Software:Touch the Dead

From HandWiki
Short description: 2007 video game
Touch the Dead
Developer(s)Dream On Studio
Publisher(s)
Composer(s)Allister Brimble, Anthony N. Putson, Paul Carter
Platform(s)Nintendo DS
Release
  • NA: May 16, 2007
  • EU: November 5, 2007[1]
Genre(s)Shooter/Survival horror
Mode(s)Single player, multiplayer

Touch the Dead (also known as Dead 'n' Furious in Europe) is a rail shooter/survival horror game for the Nintendo DS developed by French company Dream On Studio. The game was originally published by Virgin Play in Europe as one of their first published games, and was later co-published by Eidos Interactive (under the Secret Stash Games brand) and V.2 Play (being the only game Virgin Play released in North America) in North America. The game's North American box art was created by artist Arthur Suydam, famous for his work on the Marvel Zombies line of comics.

Gameplay

Touch the Dead is a rail shooter. Players use the stylus to point at oncoming zombies on the bottom screen. Pointing fires the weapon Steiner has equipped, and shots can be delivered to the head, arms, legs, and stomach.

To reload, players must simply grab a clip icon (located in the bottom right-hand corner of the touch screen), and drag it to the bottom left hand corner which has an image of the 'magazine'.

The D-pad and face buttons of the console are simply used to switch weapons. Both serve the same purpose, and work for both right-handed and left-handed players.

Health and ammunition can be recovered by shooting crates and cabinets. The player also has the option of shooting switches to open doors and choose a left or right path when a fork appears. Either path chosen will still yield the same bonuses.

Weapons

  • Handgun: The first weapon Steiner obtains. It is the weakest of the game's firearms, doing the least amount of damage. It does, however, have unlimited ammunition. The handgun does not allow belly shots. Steiner finds the handgun on the floor in Chapter 1. Resembles the Beretta M9/92F.
  • Shotgun: A standard pump-action shotgun. The shotgun is most effective at close range, and can blow off heads and stomachs. Steiner finds the shotgun in a control room in Chapter 1. Resembles the Spas 12 shotgun.
  • Submachine Gun: Steiner's only fully automatic weapon in the game. He obtains it while stopping in a shack, located in the swamps of Chapter 3. Resembles the MP5 type K.
  • Crowbar: Steiner's only melee weapon, also used to break down certain doors. Steiner gets it from the boss of Chapter 2. Resembles a crowbar.

Storyline

Protagonist Rob Steiner, or Prisoner #1809, has been transferred to Ashdown Hole State Penitentiary. Steiner has been accused of and sentenced for a murder that he did not commit. The intro movie shows him being transferred, and his mugshots. Resting in his cell, Steiner's cell door opens. Seeing his chance for escape, Steiner flees his cell into the Penitentiary, which is mysteriously occupied by zombies. By the game's end, Steiner has gone through the entire prison, the sewer system, the prison hospital, and the rooftops of the prison. Steiner eventually escapes, but realizes that there is much more to go. He finds an airboat that he uses to dredge through a thick swamp, until he eventually comes to an abandoned military base. Steiner fights his way through the zombie-infested base, and is ultimately rescued via helicopter. It is also implied, though not mentioned directly that Steiner was placed there on purpose by the military or whoever it was that rescued him. The moment Steiner is saved, one of the men tells him that they did not believe he would make it out and that Steiner is more dangerous than they had previously thought. It ends with Steiner being placed in handcuffs and the choppers leaving what appears to be an island.

Reception

Reception
Aggregate score
AggregatorScore
Metacritic56/100[2]
Review scores
PublicationScore
1Up.comD+[3]
Eurogamer5/10[5]
Game Informer7/10[6]
GameSpot5.5/10[8]
GameSpyStarStar[9]
GameZone5.9/10[10]
IGN6.9/10[11]
Nintendo LifeStarStarStarStarStarStarStarStar[12]
Nintendo Power5.5/10[13]
Pocket GamerStarStarStar[14]
X-PlayStar[16]
411Mania7/10[17]

The game received "mixed" reviews according to the review aggregation website Metacritic.[2] It was heavily criticized for its "blocky" graphics and repetitive sound; however, it received great appreciation for its innovative gameplay which makes excellent use of the touch screen. Most complaints stemmed from its reloading system which requires the player to move a magazine from one side of the screen to the other to reload, wasting precious seconds in an already difficult game.{{citation needed|date=October 2017} hics and poor originality.[11] GameSpot also criticized the graphics, but still appreciated its original gameplay.[8] GamePro said that the game was "laughably bad at points but there's a loveable [sic] camp quality to it that makes it worth enduring through."[18][lower-alpha 1] Nintendo Life gave the game a positive review while it was still in development.[12]

Notes

  1. ↑ GamePro gave the game 3.5/5 for graphics, 1.75/5 for sound, 3/5 for control, and 2.75/5 for fun factor.

