Software:Scurge: Hive

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Short description: 2006 action-adventure video game
Scurge: Hive
Nintendo DS cover art
Developer(s)Orbital Media
Publisher(s)SouthPeak Interactive
Designer(s)Graham Scott, Daniel Kratt, Steve Shatford
Composer(s)Jake Kaufman
Platform(s)Game Boy Advance, Nintendo DS, Microsoft Windows, Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X
Release
Console and PC
2025[3]
Genre(s)Action-adventure, metroidvania[4]
Mode(s)Single-player, multiplayer

Scurge: Hive is an action-adventure video game by Orbital Media released for the Game Boy Advance and Nintendo DS in 2006. The game follows the protagonist Jenosa Arma, a bounty huntress tasked with hunting a parasitic lifeform called the "Scurge" an alien entity capable of rapidly adapting to and infecting biological, mechanical, and digital systems, including the player. Throughout the game, Jenosa Arma will have to battle various forms of the Scurge virus and race against the clock as the parasite slowly takes over Jenosa's body. The gameplay takes place in an isometric perspective.

In 2025, ahead of the game's twentieth anniversary, it was announced Scurge would be ported to eighth and ninth-generation consoles and Microsoft Windows within that year, with additional features.[3]

Plot

The story of Scurge: Hive follows Jenosa Arma, who has been contracted by the military on a rescue and salvage mission to Confederation Research Lab 58 on planet Inos. The perpetrator of the disaster is a virulent organism known as "Scurge", a parasite which has the ability to transform various organisms and technologies into Scurge derivatives. Jenosa has been equipped with a suit that resists infection. Unfortunately, it can only slow the infection down rather than make her immune; she is infected with Scurge the moment she first encounters it. The story establishes an atmosphere that is highly detailed for a portable game. The ending leaves the door open for a sequel.

Gameplay

Example of gameplay, taken on the GBA version of the video game

Scurge: Hive is an action-adventure game that incorporates elements of many different games; Scurge emphasizes platforming elements, though the game's isometric vantage point makes jumps difficult to align. In addition to Jenosa's standard jump move, she can also attach a mechanical tether to a hook and swing longer distances, jump in mid air and grab onto horizontal pipes and ledges. The game's upgrade system allows the player to progressively open up more of the game world. Scattered throughout are simple puzzles.

The game's isometric perspective and the inability to run while shooting puts the emphasis on aiming and risk-taking. Combat makes use of a rock-paper-scissors system, where a weapon will deal more damage to one type of enemy and powers up another. Jenosa will receive three elemental weapons: electromagnetic pulse, combustion and dissipate. EMP does more damage against mechanical enemies but increases the power of energy-based enemies; combustion works well against biological enemies but increases the strength of mechanical foes; dissipate effectively destroys energy foes but gives additional power to biological adversaries. Scurge: Hive frequently throws multiple enemies of different kinds at the player, forcing difficult decisions about which weapon to use.

Tying the game together is the game's infection meter. When the meter reaches 100%, Jenosa's health deteriorates rapidly. When her health reaches zero, whether through injury and/or infection, she becomes a Scurge host and the game ends. There are various cleansing stations (which also act as the game's save points) scattered about the game world that heal Jenosa. The result quickens the pace of the game.

Reception

Reception
Review scores
PublicationScore
DSGBA
1Up.comB−[5]N/A
Edge4/10[6]N/A
EGM6.5/10[7]N/A
Eurogamer6/10[8]N/A
Game Informer7.5/10[9]N/A
GameRevolutionC+[10]N/A
GameSpot7.7/10[4]7.8/10[11]
GameSpyStarStarStar[12]StarStarStar[13]
GameZone8/10[14]N/A
IGN7/10[15]8/10[16]
Aggregate score
Metacritic70/100[17]76/100[18]

The Game Boy Advance version received "generally favorable reviews", while the DS version received "average" reviews, according to the review aggregation website Metacritic.[17][18]

