Software:Spectral Force 3

From HandWiki
Short description: 2006 video game
Spectral Force 3: Innocent Rage
Developer(s)Idea Factory
XPEC Entertainment
Publisher(s)
SeriesSpectral Force
Platform(s)Xbox 360
Release
Genre(s)Tactical role-playing
Mode(s)Single-player

Spectral Force 3: Innocent Rage[lower-alpha 1] is a tactical role-playing game developed by Idea Factory for the Xbox 360.

Innocent Rage, like the previous PlayStation 2 Spectral Force titles, takes place in the fantasy world of Neverland, and details the First Neverland War. It is the first entry in the series to be released in the Western Hemisphere, with Atlus securing publishing rights in North America,[3] where the game is simply titled Spectral Force 3.

Story

Following the defeat of Janus, overlord of the demons and ruler of Neverland, in Magic Era 996, a number of separate nations are now locked in a series of nearly endless conflicts.[4] As soldiers fighting in the First Neverland War, the Norius Mercenaries work for whichever side is currently paying them. When their existing leader is killed, a young and raw recruit, Begina, is thrust into the role. Working with his comrade Diaz, Begina seeks to rebuild the team with new members and re-focus their aims with a bit of compassion. Initially fighting for the Army of Flauster, the Norius Mercenaries are able to take missions from any of the nine other factions also seeking to dominate Neverland, ultimately helping to determine the outcome of the war.

During the main campaign the main story involves the Norius mercenaries encountering a mysterious boy being tormented and possessed by demons. After conquering all 9 kingdoms the Norius mercenaries are forced to fight the demons to save the boy and the world. In the conclusion the Norius mercenaries save the boy and take him in after defeating the master demon Neo Hell Gaia.

Gameplay

Spectral Force 3 features a number of gameplay similarities to existing game series, including Suikoden and Fire Emblem. As in the more recent Fire Emblem titles, gameplay is essentially a series of tactical battles broken up by opportunities to improve equipment and converse with members of the team. Although there are missions which must be completed to advance the plot, the player is also free to pursue a number of mercenary contracts for any of the ten warring factions in the game. Doing so increases the level of friendship with that faction, while decreasing the level with any faction which was negatively impacted by the mission. While the player completes contracts, the war rages on around, with each faction trying to seize territory from rivals. After certain missions or game events, entire factions can wind up being eliminated from the map.

Combat uses a turn-based system and takes place on a map divided up into squares, although the grid is only shown when moving. The player can bring up to six party members into a battle, while enemies tend to be significantly more numerous. On each character's turn, he or she can perform a limited number of actions based on available action points (AP). Moving consumes a single action point, while hard, medium, and light attacks consume three, two, or one, respectively. Special abilities use one action point, but consume some number of slowly recharging skill points (SP).

Spectral Force 3 includes a large number of recruitable characters (40+), with each character having unique innate skills and abilities. In addition to generalized techniques which can be equipped, several specialized in-battle mechanics are also included:

  • Friendship Gauge (FG) - This gauge builds as members of the team perform attacks against enemies, as well as directly through certain abilities. Once a segment of the bar has been filled, players can issue an "assist" command to have a nearby ally join in an ongoing attack sequence. When two or more segments of the bar are filled, the "teamwork" command allows a character to take an extra full turn. Either of these actions drains the bar by the corresponding amount.
  • Rush Gauge (RG) - This gauge allows the entire team (of six characters) to simultaneous attack a single foe through the "battle formation" command, causing large amounts of damage. The gauge itself fills with each "teamwork" or "assist" action. The higher the level of the gauge is when the "battle formation" is executed, the more powerful the attack becomes.

Successfully completing a mission usually earns both a monetary reward as well as various items. Additionally, crates and treasure chests scattered across the battlefield can be looted during the actual mission itself. Many of the items which are found are not themselves usable by characters, but are instead components which can be crafted (for a fee) into pieces of armor, magical rings, or technique scrolls.

Reception

Reception
Review scores
PublicationScore
1Up.comB-[5]
GameSpy2.5 of 5[7]
GamesRadar+7 of 10[6]
IGN4.9 of 10[8]
OXM (US)7.0/10
TeamXbox6.3 of 10[9]

Arriving in North America roughly two years after being released in Japan, Spectral Force 3 received generally "fair" or "mediocre" grades from non-Japanese game critics. The title was universally panned for having sub-standard graphics, with one reviewer noting that it "... looks no better than your average PS2 title."[5] Many reviewers felt that the game seemed more like a budget title, with GameSpy expounding, "Spectral Force 3 would have been a great Xbox Live Arcade game, but for a game that costs about $60 off the retail shelf, we expect more depth and graphical quality."[7] The same review also pointed out issues with game pacing, with some battles taking too long and being either too easy or too difficult.

Spectral Force 3 did receive positive remarks for having high replayability, in that mission types are diverse and players can choose to support different sides on subsequent playthroughs.[5] Gameplay was found to be solid, if not particularly unique, with GamesRadar following its list of complaints with the comment, "But buried underneath the sometimes slopped-on content is [a] fairly competent strategy game."[6]

Some consumer reviews of Spectral Force 3 have noted a bug when viewing dialogue scenes in which the game freezes. This has gone unpatched as of March 2011.

Notes

  1. ↑ Japanese: スペクトラルフォース3 ～イノセント レイジ～

References

  1. ↑ "Atlus announces Summon Night: Twin Age for DS and Spectral Force 3 for Xbox 360 release dates". http://xbox360.qj.net/Atlus-announces-Summon-Night-Twin-Age-for-DS-and-Spectral-Force-3-for-Xbox-360-release-dates/pg/49/aid/119108. 
  2. ↑ "Frame City Back on Track" (in en). April 5, 2006. https://www.ign.com/articles/2006/04/05/frame-city-back-on-track. 
  3. ↑ "Atlus U.S.A., Inc. Announces Spectral Force 3 for North America". GameSpot. 2007-11-16. http://www.gamespot.com/xbox360/rpg/spectralforce3/news.html?sid=6183072. 
  4. ↑ "Spectral Force 3 Story". Atlus. http://www.atlus.com/spectralforce3/. Retrieved 2008-08-07. 
  5. ↑ 5.0 5.1 5.2 Neigher, Eric (2008-07-30). "Spectral Force 3 (Xbox 360)". 1UP.com. http://www.1up.com/do/reviewPage?cId=3169081. 
  6. ↑ 6.0 6.1 Ryan, Paul (2008-07-30). "Spectral Force 3". GamesRadar. http://www.gamesradar.com/xbox360/spectral-force-3/review/spectral-force-3/a-20080730105758552020/g-20080327162837606045. 
  7. ↑ 7.0 7.1 Graziani, Gabe (2008-07-31). "Spectral Force 3 (X360)". GameSpy. http://xbox360.gamespy.com/xbox-360/spectral-force-3/895546p1.html. 
  8. ↑ Brudvig, Erik (2008-08-04). "Spectral Force 3 Review". IGN. http://xbox360.ign.com/articles/896/896284p1.html. 
  9. ↑ Nardozzi, Dale (2008-07-30). "Spectral Force 3 Review". TeamXbox. http://reviews.teamxbox.com/xbox-360/1546/Spectral-Force-3/p1/. 

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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