Software:Maximum Force

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Short description: 1997 arcade game
Maximum Force
North American arcade flyer
Developer(s)
Publisher(s)
Producer(s)Rob Rowe
Designer(s)Robert Weatherby
Programmer(s)Charlie Grisafi
David G. Mahaffey
Artist(s)Guy Fumagalli, James Webb
Composer(s)John Paul
Platform(s)Arcade, PlayStation, Sega Saturn, Windows
Release
Genre(s)Light gun shooter
Mode(s)Single-player, multiplayer
Arcade systemCOJAG

Maximum Force is a light gun shooter arcade game developed by Mesa Logic for Atari Games in 1997. In 1998, Atari Games re-released the game as part of one machine called Area 51/Maximum Force Duo that also included Area 51,[2] and later ported the game to the PlayStation and Sega Saturn.

Like its predecessor Area 51, Maximum Force uses digitized video stored on an on-board hard disk, and red gibs into which every enemy blows apart when shot, in exactly the same way. While enemies, innocents, and explosions are 2D digitized video sprites, the levels and vehicles are pre-rendered in 3D.[3]

Released into markets increasingly dominated by games with polygon graphics, Maximum Force was a critical failure, with many citing generic and dated gameplay, unrealistic death animations, and short length, but a commercial success.

Gameplay

The player(s) play the role of an unnamed counter-terrorist agent who engages in three major combat zones: a cargo ship at a dock, a large bank, and a jungle. The first two zones can be played in any order. These areas are under siege by terrorists and the player must kill the terrorists before they take aim and fire at the player character. Shooting hostages or getting shot by terrorists causes the player to lose lives. After four hits are taken, the player must refill their credits or the game is over. Players can have a maximum of seven lives in the home versions.

There are several power-ups in the game, such as rapid-fire mode (which is indicated by a spinning assault rifle bullet) for the player's gun or a powerful single-shot mode (which is indicated by a spinning shotgun shell). Shooting windows, barrels, cars, and other objects increases the player's score. Like in Area 51, shooting certain objects in an area will transport the player to a secret bonus zone, most often a shooting exercise, for extra points.[4]

Development

The game made its world debut on January 21, 1997 at the Amusement Trades Exhibition International show in London.[5]

Reception

Reception
Aggregate score
AggregatorScore
GameRankings45% (PS1)[6]
Review scores
PublicationScore
EGM4/10, 4/10, 6/10, 5/10 (PS)[9]
Game Informer7/10 (PS1, SAT)[10]
IGN5/10 (PS)[11]
Next Generation2/5 (ARC)[12]
OPM (US)1.5/5 (PS1)[13]
PC Gamer (UK)21% (PC)[14]
PC Zone30% (PC)[15]
Sega Saturn Magazine71% (SAT)[16]

Maximum Force was a moderate success in arcades.[17]

Reviewing the arcade version, Next Generation said that the game "puts a new face on the same old game, and while it's tempting to say that it gets away with it, in the end, it really just doesn't."[12]

The home console versions also met with mediocre reviews. Critics overwhelmingly remarked that digitized light gun shooting was overfamiliar or even outdated,[9][18][19][11][20] though some added that Maximum Force was superior to most games in that style, including Area 51.[9][11][16] In particular, they praised the sound effects[18][19][16][20] and the smoothly animated video with natural-feeling transitions between locations.[9][18][11][16] Sega Saturn Magazine elaborated, "The video backgrounds move very smoothly, and the baddies actually seem to fit in with the rest of the graphics, rather than looking as if they've been stuck in as an afterthought. The only problem with having this graphics system is the way the enemies are killed - the big splodge of red cartoon blood ..."[16]

However, many critics also remarked that the 30-minute length, while decent by arcade standards, was unacceptably short for a home console game,[9][16] and that the lack of alternate routes to choose from leaves Maximum Force with little replay value.[18][19][16][20] Most reviews assessed the game as overall bland compared to the alternatives, with IGN stating that "Maximum Force isn't as bad as Revolution X or some of the other ones floating around, but it's no Time Crisis either."[11] Game Informer was more positive, describing it as a fun and replayable game which had been converted faithfully to both the PlayStation and the Saturn, but likewise concluded that it was outshone by competitors like Time Crisis.[10] Jeff Gerstmann commented in GameSpot that it "simply falls short. Gamers will be better served by picking up Virtua Cop 2 or even Die Hard Trilogy."[18][19] Shawn Smith of Electronic Gaming Monthly summarized, "I suppose if you take this game for what it is (a standard B-movie type gun game), then it's not half bad. But if you're looking for something more serious, along the lines of a Virtua Cop 2, then you shouldn't even consider it."[9] GamePro concluded, "Gamers who enjoyed all those gun games of the past will find familiar ground in Maximum Force. However, if you're looking for a real evolutionary step in this genre, you'll have to keep looking."[20][lower-alpha 1]

See also

Notes

  1. ↑ GamePro gave the PlayStation version 3/5 for graphics, 4/5 for sound, and two 2.5/5 scores for control and fun factor.

