Software:The Quivering

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Short description: 1997 video game
The Quivering
Cover art
Developer(s)Charybdis
Publisher(s)Alternative Software
Producer(s)Andy Smith
Composer(s)Jim Croft
Zoe Dolphin
Platform(s)MS-DOS, Windows
Release1997
Genre(s)Horror/comedy
Mode(s)Single-player

The Quivering (also known as Spud II)[1] is a single-player point-and-click horror/comedy themed video game, developed by Charybdis and released by Alternative Software on CD-ROM for MS-DOS and Microsoft Windows. The game was later re-released for Steam on January 28, 2015. It is a sequel to Charybdis' earlier 1996 game Spud!.

Plot

Located in the fictional setting of Warty Hollow, Olivetti Franken-Stamp and his assistant Gore were creating the Ghoul Cube: a device which would ensnare and contain any source of evil it comes across, rendering it harmless. However, this experiment backfired and opened a portal to Dimension X, which unleashed a horde of monsters throughout the land led by the evil Big D, a demon who transformed Olivetti into a raven and Gore into a giant tentacled monster. Olivetti's nephew, Spud, steps forth to defeat Big D, restore his uncle and save the world from the incoming horror.

The first half of the game revolves around Spud retrieving various ingredients in the surrounding locations, in order to make an antidote that will cure the monstrous Gore, as he is obstructing the entrance to the laboratory containing the portal to Dimension X. Once Gore is cured, Spud is able to open the portal to Dimension X and summon Big D once more. The demon is defeated in a fight by Frank, an inanimate being who is brought to life in a similar fashion to Frankenstein's monster, when Spud awakens him by placing a brain in his head.

However, while the portal is sending all of the unleashed monsters back to Dimension X, Spud and Frank are swept away by its pull as well, landing them in a twisted carnival run by Big D. Spud uses another brain to reawaken Frank, who now resembles Elvis Presley in both voice and appearance. The two of them traverse the fairgrounds together in an effort to defeat Big D once and for all.

Once the duo reaches Big D's lair, Spud is struck and killed by the demon, leading Frank to take on Big D by himself. He wins the battle, knocking Big D out of the arena and into its surrounding pit, where he is never to be seen again. Frank then absorbs all of Big D's power, represented by a battery that was literally powering the electricity in the carnival. He gains the ability to open a portal back to Earth's surface, where he takes Spud's cadaver.

After Frank's return to Earth, the now human Olivetti is able to bring Spud back to life through an experiment in his laboratory.

Gameplay

The player controls Spud from a first-person point of view, by moving from area to area and looking around in a 360 degree rotation. Moving is done by clicking the space in between two areas. A variety of unique items which are required to progress further are located in certain areas. Also found throughout the adventure are imps, which can be combined with other items or used to save the game. The Ghoul Cube is used as an inventory where the player can check their items or save their game using an imp. The game also makes use of a fast travel system for its first half, consisting of obelisks that are found at certain points of interest and can be warped to and from.

Most of the gameplay revolves around simple puzzles, where the player must find out which item to use in each situation. Sometimes deduction is required in discovering what to do next, which could mean either talking to other characters or observing Spud's surroundings for clues. Certain sections require attentive actions to be taken in order to clear them. Much like its predecessor, the game has many moments that can equate to an instant game over, where one wrong input will lead to Spud being killed, as shown in a cutscene. After this happens, the game returns to the main menu where the player can load a saved game.

Reception

Reception
Review score
PublicationScore
PC Zone73% (DOS)[2]

References

  1. ↑ "Magic & Mayhem: The Art of Magic". PC Zone (Dennis Publishing) (62): 36. May 2001. https://archive.org/details/PC_Zone_Issue_102_2001-05_Dennis_Publishing_GB/page/n35. 
  2. ↑ Shoemaker, Richie (April 1998). "Review Zone Extra!". PC Zone (Future plc) (62): 107. https://archive.org/details/PC_Zone_62_April_1998/page/n107. 
  • Official website
  • 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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