References

  1. ↑ "Scurge: Hive". https://www.eurogamer.net/games/scurge-hive. 
  2. ↑ Bloodworth, Daniel (October 24, 2006). "Handheld Games from Orbital Media Now in Stores". https://www.nintendoworldreport.com/news/12298/handheld-games-from-orbital-media-now-in-stores. 
  3. ↑ 3.0 3.1 Bhatnagar, Viraaj. "Random Nintendo DS Game From 2006 is Making a Surprise Comeback". https://gamerant.com/scurge-hive-nintendo-ds-game-2006-surprise-comeback/. 
  4. ↑ 4.0 4.1 Provo, Frank (December 1, 2006). "Scurge: Hive Review (DS)". https://www.gamespot.com/reviews/scurge-hive-review/1900-6162624/. Retrieved June 19, 2016. 
  5. ↑ Parish, Jeremy (October 24, 2006). "Scurge: Hive (NintendoDS)". Archived from the original on April 1, 2015. https://web.archive.org/web/20150401200356/http://www.1up.com/reviews/scurge-hive_4. Retrieved June 19, 2016. 
  6. ↑ Edge staff (November 2006). "Scurge: Hive (DS)". Edge (168): 92. 
  7. ↑ EGM staff (November 2006). "Scurge: Hive (DS)". Electronic Gaming Monthly (209): 138. 
  8. ↑ Welsh, Oli (November 17, 2006). "Scurge: Hive (DS)". http://www.eurogamer.net/articles/sh_eg_rev. Retrieved June 19, 2016. 
  9. ↑ "Scurge: Hive (DS)". Game Informer (163): 144. November 2006. 
  10. ↑ Damiano, Greg (January 22, 2007). "Scurge: Hive Review (DS)". Archived from the original on October 12, 2015. https://web.archive.org/web/20151012051350/http://www.gamerevolution.com/review/scurge-hive. Retrieved September 25, 2017. 
  11. ↑ Provo, Frank (December 1, 2006). "Scurge: Hive Review (GBA)". https://www.gamespot.com/reviews/scurge-hive-review/1900-6162621/. Retrieved June 19, 2016. 
  12. ↑ Kemps, Heidi (November 3, 2006). "GameSpy: Scurge: Hive (DS)". Archived from the original on January 10, 2007. https://web.archive.org/web/20070110222353/http://ds.gamespy.com/nintendo-ds/scurge-hive/743787p1.html. Retrieved June 19, 2016. 
  13. ↑ Kemps, Heidi (November 3, 2006). "GameSpy: Scurge: Hive (GBA)". Archived from the original on November 22, 2006. https://web.archive.org/web/20061122030835/http://gba.gamespy.com/gameboy-advance/scurge-hive/743790p1.html. Retrieved June 19, 2016. 
  14. ↑ Bedigian, Louis (November 5, 2006). "Scurge: Hive - NDS - Review". Archived from the original on February 24, 2008. https://web.archive.org/web/20080224015900/http://nds.gamezone.com/gzreviews/r27301.htm. Retrieved June 19, 2016. 
  15. ↑ DeVries, Jack (October 27, 2006). "Scurge: Hive Review (NDS)". http://www.ign.com/articles/2006/10/28/scurge-hive-review. Retrieved June 19, 2016. 
  16. ↑ DeVries, Jack (October 27, 2006). "Scurge: Hive Review (GBA)". Archived from the original on November 1, 2006. https://web.archive.org/web/20061101114616/http://gameboy.ign.com/articles/742/742378p1.html. Retrieved June 19, 2016. 
  17. ↑ 17.0 17.1 "Scurge: Hive for DS Reviews". https://www.metacritic.com/game/scurge-hive/critic-reviews/?platform=ds. Retrieved June 19, 2016. 
  18. ↑ 18.0 18.1 "Scurge: Hive for Game Boy Advance Reviews". https://www.metacritic.com/game/scurge-hive/critic-reviews/?platform=game-boy-advance. Retrieved June 19, 2016. 
  • 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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