Software:LostWinds 2: Winter of the Melodias

From HandWiki
Short description: 2009 video game

LostWinds 2:
Winter of the Melodias
Cover art
Developer(s)Frontier Developments
Publisher(s)Frontier Developments
SeriesLostWinds
Platform(s)iOS, Wii, Microsoft Windows
ReleaseWii
iOS
May 10, 2012[4]
Windows
March 24, 2016
Genre(s)Platforming, metroidvania[5]
Mode(s)Single-player, multiplayer[6]

LostWinds 2: Winter of the Melodias is a 2009 platform video game developed by Frontier Developments as a sequel to the 2008 game LostWinds.

The game sees the protagonist Toku searching for his missing mother while also trying to uncover the fate of the Melodia people who disappeared from Mistralis years before. The story of the game is self-contained, and as such, having played the first LostWinds game is not necessary to enjoy it.[6]

Square Enix published the Wii version in Japan on December 22, 2009.[7]

Gameplay

The game features the ability to switch between seasons.

Unlike the original title, players are able to switch between seasons, from winter to summer and vice versa, assisting players throughout various puzzles. In addition to this, the game features an in-game map and hint system to prevent players from getting lost.[8] Players are able to swim, break rocks, and use cyclones, amongst other abilities and items obtained throughout the progress of the game, such as a coat.[8] According to Frontier Developments, the non-player characters in LostWinds: Winter of the Melodias were developed to feel more personal than the original title.[9]

Plot

The game begins with a prologue where the player controls Riveren, a Melodia boy tasked with singing at the King's ceremony. While exploring the city of the Melodias, a bridge breaks under Riveren, plummeting him into a cavern, where he finds a stone that is leaking dark magic. The prologue ends with a text box stating "At last, I have found you".

The game then moves its attention to LostWinds protagonist, Toku. During the game's tutorial section, Magmok, the final boss from the original title, assists Toku and Enril up to the Summerfalls mountain. Upon their arrival to the village, it is apparent that the village is locked in eternal winter. Many of the locals have been turned to stone, while others are fearful of the 'monsters' that lurk in the winter. The initial challenge is for the ill-dressed Toku to stay close to any forms of heat in the village to protect himself from the lethal cold. Eventually, high up in the mountains, Toku encounters Riveren, who has become malformed and aggressive from the dark magic that consumes him, and is knocked down into the depths of Summerfall. Toku is rescued by an Eskimo tribe, who provide him with a winter coat, and reunite him with his mother, Magdi.

With new directions, Toku and Enril seek out Sonté, the Spirit of Seasons, in order to end the relentless winter. After completing a quest for him, Sonté imbues Toku with the power to alter the season in Summerfall. The hero subsequently traverses the land, unlocking new wind-based powers for Enril, as well as pages from Magdi's journal with further story exposition. Toku reaches the city of the Melodias to find its inhabitants frozen in time.

Finally, Toku discovers the King of the Melodias, who had been hiding in the snow. Toku escorts the King to the uppermost area of the city, where Riveren appears and attacks him. With the help of the King's special abilities, Toku defeats Riveren and expels the dark magic from his body, which is presumed to be the spirit of Balasar, the primary antagonist of the LostWinds series.[10]

Development

Despite the sequel unofficially being announced after the credits in LostWinds, development was held off due to other company commitments. According to David Braben of Frontier Developments, development for LostWinds: Winter of the Melodias began in April 2009, and took roughly six months to complete.[11] Frontier Developments set aside little over 20 people to work on the project.[12] The goal when developing LostWinds: Winter of the Melodias was to retain the same level of innovation that was evident in the original title, while increasing the play time as a whole, taking length criticism of the original title into consideration. Much like the Metroid series, the game was designed to slowly introduce new powers and abilities to ease the player into the experience.

