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Steel Reign

Topic: Software

 From HandWiki - Reading time: 6 min

Short description: 1997 video game
Steel Reign
Developer(s)Chantemar Creations
Publisher(s)Sony Computer Entertainment
Platform(s)PlayStation
Release
  • NA: October 9, 1997[1]
  • EU: February 1998
Genre(s)Vehicle simulation game
Mode(s)Single-player, multiplayer

Steel Reign is a video game released in 1997-1998. It was developed by Chantemar Creations[2] and published by Sony Computer Entertainment for PlayStation.

Reception

Reception
Review scores
PublicationScore
AllGameStarStarHalf star[3]
EGM4.875/10[5]
Game Informer7.75/10[6]
GameFan58%[7][lower-alpha 1]
GameRevolutionD+[8]
IGN7/10[9]
Next GenerationStarStar[10]
OPM (US)StarStarStar[11]

Steel Reign received mixed to negative reviews. Electronic Gaming Monthly's Steve Harris liked the game, opining that it offers a good balance of realism and arcade fun which is enhanced by the selection of vehicles and weapons, but his three co-reviewers all said that it looks and plays like a generic first generation PlayStation game, with mostly non-interactive environments, rough and pixelation textures, and lack of color. One of them, Ken "Sushi-X" Williams, also argued that the selection of vehicles is meaningless since one tank is obviously superior to the others, and even with the weakest tank the game is boringly easy.[5] Like EGM, Next Generation found the game's simplistic action dull and comparable to first generation PlayStation games, concluding that "Had Steel Reign been released at the same time as Warhawk, it may have seemed more impressive. As it is, it's just another action title with lots of guns and explosions."[10] Glenn Rubenstein, writing for GameSpot, instead contended that the game has a frustrating level of challenge, and praised its full motion video sequences, selection of weapons, multiplayer mode, and soundtrack, assessing that "it definitely ranks in the top 10 percent of what is currently out there."[12] GamePro found the maze-like level designs in Steel Reign irritatingly restrictive, and while agreeing that the multiplayer mode is fun, felt that it was soured by the fact that matches are so short, they are nearly outlasted by their load times. They summarized that "Every time a bright side to this game pops up, it's pummeled by four problems. This one's a rental at best."[13][lower-alpha 2] IGN gave the game an above-average review, a few weeks before its U.S. release date.[9]

The Electric Playground's Tommy Tallarico gave the game a 6/10, while co-host Victor Lucas gave it a 4/10.[14]

Notes

  1. ↑ Three critics of GameFan gave the game each a score of 65, 66, and 43 in an early review.
  2. ↑ GamePro gave the game 4/5 for graphics, 3.5/5 for sound, 4.5/5 for control, and 2.5/5 for fun factor.

References

  1. ↑ GameSpot staff (October 9, 1997). "VideoGameSpot Game Calendar [date mislabeled as "April 26, 2000""]. Red Ventures. https://www.gamespot.com/articles/videogamespot-game-calendar/1100-2467350/. 
  2. ↑ "Chantemar Creations". https://www.mobygames.com/company/chantemar-creations. 
  3. ↑ Weiss, Brett Alan. "Steel Reign - Review". All Media Network. http://www.allgame.com/game.php?id=7971&tab=review. 
  4. ↑ Ham, Tom (November 7, 1997). "Steel Reign". CNET. http://www.gamecenter.com/Consoles/Sony/Steelrn/. 
  5. ↑ 5.0 5.1 EGM staff (November 1997). "Steel Reign". Electronic Gaming Monthly (Ziff Davis) (100): 202. 
  6. ↑ "Steel Reign". Game Informer (FuncoLand) (55): 83. November 1997. http://www.gameinformer.com/nov97/sreign.html. Retrieved October 29, 2021. 
  7. ↑ Halverson, Dave "E. Storm"; Hobbs, Michael "Substance D"; Griffin, Mike "Glitch" (October 1997). "Steel Reign". GameFan (Metropolis Media) 5 (10): 24. https://archive.org/details/Gamefan_Vol_5_Issue_10/page/n29/mode/2up. Retrieved October 29, 2021. 
  8. ↑ Mike D. (December 1997). "Steel Reign Review". CraveOnline. https://www.gamerevolution.com/review/33945-steel-reign-review. 
  9. ↑ 9.0 9.1 IGN staff (September 17, 1997). "Steel Reign". Ziff Davis. https://www.ign.com/articles/1997/09/17/steel-reign. 
  10. ↑ 10.0 10.1 "Steel Reign". Next Generation (Imagine Media) (37): 154. January 1998. https://archive.org/details/NEXT_Generation_37/page/n155/mode/2up. Retrieved October 29, 2021. 
  11. ↑ Malec, Dave (November 1997). "Steel Reign". Official U.S. PlayStation Magazine (Ziff Davis) 1 (2): 100. https://archive.org/details/official-u.-s.-play-station-magazine-volume-1-issue-02-november-1997/page/n101/mode/2up. Retrieved October 29, 2021. 
  12. ↑ Cite error: Invalid <ref> tag; no text was provided for refs named gsrev
  13. ↑ Boba Fatt (November 1997). "Steel Reign". GamePro (IDG) (110): 146. https://archive.org/details/GamePro_Issue_110_Volume_09_Number_11_1997-11_IDG_Publishing_US/page/n145/mode/2up. Retrieved October 29, 2021. 
  14. ↑ EPNdotTV (January 26, 2016). "Electric Playground: Season 1, Episode 7". Google. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ybubQ5brMow. 
  • 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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