Software:SpyHunter: Nowhere to Run

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Short description: 2006 action racing video game
SpyHunter: Nowhere to Run
European PS2 cover art
Developer(s)Terminal Reality
Publisher(s)Midway Games
Producer(s)John O'Keefe
Designer(s)Clint Bogue
Programmer(s)
  • Chris Bream
  • Allen Bogue
Artist(s)Grant Gosler
Adam Norton
Composer(s)
  • Kyle Richards
  • Cris Velasco
  • Sascha Dikiciyan
SeriesSpy Hunter
EngineInfernal Engine (PS2 & Xbox)
Platform(s)PlayStation 2, Xbox, Microsoft Windows
ReleasePlayStation 2
  • NA: September 5, 2006
  • EU: September 8, 2006
Xbox
  • NA: September 5, 2006
Windows
  • EU: March 26, 2009
Genre(s)Action, Racing
Mode(s)Single-player

SpyHunter: Nowhere to Run is a 2006 action racing video game developed by Terminal Reality and published by Midway Games for PlayStation 2 and Xbox. A version for Microsoft Windows was released in 2009 by Steel Monkeys. It is the first (and currently only) installment in the Spy Hunter series to allow the player to play as the character and not only the vehicle. Nowhere to Run was an orphaned tie-in to an unmade Spy Hunter movie adaptation. The film got stuck in development hell and the game was released as a stand-alone. The game stars Dwayne Johnson as government agent Alex Decker, who replaces Alec Sects, the "SpyHunter" who was to have been the main character of the movie.

Plot

Alex Decker, an agent of the International Espionage Service, is transporting an unknown cargo when he is pursued by NOSTRA agents. After escaping the agents, he meets with Karin, another IES agent. Alex and Karin engage in a gun fight against NOSTRA agents. The shipment Alex was carrying is confiscated by Gomez, the NOSTRA leader. Alex's Interceptor performance car is confiscated, and Karin disappears.

A year later, Alex traces his Interceptor to a freighter offshore. With the help of another agent, he downloads codes to recover his car and steal the ship's cargo. As Decker escapes the ship, he is pursued by NOSTRA agents. After a long and arduous chase, Decker escapes the agents and reaches the IES base safely. The base is attacked by the NOSTRA agents, but the IES successfully defend the base. The director of the IES is taken hostage, and the IES launches a counterattack on the NOSTRA base. Upon rescuing the director, Alex pursues Olaf in a lengthy chase, and eventually meets him upon a NOSTRA train. Alex defeats him by throwing him out of the train. The damaged train reaches a secret NOSTRA base, where Alex finds and defeats Cyrus and Marduk.

Decker sneaks onto a NOSTRA plane and tries to fight Gomez, but Gomez escapes. Karin and Decker use an Interceptor to fly out of the plane and pursue Gomez. The fates of the three characters are not revealed.

Reception

Reception
Review scores
PublicationScore
PS2Xbox
Game Informer3/10[1]3/10[1]
GameSpot5.5/10[2]5.5/10[2]
GameSpyStarStar[3]StarStar[3]
GameTrailers6/10[4]6/10[4]
GameZoneN/A5.5/10[5]
IGN6/10[6]6/10[6]
OXM (US)N/A4/10[7]
PALGN4.5/10[8]N/A
PSM5/10[9]N/A
X-PlayN/AStarStar[10]
Detroit Free PressStarStar[11]StarStar[11]
The TimesStarStarStar[12]N/A
Aggregate score
Metacritic51/100[13]51/100[10]

The game received "mixed" reviews according to the review aggregation website Metacritic.[13][10] It was praised for its script and acting, but highly criticized for its lack of power ups and uninspiring gameplay when outside of a vehicle.