References

  1. ↑ GameSpot staff (9 October 1997). "VideoGameSpot Game Calendar [date mislabeled as "April 26, 2000""]. Red Ventures. https://www.gamespot.com/articles/videogamespot-game-calendar/1100-2467350/. 
  2. ↑ "Area 51/Maximum Force Duo". https://www.arcade-museum.com/game_detail.php?game_id=6908. 
  3. ↑ Webb, Marcus (May 1997). "Arcadia". Next Generation (Imagine Media) (29): 28. https://archive.org/details/NEXT_Generation_29/page/n29/mode/2up. 
  4. ↑ "Preview: Maximum Force". Sega Saturn Magazine (Emap International Limited) (26): 26–27. December 1997. 
  5. ↑ "ATEI London Show". Electronic Gaming Monthly (Ziff Davis) (92): 94. March 1997. https://retrocdn.net/images/8/8f/EGM_US_092.pdf. 
  6. ↑ "Maximum Force for PlayStation". CBS Interactive. https://www.gamerankings.com/ps/197876-maximum-force/index.html. 
  7. ↑ Ham, Tom (12 December 1997). "Maximum Force". CNET. http://www.gamecenter.com/Consoles/Sega/Maxforce/. 
  8. ↑ Gia (December 1997). "Maximum Force (PS)" (in fr). Consoles + (71): 192. http://download.abandonware.org/magazines/Consoles%20Plus/consoleplus_numero071/Console%2B_N71-Page%200188.jpg. Retrieved 31 October 2021. 
  9. ↑ 9.0 9.1 9.2 9.3 9.4 9.5 Smith, Shawn; Craig; Boyer, Crispin; Sushi-X (November 1997). "Review Crew". Electronic Gaming Monthly (Ziff-Davis Publications) 10 (11). https://archive.gamehistory.org/item/9e656342-878a-4098-9f49-0ca4dc313cb2. Retrieved October 13, 2025. 
  10. ↑ 10.0 10.1 "Maximum Force (PS, Saturn)". Game Informer (FuncoLand) (54): 68. October 1997. https://archive.org/details/Game_Informer_Issue_054r_October_1997/page/n35/mode/2up. Retrieved 31 October 2021. 
  11. ↑ 11.0 11.1 11.2 11.3 11.4 "Maximum Force Review". September 25, 1997. https://www.ign.com/articles/1997/09/25/maximum-force. Retrieved 6 February 2020. 
  12. ↑ 12.0 12.1 "Maximum Force". Next Generation (Imagine Media) (32): 126. August 1997. https://archive.org/details/NEXT_Generation_32/page/n127/mode/2up. Retrieved 30 October 2021. 
  13. ↑ Mollohan, Gary (November 1997). "Maximum Force". Official U.S. PlayStation Magazine (Ziff Davis) 1 (2): 92. https://archive.org/details/official-u.-s.-play-station-magazine-volume-1-issue-02-november-1997/page/n91/mode/2up. Retrieved 30 October 2021. 
  14. ↑ Bickham, Jes (July 1998). "Maximum Force". PC Gamer UK (Future Publishing) (58). http://www.pcgamer.co.uk/games/gamefile_review_page.asp?item_id=723. Retrieved 31 October 2021. 
  15. ↑ Harris, Ian (June 1998). "Maximum Force". PC Zone (Dennis Publishing) (64): 100. https://archive.org/details/PC_Zone_64_June_1998/page/n99/mode/2up. Retrieved 31 October 2021. 
  16. ↑ 16.0 16.1 16.2 16.3 16.4 16.5 16.6 Cutlack, Gary (January 1998). "Review: Maximum Force". Sega Saturn Magazine (EMAP) (27): 70–71. https://archive.org/details/Sega_Saturn_Magazine_Issue_27_1998-01_EMAP_Images_GB/page/n69/mode/2up. Retrieved 30 October 2021. 
  17. ↑ "NG Alphas: Atari Comes Alive". Next Generation (Imagine Media) (35): 78. November 1997. https://archive.org/details/NEXT_Generation_35/page/n79/mode/2up. 
  18. ↑ 18.0 18.1 18.2 18.3 18.4 Cite error: Invalid <ref> tag; no text was provided for refs named gsPS
  19. ↑ 19.0 19.1 19.2 19.3 Cite error: Invalid <ref> tag; no text was provided for refs named gsSAT
  20. ↑ 20.0 20.1 20.2 20.3 Full-On Ferret (November 1997). "Maximum Force (PS)". GamePro (IDG) (110): 150. https://archive.org/details/GamePro_Issue_110_Volume_09_Number_11_1997-11_IDG_Publishing_US/page/n149/mode/2up. 
  • Maximum Force at the Killer List of Videogames
  • 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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