Software:The Journeyman Project 2: Buried in Time

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Short description: 1995 video game
The Journeyman Project 2: Buried in Time
Developer(s)Presto Studios
Publisher(s)Sanctuary Woods
Director(s)Phil Saunders
Producer(s)Michel Kripalani
Farshid Almassizahed
Designer(s)Phil Saunders
Victor Navone
Programmer(s)Greg Uhler
Artist(s)E.J. Dixon III
Jose Albanil
Writer(s)David Flanagan
Phil Saunders
Michel Kripalani
Composer(s)Bob Stewart
SeriesThe Journeyman Project
Platform(s)Windows, Mac OS
ReleaseJune 1995[1]
Genre(s)Adventure
Mode(s)Single-player

The Journeyman Project 2: Buried in Time is a computer game developed by Presto Studios and is the second game in the Journeyman Project series of computer adventure games.

Published in 1995 by Sanctuary Woods, Buried in Time was a radical change from the original. It established Agent 5 (the player's character) as Gage Blackwood, which in the original Journeyman Project lacked basic personality features and even a name. It also featured greatly improved graphics and animation as well as many live-action sequences. The PC version was programmed entirely in C++ for improved performance. A PlayStation version was also prototyped, but was never released.

Story

The game's interface received criticism for being too cluttered and the view window being too small

As the story begins in the year 2318, six months after the events of the first game, Gage Blackwood (once again controlled by the player) is visited by himself from ten years in the future. Someone has framed the future Gage for tampering with historical artifacts and it is up to the past Gage to visit the past and find evidence to clear his name. Meanwhile, the Symbiotry of Peaceful Beings is deliberating on Earth's monopoly on time travel technology and this latest trial threatens to close down the Temporal Security Agency (TSA). After joining up with an artificial intelligence being named Arthur, Gage visits locations such as the workshop of Leonardo da Vinci, the ending of the Siege of Chateau Gaillard, and the Mayan temple of Chichen Itza and eventually find the culprit, Michelle Visard, who is another TSA agent. Gage is kidnapped by her and taken to an old missile silo, where Arthur sacrifices himself to force Michelle to jump to another time, and allow Gage to continue his mission. Gage eventually uncovers that another alien race, the Krynn, are behind the crimes and the framing of Gage, to further their own interests. Gage is able to stop the Krynn and save his future self, and is then mind-wiped and sent back to his own time.

Publishing

Buried in Time was published by Sanctuary Woods upon its original release. However, Sanctuary Woods soon went out of business, and Presto Studios self-published the game until Red Orb Entertainment picked up the distribution rights in 1998. Red Orb published the game until their demise in 1999.

Releases and bug fixes

Sales of Buried in Time surpassed 200,000 units by July 1996, while those of the overall Journeyman Project series had reached roughly 500,000 units by that date.[2] Buried in Time ultimately sold 225,000 units,[3] on a budget of "almost $500,000", according to Michel Kripalani.[4]

The initial 1.0 release of Buried in Time included a notable glitch near the end of the game that prevented the player from getting a perfect score. This bug and other problems related to running under Windows 95 were solved in a version 1.1 patch.

When the game was released as part of The Journeyman Project Trilogy box set, Buried in Time was plagued by a manufacturing error that affected many of the box sets. The disc labeled as disc 2 actually contained the data for disc 3, making the game essentially unplayable.

The game was rereleased through Good Old Games on June 29, 2010.[5]

Reception

Reception
Review scores
PublicationScore
CGWStarStarStarStar[7]
Next GenerationStarStarStar (Mac)[9]
StarStarStarStar (Windows)[10]
PC Gamer (US)80%[6]
Computer Game Review74/90/91[8]
PC MagazineStarStarStarStar[11]
MacUserStarStarStarStarHalf star[12]
PC GamesA[13]
Award
PublicationAward
PC GamesGame of the Month[13]

The reaction to the game was mostly positive. Reviewing the Macintosh version, a critic for Next Generation called the game a "hipper, vastly larger sequel ... whose completion feels a little like finishing a long novel that actually makes you think". Particularly noting the visually stunning scenes and non-distracting edutainment element of the "Arthur" chip, he gave it three out of five stars.[9] Their review of the Windows version went up to four out of five stars, despite the assessment that "Buried in Time is another graphic adventure that concentrates on spectacular graphics while compromising gameplay". The reviewer elaborated that the need to frequently look in every direction, coupled with the long load times, slows the gameplay, but that the storyline and graphics make the game worthwhile despite this.[10] Just Adventure gave the game an "A+", saying "...this is one of the best games I’ve ever played. It impressed me from start to finish".[14] Programmer in Black, while having a few gripes about the scoring system, finished his review with "I recommend this (game) highly".[15]