The Times gave the PlayStation 2 version a score of three stars out of five and said that with The Rock in the game, "Midway has got carried away with the cinematic feel of the venture at the expense of gameplay. This is a shame, because in between the fancy film work, a very good game breaks out."[12] However, Detroit Free Press gave the game two stars out of four, saying that "The road [in this game] is too rocky to be a keeper. It's a one-night rental -- tops."[11] Chris McCarver of 411Mania gave the PS2 version 3.5 out of 10, saying, "While I understand Midway and developer Terminal Reality’s need to showcase The Rock and his action-star status for the sake of this game, Spy Hunter: Nowhere to Run takes the franchise into entirely new and, sadly, entirely unwanted territory. Even with the out-of-place on-foot gameplay elements, the game would still fall flat due to its lackluster presentation and minimal level of actual fun. The game isn’t without its pros, but weigh them against its compost pile of cons, and Spy Hunter: Nowhere to Run becomes little more than a Z-list title relegated to the bargain bin. Thanks for trying, Midway, but this ride’s a broken-down lemon."[14]

In 2017, at The Game Awards 2017, Dwayne Johnson recalled his time with the game and its poor reception, sarcastically stating "I'm still loving that 3/10 review from Game Informer, by the way. 3 out of 10! Thanks, guys. I'm still pissed at that!" while holding up his middle finger. Kevin Hart jokingly states "3 out of 10 is not that bad!", referring to the game.[15]

References

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 "Spy Hunter: Nowhere to Run". Game Informer (163): 130. November 2006. 
  2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 Davis, Ryan (September 15, 2006). "Spy Hunter: Nowhere to Run". GameSpot. https://www.gamespot.com/reviews/spy-hunter-nowhere-to-run/1900-6157769/. Retrieved November 4, 2016. 
  3. ↑ 3.0 3.1 Vasconcellos, Eduardo (September 11, 2006). "GameSpy: Spy Hunter: Nowhere to Run". GameSpy. http://ps2.gamespy.com/playstation-2/spyhunter-the-movie/732136p1.html. 
  4. ↑ 4.0 4.1 "Spy Hunter: Nowhere to Run Review". GameTrailers. September 24, 2006. http://gametrailers.com/gamereview.php?id=2453. 
  5. ↑ Pettinelli, Derek (September 17, 2006). "SpyHunter: Nowhere To Run - XB - Review". GameZone. http://www.gamezone.com/reviews/spyhunter_nowhere_to_run_xb_review. 
  6. ↑ 6.0 6.1 Perry, Douglass C. (September 11, 2006). "Spy Hunter: Nowhere to Run Review". IGN. http://www.ign.com/articles/2006/09/12/spy-hunter-nowhere-to-run-review. Retrieved November 4, 2016. 
  7. ↑ "Spy Hunter: Nowhere to Run". Official Xbox Magazine: 76. December 2006. 
  8. ↑ Van Leuveren, Luke (September 19, 2006). "Spy Hunter: Nowhere to Run Review - PlayStation 2 Review". http://www.palgn.com.au/article.php?id=5323. 
  9. ↑ "Review: Spy Hunter: Nowhere to Run". PSM: 84. December 2006. 
  10. ↑ 10.0 10.1 10.2 "Spy Hunter: Nowhere to Run for Xbox Reviews". Metacritic. https://www.metacritic.com/game/spy-hunter-nowhere-to-run/critic-reviews/?platform=xbox. Retrieved November 4, 2016. 
  11. ↑ 11.0 11.1 11.2 Toby, Al (October 8, 2006). "Recent releases: 'Spy Hunter: Nowhere to Run'". Detroit Free Press. http://www.freep.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20061008/ENT06/610080522/1044. 
  12. ↑ 12.0 12.1 McNamara, John (September 16, 2006). "Spy Hunter: Nowhere to Run (PS2)". The Times. https://www.thetimes.com/article/spy-hunter-nowhere-to-run-g9lx5pfmf38. 
  13. ↑ 13.0 13.1 "Spy Hunter: Nowhere to Run for PlayStation 2 Reviews". Metacritic. https://www.metacritic.com/game/spy-hunter-nowhere-to-run/critic-reviews/?platform=playstation-2. Retrieved November 4, 2016. 
  14. ↑ McCarver, Chris (September 14, 2006). "Spy Hunter: Nowhere to Run (PS2) Review". 411Mania. http://www.411mania.com/games/reviews/45174/Spy-Hunter:-Nowhere-to-Run-(PS2)-Review.htm. 
  15. ↑ Johnson, Dwayne (December 9, 2017). "The Game Awards 2017". YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WNB534GlulA&t=2h19m. 
  • 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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