Software:The Shivah

From HandWiki
Short description: 2006 video game
This page is about the adventure game. For the Jewish mourning period, see Shiva (Judaism).
The Shivah
Cover image of The Shivah
Developer(s)Wadjet Eye Games
Publisher(s)Wadjet Eye Games
Designer(s)Dave Gilbert
EngineAdventure Game Studio
Platform(s)Microsoft Windows, MacOS, iOS, Linux, Android
ReleaseAugust 14, 2006
Kosher Edition
  • WW: November 21, 2013 (iOS, macOS, PC)
  • WW: April 8, 2014 (Linux)
  • WW: April 9, 2014 (Android)
Genre(s)Adventure
Mode(s)Single player

The Shivah is a point-and-click adventure game from 2006, designed and developed by Dave Gilbert with the assistance of others, including voice actors and artists. It is notable in that it features a rabbi as its protagonist and explores themes related to the Jewish faith. In 2013, the game was remastered in an updated version entitled The Shivah: Kosher Edition, which features new graphics and music, and re-recorded voice-overs.

Gameplay

A gameplay screenshot from The Shivah

The Shivah is a third person point-and-click adventure game. The player uses the mouse to select objects from the character's surroundings to interact with, as well as other characters with whom to speak. When in dialogue with another character, a portrait of them appears in the corner of the screen. Rather than specifically choosing what their character will say next, the player selects from a number of options along the lines of 'calm response' and 'Rabbinical response', the latter of which always involves responding to a question with another question. There are several points at which the player character can be killed, though in such instances the player is quickly returned to the moment before making the fatal choice. The game also features a scene involving combat that the player must win by making the correct dialogue choices, similar to the insult swordfighting of The Secret of Monkey Island. There are many tie-ins to The Blackwell Series, also by Gilbert. Many of the characters and names appeared later in Blackwell games, and in The Kosher Edition the main character of Blackwell series, Rosangela Blackwell, makes a cameo.

Plot

Greg Costikyan, creator of Manifesto Games, stated that "the basic theme is the nature of morality."[1]

The game takes place in Manhattan, New York City. The playable character is Russell Stone, a hard-hearted Rabbi experiencing a crisis of faith compounded by his synagogue's declining membership and financial woes. The police inform him that a former member of the synagogue, Jack Lauder, has been murdered. The police suspect Stone, as Jack's will left Stone more than $10,000, despite an acrimonious falling out the two had eight years prior when Stone refused to conduct an interfaith marriage between Jack and his wife Raj. Puzzled at being left the money and wanting to clear his name, Stone sets out to investigate Jack's murder himself.

He begins by paying a Shivah visit to Raj, who points him to their family business. In his investigations, Stone learns that Jack had been visiting another synagogue run by Rabbi Amos Zelig, who was willing to conduct the interfaith marriage. In an email intended to be sent to Stone, Jack revealed that time tempered his hatred for Stone and that he desired to reconnect with him. At Zelig's synagogue, Jack met a man named Ethan Goldberg, who he hired as an accountant for his business. Goldberg, who was also murdered recently, discouraged Jack from accepting money from an investor, but due to his business's struggling finances, Jack accepted it anyway, and began making repayments to a man named Joe DeMarco.

Stone uncovers that this investor was Zelig himself. He confronts DeMarco, who admits to committing the murders on Zelig's behalf, revealing the latter's connections to organized crime. Zelig would find struggling business owners, introduce them to DeMarco who was a loanshark associated with the mafia, and would also murder those who failed to pay. After subduing DeMarco, the player can choose whether or not to kill him.

Realizing Stone is on to him, Zelig takes Raj hostage to bait him. Depending on the player's actions in the final confrontation, Zelig and/or Raj may die, and this leads to a variety of different endings.

  • If the player kills Zelig by throwing him off the balcony, police rule his death a suicide, and Stone is kept out of suspicion but his crisis of faith continues. If Raj survives in this scenario, she will never speak to Stone again, having witnessed him commit murder.
  • If Raj is killed but Zelig is spared, Stone is taken in for questioning on suspicion of Jack and now Raj's murder (as well as Zelig's false testimony). He hopes that Jack's money will help cover his legal fees.
  • If both Raj and Zelig survive, the former's testimony helps clear Stone's name and the latter is arrested for his crimes. Stone is now less cynical of his faith and is able to clear his debts with Jack's money, and is visited by Raj.

Development

The game was originally developed for the Monthly Adventure Game Studio 5th anniversary competition in June 2006, which it won.[2] Gilbert went on to form Wadjet Eye Games through which to publish his games, then improved the game substantially, making it longer, with voice acting, DVD-style commentary and extra puzzles. In September 2006 the game went on sale via the Internet from the Wadjet Eye Games site and from Manifesto Games.