Entertainment Weekly gave the game a B.[16]

Pyramid magazine reviewed Buried in Time: The Journeyman Project II for and stated that "Buried in Time offers little that is revolutionary to the genre, but it makes up for that with sheer scope. The area the player is given to explore is simply staggering (the game is packaged on three compact discs). Add to that clever puzzles, state-of-the-art graphics, and smooth scrolling transitions (something that is sadly lacking from most games in this genre), and you have a recipe for weeks of mind-eating fun."[17]

In a retrospective review, Jack Allin of Adventure Gamers criticized the tiny viewscreen and elaborate, unwieldy interface, but praised the engaging and believable game world, detailed graphics, and the addition of animation when moving between nodes. He concluded that "unlike the previous game, Buried in Time should have a broader appeal than just science-fiction fans. There's humour, there's history, and a healthy dose of puzzle adventure that moves the franchise forward appreciably, if you can dance around the awkward missteps along the way".[18]

In 2011, Adventure Gamers named Buried in Time the 89th-best adventure game ever released.[19]

MacUser named Buried in Time a finalist for its award for the best strategy game of 1995.[20]

References

  1. ↑ "Buried in Time: The Journeyman Project 2". http://www.gamespot.com/adventure/buriedin/index.html. 
  2. ↑ "Broderbund Software Strengthens Its Growing Entertainment Studio With The Journeyman Project 3" (Press release). Novato, California: Broderbund. July 8, 1996. Archived from the original on October 19, 1996.
  3. ↑ Stephens, AnnaMaria (May 2009). "Features; Journeyman". @UCSD 6 (2). http://ucsdmag.ucsd.edu/magazine/vol6no2/features/feat5.htm. 
  4. ↑ "GA-Source - Interviews - Michel Kripalani, President and CEO of Presto Studios". http://www.ga-source.com/interviews/beneath.shtml. 
  5. ↑ "Journeyman Project 2: Buried in Time, The" (in en-US). https://www.gog.com/en/gamecard/journeyman_project_2. 
  6. ↑ Vaughn, Todd (October 1995). "Buried in Time". PC Gamer US. http://www.pcgamer.com/reviews/214.html. 
  7. ↑ Ardai, Charles (November 1995). "The Mysts of Time". Computer Gaming World (136): 120, 122, 124. 
  8. ↑ "Six Hours Under". Computer Game Review. September 1995. http://www.nuke.com/compent/reviews/separc/jp2bit/jp2bit.htm. 
  9. ↑ 9.0 9.1 "Buried in Time: The Journeyman Project 2". Next Generation (Imagine Media) (10): 119, 121. October 1995. 
  10. ↑ 10.0 10.1 "Buried in Time: The Journeyman Project 2". Next Generation (Imagine Media) (13): 159. January 1996. 
  11. ↑ Rubenking, Neil J.. "Spotlight on Adventure: Buried in Time". PC Magazine. http://www.zdnet.com:80/pcmag/issues/1421/pcm00173.htm. 
  12. ↑ Levitus, Bob (January 1996). "The Game Room". MacUser. http://www.macuser.com:80/mu_0196/personal/gameroom.html. 
  13. ↑ 13.0 13.1 Brenesal, Barry (October 1995). "The Journeyman Project 2: Buried in Time". PC Games. http://www.pcgamesmag.com:80/games/Oct95/jour1095.html. 
  14. ↑ "Journeyman Project 2: Buried in Time Review". http://www.justadventure.com/reviews/JourneymanProj2/JourneymanProject2.shtm. Retrieved 2006-04-28. 
  15. ↑ "The Journeyman Project 2: Buried in Time; PIB PC Game Review". http://www.pibweb.com/review/buried.html. Retrieved 2006-04-28. 
  16. ↑ "The Journeyman Project 2: Buried in Time". Entertainment Weekly. https://ew.com/article/1995/08/04/journeyman-project-2-buried-time/. 
  17. ↑ "Pyramid: Pyramid Pick: Buried in Time: The Journeyman Project II". Pyramid (17). February 1996. 
  18. ↑ Allin, Jack (July 15, 2004). "Adventure Gamers: Journeyman Project 2: Buried in Time". http://www.adventuregamers.com/article/id,16. Retrieved 2006-05-19. 
  19. ↑ AG Staff (December 30, 2011). "Top 100 All-Time Adventure Games". Adventure Gamers. http://www.adventuregamers.com:80/articles/view/18643. 
  20. ↑ Myslewski, Rik; Editors of MacUser (March 1996). "The Eleventh Annual Editors' Choice Awards". MacUser 12 (3): 85–91. 

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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