References

  1. ↑ Orry, James (April 27, 2007). "Virgin is Dead and Furious". Resero Network. Archived from the original on February 19, 2022. https://web.archive.org/web/20220219025008/https://www.videogamer.com/news/virgin-is-dead-and-furious/. Retrieved June 15, 2023. 
  2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 "Touch the Dead". Fandom. Archived from the original on January 15, 2025. https://web.archive.org/web/20250115030556/https://www.metacritic.com/game/touch-the-dead/. Retrieved January 15, 2025. 
  3. ↑ Donahoe, Michael (May 31, 2007). "Touch the Dead". Ziff Davis. Archived from the original on June 12, 2016. https://web.archive.org/web/20160612080056/http://www.1up.com/reviews/touch-the-dead. Retrieved August 19, 2020. 
  4. ↑ Dahlen, Chris (June 4, 2007). "Touch The Dead". G/O Media. Archived from the original on November 4, 2010. https://web.archive.org/web/20101104011851/http://www.avclub.com/articles/touch-the-dead,7795/. Retrieved November 19, 2024. 
  5. ↑ Parkin, Simon (July 3, 2007). "DS Roundup (Page 2)". Gamer Network. Archived from the original on October 30, 2021. https://web.archive.org/web/20211030162452/https://www.eurogamer.net/articles/ds-roundup-review?page=2. Retrieved January 16, 2025. 
  6. ↑ Reiner, Andrew (June 2007). "Touch the Dead". Game Informer (GameStop) (170): 117. Archived from the original on June 13, 2007. https://web.archive.org/web/20070613200353/http://www.gameinformer.com/NR/exeres/F7CD0167-4055-42DF-B433-B2DBF6C2AACB.htm. Retrieved January 15, 2025. 
  7. ↑ Workman, Robert (May 23, 2007). "Touch the Dead Review". AOL. Archived from the original on October 10, 2008. https://web.archive.org/web/20081010232625/http://www.gamedaily.com/games/touch-the-dead/ds/game-reviews/review/6012/1639/. Retrieved January 15, 2025. 
  8. ↑ 8.0 8.1 Davis, Ryan (May 21, 2007). "Touch the Dead Review". Fandom. Archived from the original on November 26, 2024. https://web.archive.org/web/20241126204850/https://www.gamespot.com/reviews/touch-the-dead-review/1900-6171242/. Retrieved January 15, 2025. 
  9. ↑ Stratton, Bryan (May 29, 2007). "GameSpy: Touch the Dead". IGN Entertainment. Archived from the original on June 1, 2007. https://web.archive.org/web/20070601165022/http://ds.gamespy.com/nintendo-ds/dead-and-furious/792388p1.html. Retrieved August 19, 2020. 
  10. ↑ Grabowski, Dakota (June 8, 2007). "Touch the Dead - NDS - Review". Archived from the original on January 24, 2009. https://web.archive.org/web/20090124055610/http://nds.gamezone.com/gzreviews/r31645.htm. Retrieved August 19, 2020. 
  11. ↑ 11.0 11.1 Harris, Craig (May 23, 2007). "Touch the Dead Review". Ziff Davis. Archived from the original on January 15, 2025. https://web.archive.org/web/20250115031947/https://www.ign.com/articles/2007/05/23/touch-the-dead-review. Retrieved January 15, 2025. 
  12. ↑ 12.0 12.1 McFerran, Damien (April 24, 2007). "Dead 'N' Furious Review". Hookshot Media. Archived from the original on March 21, 2023. https://web.archive.org/web/20230321195426/https://www.nintendolife.com/reviews/2007/04/dead_n_furious_ds. Retrieved January 15, 2025. 
  13. ↑ "Touch the Dead". Nintendo Power (Nintendo of America) 217: 95. July 2007. 
  14. ↑ Jordan, Jon (July 2, 2007). "Touch The Dead (aka Dead N Furious)". Steel Media Ltd. Archived from the original on January 15, 2025. https://archive.today/20250115032448/https://www.pocketgamer.com/dead-n-furious/touch-the-dead-aka-dead-n-furious/. Retrieved January 15, 2025. 
  15. ↑ Jones, Darren (December 6, 2007). "Dead 'N' Furious". Retro Gamer (Imagine Publishing) (45). 
  16. ↑ Sewart, Greg (July 17, 2007). "Touch the Dead". G4 Media. Archived from the original on July 4, 2008. https://web.archive.org/web/20080704202529/http://www.g4tv.com/xplay/reviews/1546/Touch_the_Dead.html. Retrieved January 15, 2025. 
  17. ↑ "Touch the Dead reviews". Atari SA. Archived from the original on January 15, 2025. https://ghostarchive.org/archive/sIPCZ. Retrieved January 15, 2025. 
  18. ↑ Long Haired Offender (July 2007). "Touch the Dead". GamePro (IDG Entertainment) (226). Archived from the original on February 5, 2008. https://web.archive.org/web/20080205202445/http://www.gamepro.com/nintendo/ds/games/reviews/112300.shtml. Retrieved August 19, 2020. 
  • 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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