Software:Legend of Kay

From HandWiki
Short description: 2005 video game
Legend of Kay
Developer(s)Neon Studios
Firehazard Studio (DS)
Kaiko (Anniversary)
Publisher(s)
  • PAL: JoWooD Productions
  • NA: DreamCatcher Games (NDS)
  • WW: Nordic Games (Wii U, PS4, PS3, Xbox 360, PC)
Director(s)Jan Jöckel
Pete Walentin
Producer(s)Neil Soane (original)
Thorsten Röpke (Anniversary)
Designer(s)Antony Christoulakis
Programmer(s)Peter Thierolf
Artist(s)Antony Christoulakis
Jonas D
Christian Wagner
Yu-Chung Chen (original)
Daniel Amend
Stella Behrendt
Benjamin Sauer (Anniversary)
Writer(s)Noah Falstein
Kenneth Melville
Pete Walentin
Composer(s)Jake Kaufman
EngineRenderWare
Platform(s)PlayStation 2, Nintendo DS, PlayStation 3, PlayStation 4, Wii U, Microsoft Windows, OS X, Xbox 360, Nintendo Switch
ReleasePlayStation 2
Nintendo DS
  • EU: May 28, 2010
  • NA: June 14, 2010
  • AU: August 26, 2010[4]
Windows, OS X, PS3, PS4, Wii U, X360
  • WW: July 28, 2015[5]
Nintendo Switch
  • WW: May 29, 2018[6]
Genre(s)Action-adventure, platformer (PS2)
Stealth, platform (NDS)
Mode(s)Single-player

Legend of Kay is a 2005 platform video game developed by Neon Studios and published by JoWood Productions for the PlayStation 2. An abridged version of the game for the Nintendo DS by Firehazard Studio was released in 2010.

An enhanced version with visual and gameplay improvements was released on modern consoles and PC by Nordic Games (now THQ Nordic) after they purchased JoWood's assets.

Plot

For many generations, the mystical land of Yenching had been inhabited by many animals, mainly cats, hares, frogs, and pandas. Because of a religious code called the Way, these four races had prospered throughout the ages in their own separate towns. But as the years passed, the younger generations began to defect from the Way. Ultimately, with no protective code to guide the races, Yenching was invaded by the Gorillas and the Rats (known as the Din), led by Gorilla Minister Shun and Tak, the Rat Alchemist. Minister Shun now rules the majority of Yenching with an iron fist, and is said to reside in the volcanic mountain of Waa-Lo.

The story now focuses around a figure named Kay. Kay is a hotheaded young cat, and the Master's finest martial arts student. Like many of the people of the races, Kay does not believe in the Way, and likes to focus on physical skills and strength. This is what makes his friend, Su Ling, leave his town in disgust, hoping to find another town that would share her belief in resurrecting the Way. One day, in Kay's martial arts school, Shun's gorillas and the mayor of Kay's town declare that they must shut down the school because new 'Din schools' must soon be erected in the town. Kay is outraged, and even more so when his Master simply agrees to the new terms. And so, making up his mind, Kay sneaks into his Master's house at night (the Master is drunk, and asleep) and steals the mystical blade the Master keeps. Kay then jumps out of the town walls, and makes his way into the wilderness.

Kay's exploits vary from traversing to the Haretree (the secret residence of all the hares of Yenching), befriending a dragon (and almost getting fried in the process), traveling through dangerous swamps in order to reach Frog City (the city of frogs, obviously), and riding on a dragon to get to the Forbidden City (the city of pandas, located on a plateau), all the while defeating hordes of rats, crocodiles, turtles, bears, ladybugs, and gorillas. There, in the Forbidden City, Kay finds his friend Su Ling, who is now a ringleader of the Avalanche, a group of pandas who are dedicated to the revival of the Way, and stopping Shun and the army of Din. After helping them out, the Avalanche begins its voyage to island of Waa-Lo, with Kay in tow. After an arduous voyage, Kay and the Avalanche begin to explore the caves of Waa-Lo, making their way to the center of the volcano. During the expedition, Kay finally catches up with Tak, the rat alchemist. After defeating him, Kay meets Shun in person. The two engage in a fierce duel, with Kay being the victor. Injured, Shun runs to the contraption he and Tak created. The fires of Waa-Lo power up the machine, and begin to fuse Shun and one of his bodyguards into a single, monstrous ape-like entity. With no choice left but to fight, Kay begins to do battle with the monster. As Kay strikes the final blow, Waa-Lo begins to erupt. Luckily, the Avalanche sends a rescue team, via a hot-air balloon.

As Kay, Su Ling, and the Avalanche (all back in the ship) stare across the horizon at the exploding volcano, the merchant (who the pandas have seemingly saved) tries to sell some souvenirs to Kay and Su Ling. With a grin, Kay pulls off the merchant's rice hat to reveal the Master himself. Kay jokes about finally having to master his abilities by outfoxing his master. Kay, Su Ling, and the Master all then begin to laugh, the ship returning for a free Yenching.