Reception

Reception
Review scores
PublicationScore
iOSWii
DestructoidN/A9/10[13]
EdgeN/A8/10[14]
EurogamerN/A9/10[15]
GameProN/AStarStarStarStar[17]
GameRevolutionN/AB+[16]
GameSpotN/A8/10[18]
GamezeboStarStarStarHalf star[19]N/A
IGNN/A(UK) 9.1/10[20]
(US) 8.9/10[21]
ONMN/A90%[22]
Pocket GamerStarStarStarStarHalf star[23]N/A
TouchArcadeStarStarStarStarHalf star[24]N/A
The A.V. ClubN/AB+[25]
Teletext GameCentralN/A8/10[26]
Aggregate score
Metacritic86/100[27]86/100[26]

The Wii and iOS versions received "generally favorable reviews" according to the review aggregation website Metacritic.[26][27] IGN UK praised the Wii version's challenging puzzles and engaging platforming, saying that "LostWinds: Winter of the Melodias represents an "essential" purchase.[20] Eurogamer was equally impressed, calling it a "tightly designed adventure", comparing the experience to The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past.[15]

Although still impressed, Teletext GameCentral said that while the same console version remains a "perfectly crafted experience" the wind controls can become "slightly imprecise" at times.[26]

References

  1. ↑ "Discover New LostWinds, Numerous Domo Games and a True Arcade Classic". October 19, 2009. Archived from the original on October 3, 2016. https://web.archive.org/web/20161003085050/https://www.nintendo.com/whatsnew/detail/0MTgxHbB_f_rjLnZLI-A4rl14J7zgwzS. Retrieved October 21, 2019. 
  2. ↑ Jones, Ashley (September 16, 2009). "News: WiiWare & DSiWare Release Dates". Archived from the original on February 11, 2010. https://web.archive.org/web/20100211140309/http://www.n-europe.com/news.php?nid=13541. Retrieved October 21, 2019. 
  3. ↑ Sparks, Tim (November 6, 2009). "Nintendo Download: LostWinds 2 released". Archived from the original on November 9, 2009. https://web.archive.org/web/20091109065732/http://www.vooks.net/story-18601-Nintendo-Download-Update-LostWinds-Winter-of-the-Melodias-finally-arrives.html. Retrieved October 21, 2019. 
  4. ↑ Dutton, Fred (May 9, 2012). "LostWinds: Winter of the Melodias on iOS tomorrow". Gamer Network. https://www.eurogamer.net/articles/2012-05-09-lostwinds-winter-of-the-melodias-on-ios-tomorrow. Retrieved June 29, 2012. 
  5. ↑ PCGamesN staff (March 31, 2016). "LostWinds: The Blossom Edition giveaway! Win one of 20 copies of this colourful metroidvania, worth $14.99!". Network N. https://www.pcgamesn.com/lostwinds/lostwinds-the-blossom-edition-giveaway-win-one-of-20-copies-of-this-colourful-metroidvania-worth-1499. Retrieved July 26, 2016. 
  6. ↑ 6.0 6.1 Beaton, Connor (September 8, 2009). "LostWinds Interview With Frontier's David Braben". http://zcint.co.uk/article/525. Retrieved September 9, 2009. 
  7. ↑ "ロストウィンズ ウィンター オブ メロディアス（Wiiウェア ダウンロード版）[Wii"] (in Japanese). Famitsu (Enterbrain). https://www.famitsu.com/cominy/?m=pc&a=page_h_title&title_id=9504&redirect=no. Retrieved October 21, 2019. 
  8. ↑ 8.0 8.1 Whincup, Nathan (August 29, 2009). "News: LostWinds: Winter Of The Melodias Confirmed". Archived from the original on September 2, 2009. https://web.archive.org/web/20090902125747/http://www.n-europe.com/news.php?nid=13497. Retrieved October 21, 2019. 
  9. ↑ Miller, Tony (August 29, 2009). "Winter of Melodias Announced". Archived from the original on September 16, 2009. https://web.archive.org/web/20090916133416/http://www.nintendo-okie.com/2009/08/lost-winds-winter-of-melodias-announced.html. Retrieved October 21, 2019. 
  10. ↑ Reed, Kristan (September 16, 2009). "LostWinds: Winter of the Melodias First Look [author mislabeled as "Marc Nix""]. Ziff Davis. Archived from the original on July 13, 2011. https://web.archive.org/web/20110713005417/http://au.wii.ign.com/articles/102/1024716p1.html. Retrieved October 21, 2019. 
  11. ↑ Jones, Ashley (October 4, 2009). "Interview: LostWind's [sic David Braben"]. Archived from the original on October 9, 2009. https://web.archive.org/web/20091009090700/http://n-europe.com/news.php?nid=13588. Retrieved October 21, 2019. 
