Software:Kakuto Chojin: Back Alley Brutal

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Short description: 2002 video game
Kakuto Chojin: Back Alley Brutal
North American cover art
Developer(s)Dream Publishing
Publisher(s)Microsoft Game Studios
Director(s)Kunihiko Nakata
Producer(s)Yoshikatsu Kanemaru
Designer(s)Seiichi Ishii
Kunihiko Nakata
Writer(s)Makoto Goya
Composer(s)Hiroshi Utsuyama
Platform(s)Xbox
Release
  • NA: November 12, 2002[1]
  • JP: January 1, 2003
Genre(s)Fighting
Mode(s)Single-player, Multiplayer

Kakuto Chojin: Back Alley Brutal (Kakuto Chojin for short), known in Japan as Kakutō Chōjin: Fighting Super Heroes (格闘超人 ファイティング スーパーヒーローズ, Kakutō Chōjin Faitingu Sūpāhīrōzu), is a fighting game developed by Dream Publishing and published by Microsoft Game Studios for the Xbox. The game was the sole product of developer Dream Publishing, a studio created by members of DreamFactory and Microsoft. It was originally created as a tech demo to show off the graphic capabilities of the Xbox, before the decision was made to turn it into a full game. A few months after its release, Kakuto Chojin was pulled from distribution amidst controversy surrounding the religious content featured in the game.

Gameplay

Kakuto Chojin is a fighting game generally set in a three-dimensional arena, similar to 2001 games such as Tecmo’s Dead or Alive 3 and Namco’s Tekken 4. There are thirteen fighters, each with their own arena. Each character has two styles of fighting; the "Kakuto" style is the only one available at first, with the "Chojin" style acquired after beating Story mode with a character. Kakuto Chojin attempts a different fighting system in that it lacks buttons meant specifically to punch and kick, instead assigning controls to high, middle and low attacks, along with the ability to unleash a special attack. The left trigger allows for free movement around an arena, while the right trigger is used for blocking and an attack modifier. Besides the Story mode, there are the standard Practice and Vs. modes. Kakuto Chojin allows for a Battle Royale with four players at once.

Characters

  • Somalia Asad – A well-respected Muay Thai practitioner and deeply religious man, Asad joined the tournament to gain revenge on Daeva for setting his village ablaze. Unknown to Asad, his village's destruction was used to goad him into entering the tournament for the purpose of being studied by Daeva and her organization.
  • Spain Vittoria – A fighter from Spain, she works for Interpol and studied criminology and combat. Enters Drasuka to find her missing brother who she believes has also entered the 'Fist of Fire' Tournament.
  • France Sabre – A brute force fighter, well known in Drasuka for his strong style and the crowd loves it. Daeva enters him in the Fist of Fire tournament so he can prove himself for a top place in Daeva's inner ring.
  • United States J.D. Stone – Even though he appears to be a "nice guy", Stone has a definite mean streak and ruthlessness when it comes to pit fighting. Leaving the military after an ambush killed his best buddies, he enters the Fist of Fire tournament after hearing rumors Daeva was behind the attack.
  • Japan Rena – Daughter of a wealthy Japanese family, Rena was raised in São Paulo, Brazil. As a child, she learned capoeira and grew to master it. A child of wealth, she had the luxury of traveling with her father across the world as a young girl. Always wishing for independence, Rena has been forced to follow her father's will her entire life. Having to move back to Japan with her father, she began to grow restless. Hearing about a secret tournament where the winner can have anything they want, Rena came up with a plan: win the tournament and gain independence from her father. "Borrowing" some cash from her dad, Rena sneaked off to Drasuka Bay to fight in the tournament, and with luck, gain the freedom she so desperately seeks.
  • Hong Kong Khan – Serving as Daeva's right-hand man, Khan is a sadistic and, quite clearly, insane man who almost seems to enjoy his occupation and his ability to inflict pain on anyone he is ordered to deal with.
  • Argentina Crusher Ramirez – A professional wrestler who has fought in virtually all parts of the world. However, given the fact that he is suspended from every major wrestling federation because of his viciousness, he has earned a reputation that no wrestling promoter would be willing to touch. But now he's found a new home of wrestling in Drasuka where he can release his boundless anger and willingness to do anything to get the win.
  • 26px Shadow – Genetically enhanced, a cyborg, or something far darker? Shadow's origins are clouded in mystery. Displaying incredible ninjutsu skills and incredible strength, whatever Shadow is, it's clearly not fully human. With a mask concealing his features, Shadow is a faceless, heartless, merciless force in combat. He is a killer, having slain more fighters than anyone in Drasuka. Whatever the truth is behind Shadow, it's been made abundantly clear he's not one to trifle with.
  • United States Roxy – Roxy's father, a political militant, urged her at an early age to study a variety of martial arts with the best masters all over the world. Khan, her master in Hong Kong, betrayed he trust and tortured her. She escaped, becoming an assassin and mercenary. Currently employed by a Japanese businessman who is actually a crime lord from Maladinia, she still hungers for revenge against Khan. Roxy recently volunteered to search for her boss' daughter in Drasuka, discovering Khan was also there. Entering the tournament, she seeks vengeance against her former master.
  • Japan Reiji – Adopted by a Jeet Kune Do master, Reiji fights in the style of the famous Bruce Lee. Growing up learning martial arts from his adoptive father, he never understood why this man had left the city for the countryside. Following his twenty-sixth birthday, Reiji returned home to discover his father being assaulted by a mysterious group of men. His father was brutally murdered before him, Reiji was hung up and cut sacrificial animal. Surviving, though barely, his purpose became vengeance against his attackers. With the police offering no help, Reiji set off on his own. After a year of traveling, Reiji found the picture of the man who had tortured him and murdered his father in a newspaper article describing an underground fighting tournament in Drasuka.
  • Norway Vegard – Born into an upper-class Norwegian family, Vegard enjoyed a privileged childhood. His father practiced ancient rituals in the belief that it would help him become even more successful. During his studies, a fortune-teller predicted his son would one day face a great evil that would arise from within. Fearful of his safety, Vegard's parents put him through rigorous academic and physical training. He excelled in taekwondo, though no other students dared face him for fear of injury due to his brutality. Unfortunately, the pressure of his parents' expectancy and the dark destiny foretold caused him to withdraw from the world around him, leaving nothing but his dark thoughts. Vegard became fascinated with a mask kept in his father's art collection—an iron mask depicting the face of a violent, confused soul. Stealing the mask, he wandered the world, wearing it to the point of only being at "peace" with it on. Eventually, he found himself in Drasuka, eagerly accepting an invite to an underground tournament.
  • China Yin Kai Li – Raised by a traditional Chinese family, soon falls for the street/gang life after they moved to a northern province. Runs away to join the Fist of Fire tournament after rebelling against his father, in hopes of meeting two fighters, Reiji and Sabre, of whom he is jealous.
  • 26px Daeva –

