Software:Gray Matter (video game)

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Gray Matter
The cover artwork depicts the main characters Samantha Everett in the center and David Styles in the upper left.
Developer(s)Wizarbox
Spiders (Xbox 360)[1]
Publisher(s)DTP Entertainment
Designer(s)Jane Jensen
Dinga Bakaba
Artist(s)Frédéric Augis
Natalia Renault
Writer(s)Jane Jensen
Composer(s)Robert Holmes
Platform(s)Windows, Xbox 360
Release
  • NA: 22 February 2011 (PC)
  • EU: 25 February 2011
Genre(s)Point-and-click adventure
Mode(s)Single-player

Gray Matter is a point-and-click adventure game designed by Jane Jensen, creator of the Sierra Entertainment Gabriel Knight series. The game was developed by Wizarbox and published by DTP Entertainment for Microsoft Windows and Xbox 360. It was released in November 2010 in Continental Europe and in English-speaking territories in 2011.

The game takes place in Oxford and, to a lesser extent, in London. It follows the story of Samantha Everett, a street performer and magician, and Professor David Styles, an acclaimed and mysterious neurobiologist.

Gameplay

The game features many real world locations. Photo of Carfax Tower (upper) compared to the in-game representation (lower).

The game is played entirely with the mouse in the case of the PC version (point-and-click). The cursor is contextual, meaning that it will change automatically to actions such as "Talk to...", "Pick up...", and so on, depending on the object (and state of the object) it is hovering over at the time. Item labels may be toggled at any time.

The game is divided into eight chapters (whereas the first and third Gabriel Knight games [the second game, The Beast Within, has a structure similar to Gray Matter] were divided into "days"). Each chapter requires completion of certain objectives. Bonus objectives are also available for every chapter but are not required to advance the main story.

Puzzles include riddles, word games, visual puzzles, mazes, and magic tricks. As an aspiring magician, Sam often adapts tricks out of her magician's handbook to the situation at hand. The tricks vary from creating misdirection to using gimmicks or taking or planting objects through sleight of hand. If each required step is not performed correctly, the player has the opportunity to redo the trick from the last correct step.

The player controls Dr. David Styles in chapters 3,5 and 7, and Samantha Everett in the rest.

Plot

The opening scene of the game depicts Sam riding her motorcycle in the rain in the countryside while traveling to London, and accidentally being redirected to Oxford because of a broken street sign. Her bike breaks down, forcing her to take shelter in Dread Hill, a nearby mansion where David resides. She poses as an Oxford student responding to Styles' request for a research assistant.

Eventually, Sam is ordered to recruit six students as test subjects for David's research. Through clever manipulation and magic tricks, Sam manages to find four students willing to volunteer for the experiment. The professor recalls her to Dread Hill, letting her know that he found a fifth candidate and making Sam herself the sixth.

As the game progresses, Sam learns about the professor's past, his research on the paranormal, the prestigious members-only Daedalus magic club, a series of bizarre events that take place at Oxford University, and how these elements are connected.

Development and release

Gray Matter was originally announced in 2003 as Project Jane-J and slated for release in 2004.[2] The game was put on hold in 2004[3] and later revived by a German publisher Anaconda in 2006 for release in 2007[4] and then 2008.[5] In 2008, development was moved from Hungarian Tonuzaba to French Wizarbox, delaying the game further.[6] The game was released in Germany on 12 November 2010[7] and in Spain on 19 November,[8] and was released in North America and Europe in February 2011 and in Australia in March.

A Wii version of the game was tentatively planned but never produced.[9]

The collector's edition includes a metal game box, a CD with the game soundtrack (score and songs by Robert Holmes), a deck with Gray Matter playing cards, 5 exclusive postcards with artwork from the game, and a double-sided poster.[10] This edition is available only in German.

