Software:Lost Kingdoms

From HandWiki
Short description: 2002 video game
Lost Kingdoms
European cover art
Developer(s)FromSoftware
Publisher(s)Activision
  • JP: FromSoftware
Producer(s)Atsushi Taniguchi
Designer(s)Takashi Kojō
Programmer(s)Masaaki Sakamoto
Artist(s)
  • Norimasa Kawano
  • Makoto Sato
Composer(s)Kota Hoshino
Platform(s)GameCube
Release
  • JP: April 25, 2002
  • NA: May 29, 2002[1]
  • EU: August 9, 2002
Genre(s)Action role-playing
Mode(s)Single-player, multiplayer

Lost Kingdoms[lower-alpha 1] is a 2002 action role-playing game developed by FromSoftware and published by Activision. The game was released in Japan in April, in North America in May, and in Europe in August. Lost Kingdoms is a card-based action role-playing game where battles are fought in real-time. A sequel, Lost Kingdoms II, was released in 2003.

Story

The story begins with a substance known in the game as black fog. This fog is known for consuming people, towns, and other signs of civilization or life, nothing ever to escape from within. In Lost Kingdoms, the fog invades the land of Argwyll, home of the main character Katia, who is also the princess of this kingdom. The fog has been terrorizing the land for a long time, and Katia's father - the king - eventually ventured out to help try and deal with the deadly substance. However, since her father hadn't returned in some time, Katia soon leaves to find him.

Before she leaves, however, she is granted access to the castle's runestone, a key item in this game. With the runestone, Katia is able to use special magic cards to battle for her against the monsters that have spawned inside the black fog. Using this runestone, Katia is granted to leave the castle in the hopes of saving the kingdom, as well as finding and possibly rescuing her father. Unfortunately for her, she later finds that monsters killed her father. Later Katia finds a new enemy in the form of another runestone wielder, a girl named Helena that she repeatedly runs into. Eventually, Katia fights and kills Helena, but before she dies Helena reveals to Katia that she was trying to save her own land from the black fog. Katia eventually discovers that a man named Thalnos is behind the black fog, as well as the existence of a malevolent entity known as the God of Destruction. After fighting and killing Thalnos, it turns out that he was just a vessel for the God of Destruction. Katia then fights and defeats the evil god as the final boss of the game.

Gameplay

Lost Kingdoms is best known for its unique system of combat. Battles are played in real-time, where the player has to keep their character moving to avoid enemy attacks and plot tactical points to attack. Katia uses her cards for battle purposes only, as she cannot fight. Lost Kingdoms also has a multiplayer system in which two players can use their own decks to battle one another. When compared to single-player, the multiplayer has various restrictions to make the fight fair. Healing and one-hit kills are forbidden. Since some cards have the ability to return used cards back to the deck, these types of cards are also prohibited.

Cards

There are three special types of cards. Along with the battle types are elements. The elements of these cards includes fire, water, wood, earth, and neutral. Each type has its own advantage over another: Fire is strong against wood, but weak against water. Water is strong against fire, but weak against earth. Wood is strong against earth, but weak against fire. Earth is strong against water, but weak against wood. Neutral is a special and rare element, as it has no strengths and weaknesses against the other elements. Aside from finding new cards, Katia can also buy, sell, transform, and capture new cards.

Katia is capable of purchasing, finding, or getting her foes to submit to becoming new cards. Katia can also sell unwanted cards, and have her old cards transformed into new and/or stronger cards. Only a couple of cards are available after each level is completed, and they are not always completely new. Transforming cards is a part of the games experience point aspect, since defeating enemies with a card will earn the card experience points. Once cards earn enough experience, the shop will transform them into a different card for a certain number of experience points. Capturing cards is a special process that allows Katia to transform her foes into cards. By initiating a capture throw, Katia can force weakened enemies into submission and transform them. If a capture throw fails, then the enemy only lose a small part of their life.