Reception

Reception
Review scores
PublicationScore
iOSPC
Adventure GamersN/AStarStarStarStar[5]
DestructoidN/A(K.E.) 7/10[6]
GamezeboStarStarStarStar[7]StarStarStar[8]
Hyper8/10[9]N/A
PC Gamer (UK)N/A(K.E.) 72%[11]
70%[12]
PC PowerPlayN/A6/10[13]
Pocket GamerStarStarStarStarHalf star[14]N/A
The A.V. ClubN/AB[17]
Digital SpyStarStarStarStar[18]N/A
Aggregate score
Metacritic82/100[3](K.E.) 67/100[4]

The iOS version received "favorable" reviews, while the PC Kosher Edition received "average" reviews, according to the review aggregation website Metacritic.[3][4] The A.V. Club gave the original game a B and stated that, "The Shivah fits a compelling moral conscience over a tight decision tree, and compared to sillier interactive fiction like Software:Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney or Hotel Dusk, its rewards are subtler, and more satisfying." Digital Spy gave the iOS version four stars out of five, saying that it "was overlooked by most players upon its initial release in 2006, but adventure game fans would be making a huge mistake to let that happen a second time to this wonderfully written murder mystery."[18] However, The Digital Fix gave the PC version's Kosher Edition seven out of ten, saying that it "turns out to be an extremely short game, completable in between one or two hours, and this includes the time taken to see all three possible endings."[4] Much of the media coverage focused on the unique choice of a Rabbi as the game's protagonist.[19]

In 2006, The Shivah won an Adventure Game Studios for Best Dialogue Writing[20] and Gilbert won the Lifetime Achievement Award. The Shivah came 2nd in Game Tunnel's Sound award for 2006[21] and 3rd in their Adventure/Quest/Platform Game of the Year awards.[22]

References

  1. ↑ Wired staff (January 1, 2007). "Rogue Leader". Wired (Condé Nast). https://www.wired.com/2007/01/rogue-leader/. Retrieved October 29, 2022. 
  2. ↑ Bronstring, Marek (July 3, 2006). "Marking Anniversary, Games Spar". https://adventuregamers.com/news/view/20089. 
  3. ↑ 3.0 3.1 "Shivah for iPhone/iPad Reviews". Fandom. https://www.metacritic.com/game/the-shivah-kosher-edition/critic-reviews/?platform=ios-iphoneipad. 
  4. ↑ 4.0 4.1 4.2 "The Shivah: Kosher Edition for PC Reviews". Fandom. https://www.metacritic.com/game/the-shivah-kosher-edition/critic-reviews/?platform=pc. 
  5. ↑ MacCormack, Andrew (November 9, 2006). "The Shivah review". https://adventuregamers.com/articles/view/17996. 
  6. ↑ Duncan, Alasdair (November 23, 2013). "Review: The Shivah – Kosher Edition (PC)". Gamurs. https://www.destructoid.com/reviews/review-the-shivah-kosher-edition/. 
  7. ↑ Oxford, Nadia (November 22, 2013). "The Shivah: Kosher Edition Review". https://www.gamezebo.com/reviews/the-shivah-kosher-edition-review/. 
  8. ↑ Stone, David (September 28, 2009). "The Shivah Review". https://www.gamezebo.com/reviews/the-shivah-review/. 
  9. ↑ "The Shivah: Kosher Edition (iOS)". Hyper (Next Media Pty Ltd): 85. February 2014. 
  10. ↑ Leray, Joseph (November 25, 2013). "The Shivah Review". Future US. http://www.maclife.com/article/games/shivah_review. 
  11. ↑ "The Shivah: Kosher Edition". PC Gamer UK (Future plc): 90. February 2014. 
  12. ↑ "The Shivah". PC Gamer UK (Future plc): 90. May 2007. 
  13. ↑ "Review: The Shivah: Kosher Edition". PC PowerPlay (Next Media Pty Ltd) (225): 85. February 2014. 
  14. ↑ Brown, Mark (November 21, 2013). "Shivah (iOS)". Steel Media Ltd. https://www.pocketgamer.com/the-shivah-kosher-edition/shivah/. 
  15. ↑ Yeager, Dave (December 3, 2013). "The Shivah (iOS)". Emerald Shield Media LLC. https://www.rpgfan.com/review/the-shivah/. 
  16. ↑ Lee, Luna (January 2, 2014). "The Shivah (PC)". Emerald Shield Media LLC. https://www.rpgfan.com/review/the-shivah-2/. 
  17. ↑ Dahlen, Chris (April 16, 2007). "The Shivah". G/O Media. https://www.avclub.com/the-shivah-1798211167. 
  18. ↑ 18.0 18.1 Nichols, Scott (November 26, 2013). "Mobile reviews: 'The Shivah', 'Castle of Illusion', more". Hearst Communications. https://www.digitalspy.com/videogames/a533875/mobile-reviews-the-shivah-castle-of-illusion-more/. 
  19. ↑ Ashcraft, Brian (December 13, 2006). "Talk to People. Punch Them. Be a Rabbi!". Gawker Media. http://kotaku.com/221408/talk-to-people-punch-them-be-a-rabbi. 
  20. ↑ "The AGS Awards 2006". http://www.americangirlscouts.org/AGSAwards/awards.php?year=2006. 
  21. ↑ "2006 Game of the Year: Sound". http://www.gametunnel.com/articles.php?id=564. 
  22. ↑ "2006 Quest / Adventure / Platform Game of the Year". http://www.gametunnel.com/articles.php?id=562. 

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. 
  • No URL found. Please specify a URL here or add one to Wikidata.

Template:Atari



  • 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. 
  • No URL found. Please specify a URL here or add one to Wikidata.

Template:Atari



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