Table of Contents Categories
  Encyclosphere.org ENCYCLOREADER
  supported by EncyclosphereKSF

Wolf (video game)

Topic: Software

 From HandWiki - Reading time: 6 min
Wolf
Wolf cover art (edited version)
Developer(s)Manley & Associates
Publisher(s)
Designer(s)Ivan Manley
Sam Palahnuk
David Hasle
Platform(s)DOS
Release
  • NA: September 1994
  • EU: 1995
Genre(s)Life simulation, Role-playing
Mode(s)Single-player

Wolf is a 1994 life simulation and role-playing video game. The player takes the role of a wolf. It was followed by Lion in 1995.

It is unrelated to the 1994 film of the same name.

Gameplay

The gameplay is divided into two parts. The first is a sandbox mode, where the player has no predetermined goal. The second is a scenario mode, where the player has to complete specific actions; this is comparable to quests given in RPGs.[1]

Reception

Reception
Review scores
PublicationScore
CGWStarStarStarStar[2]
PC Gamer (US)88%[3]
Electronic EntertainmentStarStarStarStarStar[4]
Computer Player8 out of 10[5]
CyberSurferStarStar[6]
PC MagazineStarStarStar[7]
Awards
PublicationAward
PC Gamer USSpecial Achievement in Innovative Design[8]
Electronic EntertainmentBest Simulation Game[4]
Computer Gaming WorldRole-Playing Game of the Year (runner-up)[9]

In Electronic Entertainment, Joel Enos wrote that Wolf's "unique take on role-playing/simulation games puts it in a class by itself". He concluded, "You'll not only spend many happy hours playing, you might even learn something."[4] The magazine later named Wolf its 1994 "Best Simulation Game". The editors reiterated that the game is "great fun to play, and you also can't help but learn about these intriguing creatures as you step into their skin."[10]

Vince DeNardo of Computer Gaming World called Wolf "a role-playing simulation that is both worthwhile for your children, and for the child that lies within each of us." He believed that it is "a novel concept backed up by solid execution", and that it "redefines the genre of Role-Playing as we gamers know it".[2] Computer Gaming World went on to nominate Wolf as its 1994 "Role-Playing Game of the Year", with the editors calling it an innovative product that "skillfully mixes role-playing elements and scientific fact".[9]

The reviewer for PC Gamer US remarked that "hours pass like minutes in this fascinating RPG for nature lovers", and summarized it as an "unusual, entertaining game that gives genuine insight into one of nature's most magnificent and misunderstood creatures."[3] The magazine's editors later awarded Wolf their 1994 "Special Achievement in Innovative Design". They wrote that the game is "both entertaining and enlightening — and a breath of fresh air in a genre [role-playing games] that some say has run its course."[8]

Computer Player's Peter Suciu summarized it as "a nice novelty game without a lot to it", and questioned its target audience. He wrote that Wolf would be "quite upsetting" to children; however, he found the game too shallow for adult players outside of its simulation mode, which he in turn thought was missing clear rewards or goals.[5] In a negative review, CyberSurfer's Linda Sharar called the game dull, and agreed with Suciu that its simulation mode lacked incentives to continue playing. She wrote, "I suppose if you look at Wolf as an interactive educational program, it serves its purpose. But as a game—I just don't get it."[6]

See also

References

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 "Wolf by Sanctuary Woods". Coming Soon Magazine, Vol I No.3. Coming Soon Magazine, Inc. February 1995. http://www.csoon.com/issue3/wolf.htm. Retrieved 2007-08-31. 
  2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 DeNardo, Vince (December 1994). "The Howling". Computer Gaming World (125): 208, 210, 213. 
  3. ↑ 3.0 3.1 Staff (November 1994). "Wolf". PC Gamer US. Archived from the original on February 29, 2000. https://web.archive.org/web/20000229175922/http://www.pcgamer.com/reviews/1173.html. 
  4. ↑ 4.0 4.1 4.2 Enos, Joel (January 1995). "Wolf". Electronic Entertainment (13): 102. https://archive.org/stream/ElectronicEntertainment13Jan1995/Electronic_Entertainment_13_Jan_1995#page/n103/mode/2up. 
  5. ↑ 5.0 5.1 Suciu, Peter (February 1995). "Wolf". Computer Player 1 (9): 52, 53. 
  6. ↑ 6.0 6.1 Sharar, Linda (July 1995). "Unleash the Animal Within". CyberSurfer (Starlog Group, Inc.) (2): 52, 53. 
  7. ↑ Yee, Bernard H. (March 14, 1995). "Fly, Drive, and Think: Simulations That Put Your Brain to The Ultimate Test; Wolf". PC Magazine 14 (5): 400. 
  8. ↑ 8.0 8.1 Staff (March 1995). "The First Annual PC Gamer Awards". PC Gamer 2 (3): 44, 45, 47, 48, 51. 
  9. ↑ 9.0 9.1 Staff (May 1995). "The Computer Gaming World 1995 Premier Awards". Computer Gaming World (130): 35, 36, 38, 40, 42, 44. 
  10. ↑ Staff (March 1995). "The Second Annual Electronic Entertainment Editors' Choice Awards". Electronic Entertainment (15): 45–51. 
  • 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





Retrieved from "https://handwiki.org/wiki/index.php?title=Software:Wolf_(video_game)&oldid=849407"
Licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0 | Source: https://handwiki.org/wiki/Software:Wolf_(video_game)
38 views |
↧ Download this article as ZWI file
Encyclosphere.org EncycloReader is supported by the EncyclosphereKSF