Reception

Reception
Aggregate score
AggregatorScore
Metacritic72/100[2]
Review scores
PublicationScore
Edge8/10[3]
EGM8/10[4]
Eurogamer6/10[5]
Famitsu33/40[6][7]
Game Informer8/10[8]
GameProStarStarStarStarHalf star[9]
GameRevolutionC[10]
GameSpot7.1/10[11]
GameSpyStarStarStarStar[12]
GameZone6.8/10[13]
IGN5.9/10[14]
Nintendo Power3.9/5[15]
RPGamer5/10[16]

Lost Kingdoms received "average" reviews according to the review aggregation website Metacritic.[2] Fran Mirabella III of IGN cited the game's smooth framerate, deck customization, and two player mode as pros, but cited repetitive music, stiff graphics, average gameplay, trial-and-error, and random battles as cons.[14] Mike Bracken of RPGFan was more positive, calling it a solid game marred by lack of polish and short length. In his review he praised the gameplay as addictive and a highly polished and impressive mix of its influences, but tempered his review by noting the simplistic story, graphics, sound, and translation.[17] However, Chris Holoka of AllGame gave the game three stars out of five, calling it "A well-conceived concept suffering from a somewhat lackluster execution."[18] In Japan, Famitsu gave it a score of 33 out of 40.[6]

Notes

  1. ↑ known as Rune (ルーン, Rūn) in Japan

References

  1. ↑ Villoria, Gerald (May 29, 2002). "Lost Kingdoms ships to retailers today". http://www.gamespot.com/gamecube/rpg/lostkingdoms/news_2868398.html. 
  2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 "Lost Kingdoms for GameCube Reviews". Red Ventures. https://www.metacritic.com/game/lost-kingdoms/critic-reviews/?platform=gamecube. 
  3. ↑ Edge staff (August 2002). "Lost Kingdoms". Edge (Future Publishing) (113). 
  4. ↑ EGM staff (August 2002). "Lost Kingdoms". Electronic Gaming Monthly (Ziff Davis) (157): 136. 
  5. ↑ Bramwell, Tom (August 8, 2002). "Lost Kingdoms". Gamer Network. https://www.eurogamer.net/r-lostkingdoms-gc. 
  6. ↑ 6.0 6.1 "ニンテンドーゲームキューブ - ルーン" (in ja). Famitsu (Enterbrain) 915: 99. June 30, 2006. 
  7. ↑ "ルーン" (in ja). Famitsu (Enterbrain) (698). https://www.famitsu.com/cominy/?m=pc&a=page_h_title&title_id=9747&redirect=no. Retrieved 2022-07-14. 
  8. ↑ "Lost Kingdoms". Game Informer (FuncoLand) (111): 84. July 2002. 
  9. ↑ Fennec Fox (June 5, 2002). "Lost Kingdoms Review for GameCube on GamePro.com". GamePro (IDG Entertainment). http://www.gamepro.com/nintendo/gamecube/games/reviews/24035.shtml. Retrieved July 28, 2017. 
  10. ↑ Liu, Johnny (June 2002). "Lost Kingdoms Review". CraveOnline. https://www.gamerevolution.com/review/32430-lost-in-the-fog-review. 
  11. ↑ Kasavin, Greg (June 4, 2002). "Lost Kingdoms Review". Red Ventures. https://www.gamespot.com/reviews/lost-kingdoms-review/1900-2869195/. 
  12. ↑ Pavlacka, Adam (June 28, 2002). "GameSpy: Lost Kingdoms". IGN Entertainment. http://cube.gamespy.com/gamecube/lost-kingdoms/596689p1.html. 
  13. ↑ Lafferty, Michael (June 13, 2002). "Lost Kingdoms Review". http://gamecube.gamezone.com/gzreviews/r19880.htm. 
  14. ↑ 14.0 14.1 Mirabella III, Fran (June 4, 2002). "Lost Kingdoms". Ziff Davis. https://www.ign.com/articles/2002/06/04/lost-kingdoms. 
  15. ↑ "Lost Kingdoms". Nintendo Power (Nintendo of America) 157: 146. June 2002. 
  16. ↑ Alley, Jake (November 10, 2004). "Lost Kingdoms - Review". CraveOnline. https://archive.rpgamer.com/games/other/gamecube/rune/reviews/runestrev1.html. 
  17. ↑ 17.0 17.1 Bracken, Mike (June 4, 2002). "Lost Kingdoms". Emerald Shield Media LLC. https://www.rpgfan.com/review/lost-kingdoms/. 
  18. ↑ Holoka, Chris. "Lost Kingdoms - Review". All Media Network. http://www.allgame.com/game.php?id=38563&tab=review. 
  • Short description: Video game database
MobyGames
Logo since March 2014
Screenshot
Frontpage as of April 2012
Type of site
Gaming
Available inEnglish
OwnerAtari SA
Websitemobygames.com
CommercialYes
RegistrationOptional
LaunchedJanuary 30, 1999; 26 years ago (1999-01-30)
Current statusOnline