  12. ↑ Langley, Ryan (September 22, 2009). "Interview: Frontier's Braben On LostWinds' Return To WiiWare". UBM plc. https://www.gamasutra.com/php-bin/news_index.php?story=25320. Retrieved October 15, 2009. 
  13. ↑ Razak, Matthew (November 2, 2009). "Lost Winds: The Winter of the Melodias [sic (Wii)"]. Enthusiast Gaming. https://www.destructoid.com/review-lost-winds-the-winter-of-the-melodias-153830.phtml. Retrieved October 21, 2019. 
  14. ↑ Edge staff (December 2009). "LostWinds: Winter of the Melodias (Wii)". Edge (Future plc) (208): 101. 
  15. ↑ 15.0 15.1 Donlan, Christian (October 9, 2009). "LostWinds: Winter of the Melodias (Wii)". Gamer Network. https://www.eurogamer.net/articles/lostwinds-winter-of-the-melodias-review. Retrieved October 21, 2019. 
  16. ↑ Reboucas, Eduardo (November 25, 2009). "LostWinds: Winter of the Melodias Review (Wii)". CraveOnline. Archived from the original on October 1, 2015. https://web.archive.org/web/20151001124913/http://www.gamerevolution.com/review/lostwinds-winter-of-the-melodias. Retrieved October 21, 2019. 
  17. ↑ Terrones, Terry (October 26, 2009). "LostWinds: Winter of the Melodias (Wii)". GamePro (GamePro Media). Archived from the original on October 29, 2009. https://web.archive.org/web/20091029085623/http://www.gamepro.com/article/reviews/212728/lostwinds-winter-of-the-melodias/. Retrieved October 21, 2019. 
  18. ↑ Walton, Mark (October 19, 2009). "LostWinds: Winter of the Melodias Review (Wii) [date mislabeled as "October 20, 2009""]. CBS Interactive. https://www.gamespot.com/reviews/lostwinds-winter-of-the-melodias-review/1900-6233384/. Retrieved October 21, 2019. 
  19. ↑ Cymet, Eli (May 13, 2012). "LostWinds2: Winter of the Melodias Review (iOS)". https://www.gamezebo.com/2012/05/13/lostwinds2-winter-melodias-review/. Retrieved October 21, 2019. 
  20. ↑ 20.0 20.1 Reed, Kristan (October 8, 2009). "LostWinds: Winter of the Melodias UK Review (Wii)". Ziff Davis. https://www.ign.com/articles/2009/10/08/lostwinds-winter-of-the-melodias-uk-review. Retrieved October 21, 2019. 
  21. ↑ Casamassina, Matt (October 20, 2009). "LostWinds: Winter of the Melodias Review (Wii)". Ziff Davis. https://www.ign.com/articles/2009/10/20/lostwinds-winter-of-the-melodias-review. Retrieved October 21, 2019. 
  22. ↑ Scullion, Chris (November 8, 2009). "LostWinds: Winter Of Melodias Review". Future plc. Archived from the original on October 10, 2014. https://web.archive.org/web/20141010061522/http://www.officialnintendomagazine.co.uk/13067/reviews/lostwinds-winter-of-melodias-review/. Retrieved October 21, 2019. 
  23. ↑ Brown, Mark (May 10, 2012). "LostWinds 2: Winter of the Melodias". Steel Media Ltd. https://www.pocketgamer.com/articles/040860/lostwinds-2-winter-of-the-melodias/. Retrieved October 21, 2019. 
  24. ↑ Khaw, Cassandra (May 16, 2012). "'LostWinds2: Winters of The Melodias' [sic Review – A Gorgeous Wind-powered Adventure"]. MacRumors.com, LLC. https://toucharcade.com/2012/05/16/lostwinds2-review/. Retrieved October 21, 2019. 
  25. ↑ Teti, John; Nelson, Samantha; Robinson, Tasha; Dahlen, Chris; Wolinsky, David; Heisler, Steve; Fischer, Russ; Alexander, Leigh (October 26, 2009). "October 26, 2009". The Onion. https://www.avclub.com/october-26-2009-1798218687. 
  26. ↑ 26.0 26.1 26.2 26.3 "LostWinds: Winter of the Melodias Critic Reviews for Wii". CBS Interactive. https://www.metacritic.com/game/lostwinds-winter-of-the-melodias/critic-reviews/?platform=wii. Retrieved October 21, 2019. 
  27. ↑ 27.0 27.1 "LostWinds2: Winter of the Melodias for iPhone/iPad Reviews". CBS Interactive. https://www.metacritic.com/game/lostwinds-winter-of-the-melodias/critic-reviews/?platform=ios-iphoneipad. Retrieved October 21, 2019. 
  • 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 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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