Software:Murders in Space

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Short description: 1990 video game
Murders in Space
Developer(s)Hitech Productions
Publisher(s)Infogrames, Ziggurat Interactive
Designer(s)Bertrand Brocard[1][2]
Platform(s)DOS, Amiga, Atari ST Windows
ReleaseDOS, Amiga, Atari: 1990
Windows: 2020
Genre(s)Adventure
Mode(s)Single-player

Murders in Space (French: Meutres dans l'espace) is a 1990 video game developed by Hitech Productions and published in Europe by Infogrames for MS-DOS, Amiga and Atari ST personal computers. The game is an adventure game in which the player navigates a space station to investigate and identify a murderer in the course of 24 in-game hours. The game was designed by French developer Bertrand Brocard, and was the last of five games in the Murders series of detective titles by the developer. Upon release, Murders in Space received average reviews, with critics praising the visual presentation and design, although some critics expressed that the game was too challenging and featured linear gameplay. In 2020, Ziggurat Interactive republished the game for Windows.

Gameplay

Players navigate a space station to interact with characters and locate clues.

Murders in Space is an adventure game in which players are tasked to identify all the secrets of the inhabitants of the Pegasus space station, and leave the space station within a time limit.[3][4] The game is played within 24 in-game hours that progress events on the station, including changes to the position of the characters, who undertake routines and jobs across the station. These events create obstacles to progress; characters are not always available at all times, and over time, crew members will be murdered.[5][6][7] Every in-game hour, the player will be transported back to the centre of the station, requiring them to explore the area to see what changes have occurred.[6] At any time in the game, players fill in a questionnaire, with the questions providing prompts for the player to search for clues, and the answers serving as the method to complete the game.[5][4]

The game is controlled using the mouse to move the character and to point-and-click to examine or interact with characters or objects on the station. By clicking on an onscreen image of the player character, players can access 'thought mode', which provides an explanation of examined items, and 'speech mode', which provides topics the player can use to speak to other characters.[3] There are several interactive items of machinery on the station that feature minigames, including a telescope, manipulating arm, cryogenic machine and Manned Maneuvering Unit that allows the player to go outside the station.[6]

Plot

In the year 2005, the space station Pegasus orbits the Earth with a small crew consisting of space station personnel and specialist researchers. The station's Mission Commander, Phillippe Amiot, has alerted the Ground Control that an attempt has been made on his life. In response, the player has been sent on a shuttle with an additional researcher to investigate the affair and identify the culprit of the assassination attempt. Due to international diplomatic tensions, the player assumes an alias, Dick Anderson, pretending to undertake a routine inspection, and is urged to complete their investigation with the utmost discretion within 24 hours.

Development and release

Murders in Space was developed by Infogrames as the fifth and last title in the Meutres (Murders) series, created by French developer Betrand Brocard,[2] and the sequel to the 1989 title Murders in Venice.[7] Brocard stated that the game's design was inspired by a fascination with space, and the development team spent several days at an educational space camp held by Patrick Baudry to develop "extensive documentation" to make the game appear as realistic as possible. The game was the first in the series to be depicted in a third-person perspective.[8] Murders in Space was released in a box containing a logbook and evidence kit with clues to complete the game, as well as a "space food" packet containing other novelty items such as a toy bug,[7][9] which Brocard remarked was a "nightmare" for Infogrames to produce.[8] In 1991, the game was repackaged with Tintin on the Moon and The Light Corridor by the publisher as a box set.[10] The game was republished by Ziggurat Interactive in May 2020 for Windows on Steam and GOG.com.[11]

Reception

Reception
Review scores
PublicationScore
Amiga User International60%[7]
ST Action77%[3]
ST Format83%[6]

John Sweeney of New Atari User complimented the game as "enjoyable", featuring "excellent graphics" and a "good mystery", although noted the game was a "tough challenge".[5] Andy Hutchinson of ST Format praised the game's depth, "superb" attention to detail, visuals and audio as up to the "high standard" of the publisher, stating "there's enough depth here to keep even the most avid adventurer busy for a couple of weeks".[6] Amiga Action praised the game as "well-presented", and stated that its "whole host of smaller sub-games" added greater variety to the initial appearance of "limited" gameplay.[12] ST Action similarly praised the game as meeting a "high graphical standard".[3] John Scott of Strategy Plus commended the detective gameplay as "totally absorbing", but critiqued the game for having a "linear" plotline with a "limited choice of actions", and hints that are impossible to solve without outside help.[1] Scott later reflected that the game "achieved a fiendishly difficulty level mainly by withholding essential player information", and was one of the most difficult games he had ever played.[13] Amiga User International stated the game featured "intriguing" and "complex" puzzles, although considered the graphics and sound to be only "satisfactory".[7]

See also

References

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 Scott, John (January 1991). "Murders in Space: Ten Little Astronauts". Strategy Plus (4): 23. https://archive.org/details/StrategyPlus/Strategy_Plus_04_Jan_1991/page/n21. 
  2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 Jankowski, Filip (May 2021). "Beyond the French Touch: The Contestataire Moment in French Adventure Digital Games (1984-1990)". Game Studies: The International Journal of Computer Game Research 21 (1). https://gamestudies.org/2101/articles/jankowski#_ednref4. 
  3. ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 3.3 "Murders in Space". ST Action (33): 32. January 1991. https://archive.org/details/st-action-33-1991-01/page/n33. 
  4. ↑ 4.0 4.1 (Game manual for Atari ST & STE) Murders in Space. Infogrames. 1990. https://archive.org/details/AtariSTManuals_201812/Murder%20In%20Space/page/n1. 
  5. ↑ 5.0 5.1 5.2 "Murders in Space". New Atari User (49): 60. April 1991. https://archive.org/details/Page630Nov87/Page6/Page6-49-Apr91/page/n59/mode/2up?q=%22Murders+in+Space%22. 
  6. ↑ 6.0 6.1 6.2 6.3 6.4 Hutchinson, Andy (January 1991). "MUrders in Space". ST Format (18): 101. https://archive.org/details/stformat18jan91/STFormat18-Jan91/page/100. 
  7. ↑ 7.0 7.1 7.2 7.3 7.4 "Murders in Space". Amiga User International 5 (2): 92. February 1991. https://archive.org/details/AmigaUserInternationalv0502199105Maxwell_Specialist_Magazines. 
  8. ↑ 8.0 8.1 "Bertrand Brocard: Interview". 2017. https://www.oldies-but-goodies.fr/index.php?page=personnalite&id=17. Retrieved 12 April 2025. 
  9. ↑ "Murders in Space". 11 August 2018. https://mocagh.org/loadpage.php?getgame=murdersinspace. Retrieved 12 April 2025. 
  10. ↑ "Boxes of Joy". New Computer Express (113): 62. January 1991. https://archive.org/details/NH2021_New_Computer_Express_Issue113.pdf. 
  11. ↑ Clark, Dean (2020). "Ziggurat Interactive Is Reviving Multiple Retro Titles In 2020". https://gametyrant.com/news/ziggurat-interactive-is-reviving-multiple-retro-titles-in-2020. Retrieved 12 April 2025. 
  12. ↑ 12.0 12.1 "Murders in Space". Amiga Action (17). February 1991. https://archive.org/details/amigaaction17/page/n71. 
  13. ↑ Scott, John (January 1992). "Cruise for a Corpse: Fishy business". Computer Games Strategy Plus (14): 30. https://archive.org/details/computer-games-strategy-plus-14-january-1992. 
  • 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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