Reception

Reception
Review scores
PublicationScore
PCXbox 360
Adventure GamersStarStarStarHalf star[14]N/A
Edge5/10[16]N/A
EurogamerN/A6/10[17]
GameSpot7/10[18]6.5/10[19]
GameZone8/10[20]N/A
IGN7.5/10[21]N/A
Jeuxvideo.com17/20[22]17/20[23]
OXM (UK)N/A4/10[24]
PC Gamer (UK)74%[25]N/A
Metro5/10[28]N/A
Aggregate scores
GameRankings74%[11]66%[12]
Metacritic72/100[13]N/A

The PC version received above-average reviews according to the review aggregation website Metacritic.[13] Adventure Classic Gaming said of the same PC version, "For the rest of gamers who opt to evaluate this game on its own merits, Gray Matter is a game that can easily measure up against the best of what the genre can offer. Gray Matter succeeds not because of its pedigree but because of what it can deliver."[29] Most of the criticisms of the game are directed at the quality of the cutscenes, which are considered out of keeping with the quality of the rendered graphics. Official Xbox Magazine UK gave the Xbox 360 version an unfavorable review, criticising the clunky interference and "patronising" depiction of England.[24] The A.V. Club praised the puzzles and writing of the PC version and called it "the best traditional adventure game in a decade".[15]