MobyGames is a commercial website that catalogs information on video games and the people and companies behind them via crowdsourcing. This includes nearly 300,000 games for hundreds of platforms.[1] The site is supported by banner ads and a small number of people paying to become patrons.[2] Founded in 1999, ownership of the site has changed hands several times. It is currently owned by Atari SA.

Content

The database began with games for IBM PC compatibles. After two years, consoles such as the PlayStation, were added. Older console systems were added later. Support for arcade video games was added in January 2014 and mainframe computer games in June 2017.[3]

Edits and submissions go through a leisurely verification process by volunteer "approvers". The approval process can range from immediate (minutes) to gradual (days or months).[4] The most commonly used sources are the video game's website, packaging, and credit screens. There is a published standard for game information and copyediting.[5]

Registered users can rate and review any video game. 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 subforum.

History

Logo used until March 11, 2014

MobyGames was founded on March 1, 1999 by Jim Leonard and Brian Hirt, then joined by David Berk 18 months later, three friends since high school.[6] Leonard had the idea of sharing information about computer games with a larger audience.

In mid-2010, MobyGames was purchased by GameFly for an undisclosed amount.[7] This was announced to the community post factum and a few major contributors left, refusing to do volunteer work for a commercial website.

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).[8] Blue Flame Labs reverted MobyGames' interface to its pre-overhaul look and feel.[9]

On November 24, 2021, Atari SA announced a potential deal with Blue Flame Labs to purchase MobyGames for $1.5 million.[10] The purchase was completed on 8 March 2022, with Freyholtz remaining as general manager.[11][12]

See also

  • IGDB – game database used by Twitch for its search and discovery functions

References

  1. ↑ "MobyGames Stats". https://www.mobygames.com/moby_stats. 
  2. ↑ "MobyGames Patrons". http://www.mobygames.com/info/patrons. 
  3. ↑ "New(ish!) on MobyGames – the Mainframe platform.". Blue Flame Labs. 18 June 2017. http://www.mobygames.com/forums/dga,2/dgb,3/dgm,237200/. 
  4. ↑ "MobyGames FAQ: Emails Answered § When will my submission be approved?". Blue Flame Labs. 30 March 2014. http://www.mobygames.com/info/faq7#g1. 
  5. ↑ "The MobyGames Standards and Practices". Blue Flame Labs. 6 January 2016. http://www.mobygames.com/info/standards. 
  6. ↑ "20 Years of MobyGames" (in en). 2019-02-28. https://trixter.oldskool.org/2019/02/28/20-years-of-mobygames/. 
  7. ↑ "Report: MobyGames Acquired By GameFly Media". Gamasutra. 2011-02-07. http://www.gamasutra.com/view/news/32856/Report_MobyGames_Acquired_By_GameFly_Media.php. 
  8. ↑ 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. 
  9. ↑ Wawro, Alex (31 December 2013). "Game dev database MobyGames getting some TLC under new owner". Gamasutra. http://www.gamasutra.com/view/news/207882/Game_dev_database_MobyGames_getting_some_TLC_under_new_owner.php. 
  10. ↑ "Atari invests in Anstream, may buy MobyGames". https://www.gamesindustry.biz/articles/2021-11-24-atari-invests-in-anstream-may-buy-mobygames. 
  11. ↑ "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/. 
  12. ↑ "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/. 





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