Software:Without Warning (video game)

From HandWiki
Without Warning
Developer(s)Circle Studio
Publisher(s)Capcom
EngineRenderWare
Platform(s)PlayStation 2, Xbox
Release
  • EU: October 28, 2005
  • NA: November 1, 2005
Genre(s)Third-person shooter
Mode(s)Single player

Without Warning is a 2005 third-person shooter game developed by Circle Studio and published by Capcom for the PlayStation 2 and Xbox. Set in a vast chemical plant, during a brutal terrorist plot, the game follows the actions of the six playable characters; three Special Forces members, a security guard, a secretary, and a cameraman. Set over twelve hours, the feel of the game, storywise, is similar in style to the TV series 24.

Despite relatively high expectations during development, given the developers' previous work on the Tomb Raider series, Without Warning received generally negative reviews from critics, who criticised the plot, characters, poor AI and technical issues. The game turned out to be Circle Studio's only video game as the company transitioned to developing DVD games only after the game's poor reception, before closing down altogether in 2007.

Gameplay

Gameplay of Without Warning varies depending on which character is being played. In the case of the Special Forces members and the security guard, gameplay is generally fast-paced, as is often the case with arcade-style shooters. While the game features a dedicated cover system, there is little emphasis on tactical combat, with the best approach often being simply to eliminate all enemies as quickly as possible. Despite the core gameplay of the four characters being largely alike, they all have small differences between them. These involve exclusive objectives for each character, making their gameplay differ slightly from each other. There are also minor differences between the weapons of each character, which in turn affects the gameplay of each as well.

The remaining two characters rely far more on stealth over action. The secretary has only the option to stun enemies either with pepper spray or a fire extinguisher, rather than killing them outright. This is often largely ineffective, and as such, generally the secretary must proceed throughout the chemical plant without alerting the terrorists. The gameplay for the cameraman is largely the same, although with this character, the player has the option to attempt to kill terrorists with a gun. A more notable difference, however, is that the cameraman is required to film various activities committed throughout the chemical plant by the terrorists using his camera, exposing himself to danger.

Plot

The story begins with a Special Forces unit being briefed on a terrorist takeover of a chemical plant, led by a man known as Derbec. The Special Forces unit, consisting of veteran Kyle Rivers, rookie Jack Hooper, bomb expert Ed Reagan, and two others, soon prepares to infiltrate the plant. Elsewhere, news cameraman Ben Harrison begins to head to the chemical plant as well, via helicopter. Inside the plant, secretary Tanya Shaw and security guard Dave Wilson quickly comprehend the situation, both managing to evade the terrorists before they can kill them or take them as hostages. Upon reaching the chemical plant, the two minor Special Forces members are killed in a terrorist ambush, and the remaining three are separated from each other. They quickly continue forward through the plant.

Meanwhile, Dave soon finds a colleague and friend of his shot dead within the plant. Vowing revenge, he decides to eliminate the terrorists throughout the facility. Elsewhere, Tanya tries to sneak out of the chemical plant, successfully managing to reach a large courtyard. She signals to the helicopter carrying Ben, in hope of being rescued, but as it approaches her, it is shot down by a terrorist. It is, however, revealed that Ben has managed to survive the crash. More concerned about winning the Pulitzer prize as opposed to his own safety, Ben's obsession pushes him throughout the chemical plant, filming the activities of the terrorists with his camera, rather than trying to escape.

With the Special Forces unit soon discovering that numerous sections of the chemical plant are rigged to blow, Ed begins to defuse them, while Jack starts rewiring electrical boxes throughout the plant to allow the team access to all areas. Meanwhile, Kyle continues to try and regain control of the plant. Eventually, Ed succumbs to a bomb as he fails to defuse it in time. With the bomb expert dead, the task of defusing the bombs is given to Jack. Tanya eventually manages to escape the plant without harm, while elsewhere, as Dave continues to repel the terrorists, he is injured by a grenade. Unable to move, the terrorists are about to finish him off when Kyle reaches him and fends them off. Still wounded, Dave has no choice but to stay where he is as Kyle leaves him to continue through the plant.