Development

Kakuto Chojin: Back Alley Brutal was developed by Dream Publishing, a subsidiary of the fighting game company DreamFactory and publisher Microsoft Game Studios. The game was first introduced as "Project K-X", a technology demonstration for Microsoft's then-new Xbox console, at the Spring Tokyo Game Show in 2001.[2] Seiichi Ishii, head of the project's development, stated that the prototype only ran at a frame rate of 30 frames per second, but was doubled when the team molded the demo into a finished product.[3]

Reception

Reception
Aggregate score
AggregatorScore
Metacritic46/100[4]
Review scores
PublicationScore
AllGameStarStar[5]
Edge2/10[6]
EGM3.17/10[7]
Famitsu(Xbox) 30/40
27/40[8]
Game Informer6.25/10[9]
GameProStarStarHalf star[10]
GameRevolutionD[11]
GameSpot5.5/10[12]
GameSpyStarStarHalf star[13]
GameZone7/10[14]
IGN6.2/10[15]
OXM (US)6.2/10[16]

Kakuto Chojin, though heavily hyped and praised for its graphics, received "generally unfavorable reviews" according to the review aggregation website Metacritic.[4] Critics and gamers cited its shallow gameplay, weak Story mode, and lack of bonus material. Game Informer described it as a Tekken ripoff; coincidentally, a portion of the Kakuto Chojin development team were indeed ex-Tekken developers (including series creator Seiichi Ishii).[9] In Japan, Famitsu gave it a score of two sevens, one six, and one seven for a total of 27 out of 40, while Famitsu Xbox gave it a score of one seven, one six, one nine, and one eight for a total of 30 out of 40.[8]

Controversy

Kakuto Chojin was pulled off store shelves in early 2003 due to accusations of containing offensive religious content.[17] The recall allegedly stemmed from Quran verses chanted in the background of the theme song for Muslim character Asad.[18] Microsoft senior geopolitical strategist Kate Edwards consulted with an unidentified Arabic speaker within the company. This latter person vehemently objected to the release of Kakuto Chojin due to its "incredible insult to Islam"; the game still debuted in North America in the publisher's belief that the content would not be noticed.[18] According to a Microsoft spokesperson, the company was pressured into destroying un-shipped units of Kakuto Chojin containing the chant and attempted to reissue the game as an amended product. However, many uncensored copies still inadvertently made it to retailers.[19] This included locales in which such material is particularly sensitive, like Saudi Arabia, where the issue became headlines news.[20] Three months later, the Saudi Arabian government formally protested, forcing Microsoft to withdraw the game worldwide.[18]

