Software:Firestorm: Thunderhawk 2

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Firestorm: Thunderhawk 2
Developer(s)Core Design
Publisher(s)Core Design
Victor Entertainment (Japan)
Designer(s)Roberto Cirillo
Programmer(s)Sarah Avory
Artist(s)Roberto Cirillo
Composer(s)Martin Iveson
Platform(s)PlayStation, Sega Saturn, MS-DOS
ReleaseSega Saturn
  • EU: 4 December 1995[1]
  • NA: December 1995
  • JP: 23 February 1996
PlayStation
MS-DOS
Genre(s)Combat flight simulation
Mode(s)Single-player

Firestorm: Thunderhawk 2, known as Thunderstrike 2 in North America, is a 1995 combat flight simulation video game developed and published by Core Design for PlayStation, Sega Saturn and MS-DOS. It is the sequel to Thunderhawk AH-73M.

Gameplay

A gameplay screenshot, with the AH-73M helicopter firing missiles at a warship.

Firestorm: Thunderhawk 2 is a combat flight simulator in which the player pilots a fictional attack helicopter, the AH-73M, through a series of missions around the world.[3]: 3  The game consists of eight campaigns, taking place in locations such as the Panama Canal, South America, and the South China Sea.[3]: 9–11  While the player can choose a campaign in any order, missions must be completed chronologically.[3]: 15  The AH-73M is controlled by turning, altering altitudes, and accelerating or decelerating the helicopter. The player can choose to view the action from various viewpoints, including views from outside the helicopter or from within a cockpit.[3]: 4–5  The AH-73M is armed with a variety of weapons, which includes a chain gun, missiles, rockets, and cluster bombs. Most of the weapons, except for a chain gun, uses a limited supply of ammunition.[3]: 6  It is possible for the player to heavily customise the weaponry on their AH-73M before the beginning of each mission.[3]: 12 

The heads-up display shows an armour level, a mini-map, a compass, a radar for displaying targets, and the currently selected weapon. The HUD also shows a radar detection warning display, which warns the player when the enemy is tracking their flight path and has locked on to them. When the player either completes or fails the mission, the result indicator is displayed and they are free to leave the mission zone.[3]: 13–14  After completing a mission, the debrief screen appears, showing the percentage of kills and points awarded. The player is awarded with a medal for successfully completing a mission, and a ribbon for completing the entire campaign. A demerit is also awarded for failing to complete the mission objective, or leaving the mission zone without destroying all the primary targets; the player is grounded if three demerits are awarded in any one campaign.[3]: 15 

Development

Firestorm: Thunderhawk 2 was created by the British studio Core Design, as a sequel to the original Thunderhawk.[1] Sarah Avory served as a lead programmer, while Martin Iveson handled the game's music and sound effects.[3] The game was developed simultaneously for the PC, Saturn, and PlayStation, with the PC as the lead platform. According to Avory, the game took very little time to develop since it reused the game engine from Thunderhawk; it took only one month to create a playable version for the PC, and just a few days to port this early version over to both the PlayStation and Saturn. With this accomplished, the team set about adding additional missions, troops, and bug fixes, working towards a release date of 4 December 1995 for all three versions.[1] In Japan, the Sega Saturn version of Thunderhawk 2 was released by Victor Entertainment on 23 February 1996,[4][5] followed by the PlayStation version on 24 May.[6] An Atari Jaguar CD port was planned but never released.[7][8]

Reception

Reception
Review scores
PublicationScore
EGM8/10 (SAT)[9]
Hyper83/100 (SAT)[10]
Next GenerationStarStarStarStar (SAT, PS1)[11][12]
Play85% (PS1)[13]
MaximumStarStarStarStar (SAT, PS1)[14][15]
Sega Saturn Magazine90% (SAT)[16]

The PlayStation and Sega Saturn versions received mostly positive reviews. Common subjects of praise included the fun of destroying enemies and scenery,[9][11][16][17][18] the large number of missions,[9][14][15][11][16] and the use of contemporary real world scenarios and weaponry.[9][17][18] Critics generally complimented the heavily detailed and realistic graphics,[9][14][15][11][12][16][17][18] but reprimanded the draw distance problems, particularly the considerable pop-up.[9][14][15][11][17] However, even the game's sternest critics concluded it to be far better than contemporary flight simulators, such as Wing Arms and Black Fire.[14][17] In 1996, GamesMaster ranked the game 9th on their "The GamesMaster Saturn Top 10".[19]

Sequel

Firestorm: Thunderhawk 2 was followed by its sequel Thunderhawk.