References

  1. ↑ "Gray Matter". Archived from the original on 1 February 2014. https://web.archive.org/web/20140201235909/http://www.spiders-games.com/games/gray-matter. Retrieved 15 September 2013. 
  2. ↑ Kasavin, Greg (13 May 2003). "Gabriel Knight's Jane Jensen Working on New Game". Fandom. https://www.gamespot.com/articles/gabriel-knights-jane-jensen-working-on-new-game/1100-6027435/. Retrieved 6 February 2023. 
  3. ↑ Calvert, Justin; Thorsen, Tor (4 May 2004). "Project Jane-J put on hold". Fandom. https://www.gamespot.com/articles/project-jane-j-put-on-hold/1100-6095322/. Retrieved 6 February 2023. 
  4. ↑ Allin, Jack (16 August 2006). "Jane Jensen's Gray Matter revived". https://adventuregamers.com/news/view/20105. Retrieved 6 February 2023. 
  5. ↑ Boyes, Emma (19 January 2007). "Gray Matter slips to Q1 2008". Fandom. https://www.gamespot.com/articles/gray-matter-slips-to-q1-2008/1100-6164403/. Retrieved 6 February 2023. 
  6. ↑ Allin, Jack (2 April 2008). "Second thoughts about developer delays Gray Matter". https://adventuregamers.com/news/view/20497. Retrieved 6 February 2023. 
  7. ↑ "Gray Matter" (in de). https://www.amazon.de/dtp-entertainment-AG-Gray-Matter/dp/B0023ZJMQI/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1289942745&sr=8-2. Retrieved 16 November 2010. 
  8. ↑ "Gray Matter" (in es). Archived from the original on 16 November 2010. https://web.archive.org/web/20101116134903/http://www.game.es/ficha/ficha.aspx?SKU=071939. Retrieved 6 February 2023. 
  9. ↑ Fletcher, JC (2 February 2009). "Jane Jensen's Gray Matter may puzzle Wii owners". Yahoo. https://www.engadget.com/2009-02-02-jane-jensens-gray-matter-may-puzzle-wii-owners.html. Retrieved 6 February 2023. 
  10. ↑ "Gray Matter" (in de). 12 October 2010. Archived from the original on 27 December 2010. https://web.archive.org/web/20101227201800/http://shop.dtp-entertainment.com/index.php?link=detail/B0023ZJMQI. Retrieved 6 February 2023. 
  11. ↑ "Gray Matter for PC". CBS Interactive. Archived from the original on 14 May 2019. https://web.archive.org/web/20190514170357/https://www.gamerankings.com/pc/934985-gray-matter/index.html. Retrieved 6 February 2023. 
  12. ↑ "Gray Matter for Xbox 360". CBS Interactive. Archived from the original on 6 January 2019. https://web.archive.org/web/20190106225715/https://www.gamerankings.com/xbox360/997937-gray-matter/index.html. Retrieved 6 February 2023. 
  13. ↑ 13.0 13.1 "Gray Matter for PC Reviews". Fandom. https://www.metacritic.com/game/gray-matter/critic-reviews/?platform=pc. Retrieved 25 April 2011. 
  14. ↑ Morganti, Emily (31 December 2010). "Gray Matter review (PC)". https://adventuregamers.com/articles/view/24. Retrieved 6 February 2023. 
  15. ↑ 15.0 15.1 Kaiser, Rowan (14 March 2011). "Gray Matter (PC)". G/O Media. Archived from the original on 11 October 2012. https://web.archive.org/web/20121011021221/http://www.avclub.com/articles/gray-matter,53074/. Retrieved 6 February 2023. 
  16. ↑ Edge staff (February 2011). "Gray Matter (PC)". Edge (Future plc) (224): 98. 
  17. ↑ Donlan, Christian (25 February 2011). "Gray Matter (Xbox 360)". Gamer Network. https://www.eurogamer.net/gray-matter-review. Retrieved 6 February 2023. 
  18. ↑ Douglas, Jane (1 March 2011). "Gray Matter Review (PC)". Fandom. https://www.gamespot.com/reviews/gray-matter-review/1900-6301045/. Retrieved 6 February 2023. 
  19. ↑ Douglas, Jane (1 March 2011). "Gray Matter Review (X360)". Fandom. https://www.gamespot.com/reviews/gray-matter-review/1900-6301044/. Retrieved 6 February 2023. 
  20. ↑ Dann, Tom (10 March 2011). "Gray Matter Review (PC)". Archived from the original on 12 March 2011. https://web.archive.org/web/20110312142737/http://pc.gamezone.com/reviews/item/gray_matter/. Retrieved 6 February 2023. 
  21. ↑ Meunier, Nathan (27 April 2011). "Gray Matter Review (PC)". Ziff Davis. https://www.ign.com/articles/2011/04/27/gray-matter-review. Retrieved 6 February 2023. 
  22. ↑ Lena (9 December 2010). "Test: Gray Matter (PC)" (in fr). Webedia. https://www.jeuxvideo.com/articles/0001/00014001-gray-matter-test.htm. Retrieved 6 February 2023. 
  23. ↑ Lena (1 December 2010). "Test: Gray Matter (360)" (in fr). Webedia. https://www.jeuxvideo.com/articles/0001/00013939-gray-matter-test.htm. Retrieved 6 February 2023. 
  24. ↑ 24.0 24.1 "Review: Gray Matter". Official Xbox Magazine UK (Future plc). March 2011. 
  25. ↑ Cobbett, Richard (16 February 2011). "Gray Matter review". PC Gamer UK (Future plc). https://www.pcgamer.com/gray-matter-review/. Retrieved 6 February 2023. 
  26. ↑ Meyerink, Stephen (18 April 2011). "Gray Matter (PC)". Emerald Shield Media LLC. https://www.rpgfan.com/review/gray-matter/. Retrieved 6 February 2023. 
  27. ↑ 27.0 27.1 Raze, Ashton (29 March 2011). "Gray Matter review". The Daily Telegraph. https://www.telegraph.co.uk/technology/video-games/8414876/Gray-Matter-review.html. Retrieved 6 February 2023. (Subscription content?)
  28. ↑ Hargreaves, Roger (3 March 2011). "Gray Matter makes you think – game review (PC)". Metro (DMG Media). Archived from the original on 5 March 2011. https://web.archive.org/web/20110305164842/http://www.metro.co.uk/tech/games/857154-gray-matter-makes-you-think-game-review. Retrieved 6 February 2023. 
  29. ↑ Jong, Philip (29 November 2010). "Gray Matter Review". http://www.adventureclassicgaming.com/index.php/site/reviews/620/. Retrieved 30 November 2010. 
  • 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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