References

  1. ↑ "Kakuto Chojin - Xbox - GameSpy". http://xbox.gamespy.com/xbox/kakuto-chojin/. 
  2. ↑ Ahmed, Shahed (March 30, 2001). "Spring TGS 2001: Microsoft reveals Project K-X". GameSpot. CBS Interactive. https://www.gamespot.com/articles/spring-tgs-2001-microsoft-reveals-project-k-x/1100-2702940/. Retrieved November 24, 2013. 
  3. ↑ Goldstein, Hilary (September 6, 2002). "Kakuto Chojin Interview". http://www.ign.com/articles/2002/09/06/kakuto-chojin-interview. Retrieved November 24, 2013. 
  4. ↑ 4.0 4.1 "Kakuto Chojin for Xbox Reviews". Metacritic. CBS Interactive. https://www.metacritic.com/game/kakuto-chojin/critic-reviews/?platform=xbox. Retrieved January 13, 2018. 
  5. ↑ Marriott, Scott Alan. "Kakuto Chojin - Review". AllGame. Archived from the original on November 15, 2014. https://web.archive.org/web/20141115214922/http://www.allgame.com/game.php?id=38495&tab=review. Retrieved January 13, 2018. 
  6. ↑ Edge staff (March 2003). "Kakuto Chojin". Edge (121): 104. 
  7. ↑ EGM staff (February 2003). "Kakuto Chojin: Back Alley Brutal". Electronic Gaming Monthly (163): 154. Archived from the original on January 6, 2004. https://web.archive.org/web/20040106010632/http://www.egmmag.com/article2/0,4364,1225981,00.asp. Retrieved January 13, 2018. 
  8. ↑ 8.0 8.1 "Kakuto Chojin encensé par la presse japonaise" (in French). Gamekult. December 2002. https://www.gamekult.com/forum/t/kakuto-chojin-encense-par-la-presse-japonaise/24504. Retrieved January 13, 2018. 
  9. ↑ 9.0 9.1 Barber, Chet (January 2003). "Kakuto Chojin". Game Informer (117). http://www.gameinformer.com/Games/Review/200301/R03.0730.1723.27925.htm. Retrieved January 13, 2018. 
  10. ↑ Four-Eyed Dragon (November 20, 2002). "Kakuto Chojin Review for Xbox on GamePro.com". GamePro. Archived from the original on February 6, 2005. https://web.archive.org/web/20050206175256/http://www.gamepro.com/microsoft/xbox/games/reviews/27185.shtml. Retrieved January 13, 2018. 
  11. ↑ G-Wok (November 2002). "Kakuto Chojin Review". Game Revolution. Archived from the original on October 1, 2015. https://web.archive.org/web/20151001124641/http://www.gamerevolution.com/review/kakuto-chojin. Retrieved January 13, 2018. 
  12. ↑ Kasavin, Greg (November 11, 2002). "Kakuto Chojin Review". GameSpot. CBS Interactive. https://www.gamespot.com/reviews/kakuto-chojin-review/1900-2897242/. Retrieved January 13, 2018. 
  13. ↑ Suciu, Peter (December 12, 2002). "GameSpy: Kakuto Chojin". GameSpy. http://xbox.gamespy.com/xbox/kakuto-chojin/561502p1.html. Retrieved January 13, 2018. 
  14. ↑ Bedigian, Louis (November 18, 2002). "Kakuto Chojin - XB - Review". GameZone. Archived from the original on March 7, 2008. https://web.archive.org/web/20080307054109/http://xbox.gamezone.com/gzreviews/r19990.htm. Retrieved January 13, 2018. 
  15. ↑ Goldstein, Hilary (November 5, 2002). "Kakuto Chojin Review". http://www.ign.com/articles/2002/11/05/kakuto-chojin-review. Retrieved January 13, 2018. 
  16. ↑ "Kakuto Chojin". Official Xbox Magazine: 84. January 2003. 
  17. ↑ Varanini, Giancarlo (February 6, 2003). "Kakuto Chojin recalled". GameSpot. CBS Interactive. https://www.gamespot.com/articles/kakuto-chojin-recalled/1100-2910399/. Retrieved November 24, 2013. 
  18. ↑ 18.0 18.1 18.2 Brown, Paul (August 18, 2004). "Microsoft pays dear for insults through ignorance". The Guardian. https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2004/aug/19/microsoft.business. Retrieved November 24, 2013. 
  19. ↑ Bishop, Stuart (February 7, 2003). "Kakuto Chojin pulled in US and Japan". Computer and Video Games. Future plc. Archived from the original on October 19, 2012. https://web.archive.org/web/20121019071449/http://www.computerandvideogames.com/86952/kakuto-chojin-pulled-in-us-and-japan/. Retrieved November 24, 2013. 
  20. ↑ Kumar, Matthew (April 9, 2008). "Q&A: Englobe's Edwards Talks Gaming's 'Geocultural Risks'". Gamasutra. UBM plc. https://www.gamasutra.com/php-bin/news_index.php?story=17985. 
  • 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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