References

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 "In the Air Tonight". Maximum: The Video Game Magazine (Emap International Limited) (2): 120–1. November 1995. "After a period of only one month, the team at Core had a playable demo on PC, and a port-over to the PlayStation and Saturn took only a matter of days. After this, all that needed to be added was a wider variety of missions and troops to meet a triple-format release date of 4 December.". 
  2. ↑ "PlayStation News @ www.vidgames.com". 1998-06-11. http://www.vidgames.com/ps/misc/1996.html. 
  3. ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 3.3 3.4 3.5 3.6 3.7 3.8 Firestorm: Thunderhawk 2 – PlayStation (instruction manual). Core Design. 1995. SLES-00145. 
  4. ↑ (in ja)Famitsu (Enterbrain). http://www.famitsu.com/cominy/?m=pc&a=page_h_title&title_id=1839. Retrieved 18 October 2016. 
  5. ↑ "Error: no |title= specified when using {{Cite web}}" (in ja). Sega. https://sega.jp/fb/segahard/ss/soft_licensee2.html. 
  6. ↑ (in ja)Famitsu (Enterbrain). http://www.famitsu.com/cominy/?m=pc&a=page_h_title&title_id=16241. Retrieved 18 October 2016. 
  7. ↑ "Scene - Atari-News". Mega Fun (Computec Media Group GmbH & Co. KG) (29): 28. February 1995. https://retrocdn.net/index.php?title=File%3AMegaFun_DE_1995-02.pdf&page=28. Retrieved 2019-04-02. 
  8. ↑ "Aktuelles - Hardcore". MAN!AC (Cybermedia) (17): 12. March 1995. https://archive.org/details/MANIAC.N017.1995.03/page/n11. 
  9. ↑ 9.0 9.1 9.2 9.3 9.4 9.5 "Review Crew: Thunderstrike 2". Electronic Gaming Monthly (Ziff Davis) (81): 33. April 1996. 
  10. ↑ Mansill, Ben (March 1996). "Firestorm: Thunderhawk 2". Hyper (29): 46–47. https://archive.org/details/hyper-029/page/46/mode/2up. Retrieved 23 May 2021. 
  11. ↑ 11.0 11.1 11.2 11.3 11.4 "Storming". Next Generation (Imagine Media) (15): 81. March 1996. 
  12. ↑ 12.0 12.1 "Every PlayStation Game Played, Reviewed, and Rated". Next Generation (Imagine Media) (25): 60. January 1997. 
  13. ↑ "Firestorm: Thunderhawk 2". Play (3): 68–69. January 1996. 
  14. ↑ 14.0 14.1 14.2 14.3 14.4 "Maximum Reviews: Firestorm". Maximum: The Video Game Magazine (Emap International Limited) (3): 145. January 1996. 
  15. ↑ 15.0 15.1 15.2 15.3 "Maximum Reviews: Firestorm: Thunderhawk 2". Maximum: The Video Game Magazine (Emap International Limited) (3): 147. January 1996. 
  16. ↑ 16.0 16.1 16.2 16.3 Automatic, Rad (December 1995). "Review: Firestorm: Thunderhawk 2". Sega Saturn Magazine (Emap International Limited) (2): 74–75. 
  17. ↑ 17.0 17.1 17.2 17.3 17.4 Hendrix, Air (March 1996). "ProReview: Thunderstrike 2". GamePro (IDG) (90): 56. 
  18. ↑ 18.0 18.1 18.2 Larry, Scary (March 1996). "ProReview: Thunderstrike 2". GamePro (IDG) (90): 52. 
  19. ↑ "The GamesMaster Saturn Top 10". GamesMaster (44): 76. July 1996. https://retrocdn.net/images/c/cf/GamesMaster_UK_044.pdf. 
  • 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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