgamer.com/news/news-1997-11-17.html. Retrieved December 6, 2019. 
    Now Shipping: "Warhammmer 40K: Liberation..."
  2. ↑ "Final Liberation: Warhammer Epic 40,000". https://www.gog.com/game/final_liberation_warhammer_epic_40000. 
  3. ↑ 3.0 3.1 Carter, Tim (January 16, 1998). "Final Liberation: Warhammer Epic 40,000". Computer Gaming World. Archived from the original on August 16, 2000. https://web.archive.org/web/20000816005459/http://www.gamespot.com/strategy/finallib/review_cgw.html. 
  4. ↑ 4.0 4.1 McDonald, T. Liam (February 1998). "Final Liberation: Warhammer Epic 40,000". PC Gamer US. Archived from the original on February 26, 2000. https://web.archive.org/web/20000226170345/http://www.pcgamer.com/reviews/436.html. 
  5. ↑ 5.0 5.1 Thé, Phil. "Final Liberation". Computer Games Strategy Plus. Archived from the original on February 19, 2005. https://web.archive.org/web/20050219002111/http://www.cdmag.com/articles/009/056/final_liberation_review.html. 
  6. ↑ Staff. "Best & Worst Awards 1997". GameSpot. Archived from the original on February 8, 2001. https://web.archive.org/web/20010208121409/http://www.gamespot.com/features/awards97/cont.html. 
  7. ↑ "Backstab Magazine (French) Issue 08". https://archive.org/details/backstab-magazine-french-08/page/n35/mode/2up. 
  • Official page (archived)
  • 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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