Remaster

Legend of Kay Anniversary, a version of the game with improved graphics and online leaderboards for players to compare scores, was released on Windows, OS X, Xbox 360, PlayStation 3, PlayStation 4, and Wii U on July 28, 2015. It was later ported to the Nintendo Switch on May 29, 2018.

Reception

Reception
Aggregate scores
AggregatorScore
GameRankings(PS2) 76%[7]
(DS) 41%[8]
Metacritic(PS2) 72/100[9]
Review scores
PublicationScore
Edge6/10[10]
Game Informer6.5/10[11]
GameSpot8/10[12]
GameZone7.6/10[13]
IGN7.5/10[14]
Nintendo Life(NS) StarStarStarStarStar[15]
OPM (US)StarStarStar[16]
X-PlayStarStarStarStar[17]

The PlayStation 2 version of Legend of Kay received an average aggregate score of 72/100 on Metacritic,[18] while the DS version received "unfavorable" reviews on GameRankings.[8]

The remaster, Legend of Kay Anniversary, received an aggregate score of 54/100 on Metacritic.[19] Dom Reseigh-Lincoln of Nintendo Life called the Switch version of the game an "unremarkable experience", and said that while it was graphically the best version of the game, camera issues were not fixed from the original, and the game had "abysmal" voice acting, with dated gameplay compared to competitors on the same platform such as Super Mario Odyssey.[15]

References

  1. ↑ "What's New?" (in en-gb). Eurogamer.net. 2005-03-11. https://www.eurogamer.net/whatsnew-110305. 
  2. ↑ "Legend of Kay: Finaler Trailer!". January 25, 2005. http://www.jowood.com/gamers/?site=1&lang=de&ScreenID=10930. 
  3. ↑ Adams, David (2005-09-20). "Legend of Kay Claws Store Shelves" (in en). https://www.ign.com/articles/2005/09/20/legend-of-kay-claws-store-shelves. 
  4. ↑ "AU Shippin' Out August 23-27: Mafia II" (in en-US). https://www.gamespot.com/articles/au-shippin-out-august-23-27-mafia-ii/1100-6274270/. 
  5. ↑ "Legend Of Kay Anniversary Will Release From July 28th" (in en-US). 2015-07-07. https://www.thesixthaxis.com/2015/07/07/legend-of-kay-anniversary-will-release-from-july-28th/. 
  6. ↑ "Legend of Kay Anniversary for Switch launches May 29" (in en-US). 2018-04-06. https://www.gematsu.com/2018/04/legend-of-kay-anniversary-for-switch-launches-may-29. 
  7. ↑ "Legend of Kay for PlayStation 2". GameRankings. http://www.gamerankings.com/ps2/917925-legend-of-kay/index.html. 
  8. ↑ 8.0 8.1 "Legend of Kay for DS". GameRankings. http://www.gamerankings.com/ds/960397-legend-of-kay/index.html. 
  9. ↑ "Legend of Kay for PlayStation 2 Reviews". https://www.metacritic.com/game/legend-of-kay/critic-reviews/?platform=playstation-2. 
  10. ↑ Edge staff (March 2005). "Legend of Kay". Edge (147): 92. 
  11. ↑ "Legend of Kay". Game Informer (150): 134. October 2005. 
  12. ↑ Mueller, Greg (September 19, 2005). "Legend of Kay Review (PS2)". http://www.gamespot.com/reviews/legend-of-kay-review/1900-6133888/. 
  13. ↑ Knutson, Michael (October 5, 2005). "Legend of Kay - PS2 - Review". GameZone. http://www.gamezone.com/reviews/legend_of_kay_ps2_review. 
  14. ↑ Sulic, Ivan (September 21, 2005). "Legend of Kay (PS2)". http://www.ign.com/articles/2005/09/22/legend-of-kay. 
  15. ↑ 15.0 15.1 "Review: Legend Of Kay Anniversary (Switch)" (in en-GB). 2018-06-04. http://www.nintendolife.com/reviews/nintendo-switch/legend_of_kay_anniversary. 
  16. ↑ "Legend of Kay". Official U.S. PlayStation Magazine: 102. October 2005. http://opm.1up.com/reviews/legend-of-kay. Retrieved May 26, 2014. 
  17. ↑ "Legend of Kay Review". X-Play. November 10, 2005. http://www.g4tv.com/articles/52975/legend-of-kay-review/. 
  18. ↑ "Legend of Kay" (in en). https://www.metacritic.com/game/legend-of-kay/critic-reviews/?platform=playstation-2. 
  19. ↑ "Legend of Kay Anniversary" (in en). https://www.metacritic.com/game/legend-of-kay-anniversary/critic-reviews/?platform=playstation-4. 
  • Official website
  • 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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