Eventually, it is revealed that Derbec's reason for taking over the plant are simply about revenge, and that he had intended to blow up the plant from the beginning. With this new insight, Jack races against time to defuse the bombs before the terrorists finish planting them and detonate them, while Kyle continues to hunt down Derbec. With Ben satisfied with the footage he has collected, including footage showing Derbec's current whereabouts, he progresses to a computer in order to upload them to the Internet and show them to the world. Just as he is about confirm his upload, he is discovered by a terrorist, who subsequently holds him at gunpoint. Briefly considering his options, Ben soon opts to confirm his upload as opposed to surrendering, resulting in his death.

With Ben's footage now showing all over the world, Kyle heads over to where Derbec was reported to have been last seen, but is eventually injured in ambush. Unable to fight, he is approached by Derbec, who has come out of hiding now that the threat of Kyle is over. Kyle remains strong-willed against the terrorist leader, but Derbec soon shoots him in the head. Having disarmed the bomb threat, Jack decides to go after Derbec. Despite heavy resistance from what's left of Derbec's terrorists, he manages to eliminate them all and confront Derbec. Jack wins the ensuing gunfight, and with the terrorist threat finally over, Jack extracts himself and Dave out of the chemical plant, where aid is waiting for them outside.

Reception

Reception
Review scores
PublicationScore
PS2Xbox
EdgeN/A3/10[1]
EGM3.67/10[2]3.67/10[2]
Eurogamer4/10[3]N/A
Game Informer6.5/10[4]6.5/10[4]
GameSpot4.6/10[5]4.6/10[5]
GameSpyStarStarHalf star[6]StarStarHalf star[6]
GameZoneN/A4.5/10[7]
IGN4/10[8]4/10[8]
OPM (US)StarStarHalf star[9]N/A
OXM (US)N/A1.5/10[10]
Aggregate score
Metacritic45/100[11]45/100[12]

The game received "generally unfavorable reviews" on both platforms according to video game review aggregator Metacritic.[11][12]

References

  1. ↑ Edge staff (December 2005). "Without Warning (Xbox)". Edge (156): 108. 
  2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 EGM staff (December 2005). "Without Warning". Electronic Gaming Monthly (198). 
  3. ↑ Bramwell, Tom (October 26, 2005). "Without Warning (PS2)". http://www.eurogamer.net/articles/r_withoutwarning_psw. Retrieved March 21, 2012. 
  4. ↑ 4.0 4.1 Kato, Matthew (November 2005). "Without Warning". Game Informer (151): 148. 
  5. ↑ 5.0 5.1 Navarro, Alex (November 8, 2005). "Without Warning Review". https://www.gamespot.com/reviews/without-warning-review/1900-6139440/. Retrieved February 17, 2016. 
  6. ↑ 6.0 6.1 Scantleberry, Chris (November 1, 2005). "GameSpy: Without Warning". GameSpy. http://ps2.gamespy.com/playstation-2/without-warning/663383p1.html. Retrieved February 17, 2016. 
  7. ↑ Sandoval, Angelina (November 22, 2005). "Without Warning - XB - Review". GameZone. Archived from the original on January 12, 2008. https://web.archive.org/web/20080112113814/http://xbox.gamezone.com/gzreviews/r25801.htm. Retrieved February 17, 2016. 
  8. ↑ 8.0 8.1 Sulic, Ivan (November 4, 2005). "Without Warning". http://www.ign.com/articles/2005/11/05/without-warning. Retrieved February 17, 2016. 
  9. ↑ "Without Warning". Official U.S. PlayStation Magazine: 130. December 2005. 
  10. ↑ "Without Warning". Official Xbox Magazine: 115. December 2005. 
  11. ↑ 11.0 11.1 "Without Warning for PlayStation 2 Reviews". https://www.metacritic.com/game/without-warning/critic-reviews/?platform=playstation-2. Retrieved March 21, 2012. 
  12. ↑ 12.0 12.1 "Without Warning for Xbox Reviews". https://www.metacritic.com/game/without-warning/critic-reviews/?platform=xbox. Retrieved March 21, 2012. 
  • 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



Warning: Default sort key "Without Warning (Video Game)" overrides earlier default sort key "Mobygames".



Retrieved from "https://handwiki.org/wiki/index.php?title=Software:Without_Warning_(video_game)&oldid=751543"