NiBiRu: Age of Secrets
{{Short description|2005 video game}}
{{Infobox video game
| title = NiBiRu: Age of Secrets
| image = Nibiru.jpg
| developer = Future Games
| publisher = The Adventure Company
| designer =
| released = {{vgrelease|FRA|11 March 2005{{Cite web |title=Ni.Bi.Ru: Sur la Piste des Dieux Mayas sur PC |url=https://www.jeuxvideo.com/jeux/pc/00013220-ni-bi-ru-sur-la-piste-des-dieux-mayas.htm |access-date=2023-05-12 |website=Jeuxvideo.com |language=fr}}|CZE|4 June 2005{{Cite web |date=2005-11-22 |title=Future Games hlavn stronka |url=http://www.futuregames.cz/CZ/MainMenu.html |access-date=2023-05-12 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20051122191710/http://www.futuregames.cz/CZ/MainMenu.html |archive-date=2005-11-22}}|NA|31 August 2005{{Cite web |last=Adams |first=David |date=2005-08-31 |title=NIBIRU Ventures to Stores |url=https://www.ign.com/articles/2005/08/31/nibiru-ventures-to-stores |access-date=2023-05-12 |website=IGN |language=en}}}}
| genre = Adventure
| modes = Single-player
| platforms = Windows
}}
NiBiRu: Age of Secrets, also known as Ni.Bi.Ru: The messenger of the gods ({{langx|cs|NI.BI.RU: Posel Bohů}}), is a 2005 adventure game developed by Future Games and published by The Adventure Company. According to Future's Martin Malik, it sold roughly 200,000 units by 2009.
Gameplay
The gameplay is very similar to previous Adventure Company games, such as Syberia and its sequel, Syberia II. Another similar title is Secret Files: Tunguska. The player controls the main character, Martin Holan, in fixed-camera, third-person view.
Plot
During the construction of a new highway bypass, workers discover an entrance to an old tunnel. After they enter the tunnel, they find out that it was probably a German tunnel intentionally backfilled at the end of World War II. They contact an employee of the Western Bohemian Museum who then informs the superior body in Prague about their findings. The news about the discovery is published by the regional press the next day and there is tremendous buzz in the archeology community of the new find.
Martin Holan, the main character, is a linguistics and archeology student.
Development
NiBiRu is a remake of the company's first game Messenger of the Gods (1998).{{Cite web|url=http://pc.gamezone.com/news/09_19_05_06_57AM.htm|title=An Age of Secrets To Be Revealed In "NIBIRU" - PC News|date=2007-05-12|access-date=2017-12-28|url-status=bot: unknown|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070512210155/http://pc.gamezone.com/news/09_19_05_06_57AM.htm|archive-date=2007-05-12}}
NiBiRu uses the AGDS (Advanced Graphic Development System) engine that apart from standard elements enables several graphical effects like rain, lightning, fog, etc. The primary graphical mode of the gaming engine is 32 bit but there is also a less demanding 16 bit mode for older hardware. The engine was originally developed and used for The Black Mirror horror adventure game.{{Cite web|url=http://nibirugame.com/|title=NIBIRU: Age of Secrets|date=2005-11-05|access-date=2017-12-28|url-status=bot: unknown|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20051105091158/http://nibirugame.com/|archive-date=2005-11-05}}
Reception
According to Future Games president Martin Malik, NiBiRu achieved global sales of roughly 200,000 copies by April 2009.{{cite web | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150924073944/http://www.planete-aventure.net/articles/Future%20Games%20interview%20by%20LFP.pdf | url=http://www.planete-aventure.net/articles/Future%20Games%20interview%20by%20LFP.pdf | title=Future Games interview by LFP | author=LFP | work=Planete Aventure | date=April 2, 2009 | archive-date=September 24, 2015 | url-status=dead}} Review aggregation website Metacritic reported the game's critical reception as "mixed or average", based on 12 reviews.{{cite web | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070724195839/http://www.metacritic.com/games/platforms/pc/nibiruageofsecrets | url=http://www.metacritic.com/games/platforms/pc/nibiruageofsecrets | title=NIBIRU: Age of Secrets (pc: 2005): Reviews | archive-date=July 24, 2007 | publisher=Metacritic | url-status=dead}}
NiBiRu was a nominee for GameSpot's 2005 "Best Adventure Game" award, which ultimately went to Fahrenheit.{{cite web | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130625133019/http://www.gamespot.com/pages/features/bestof2005/index.php?day=4&page=5 | url=http://www.gamespot.com/pages/features/bestof2005/index.php?day=4&page=5 | title=Best & Worst 05: Genre Awards; Best Adventure Game | author=Staff | archive-date=June 25, 2013 | work=GameSpot | url-status=dead}}
References
{{Reflist}}
External links
- [http://www.gamespot.com/nibiru-age-of-secrets/platform/pc/ Nibiru: Age of Secrets] at GameSpot
- [https://web.archive.org/web/20051105091158/http://nibirugame.com/ Main page 1]
- [https://web.archive.org/web/20050305170822/http://nibiru-game.com/ Main page 2]
- [https://web.archive.org/web/20070512210155/http://pc.gamezone.com/news/09_19_05_06_57AM.htm Gamezone interview]
- [https://web.archive.org/web/20080927232706/http://www.jeuxvideopc.com/articles/187-interview-kevin-allart-chef-produit-chez-micro-application-br-nibiru/ Jeuxvideo interview]
- [https://translate.googleusercontent.com/translate_c?act=url&depth=1&hl=en&ie=UTF8&prev=_t&rurl=translate.google.com.au&sl=auto&sp=nmt4&tl=en&u=https://web.archive.org/web/20051017071048/http://www.jeuxvideopc.com/articles/article-187-1-interview-de-kevin- GamesVideoPC interview]
= Reviews =
- [http://www.gameboomers.com/reviews/Nn/NiBiRu%20by%20Becky.htm Gameboomers]
- [https://web.archive.org/web/20051113180648/http://www.quandaryland.com/jsp/dispArticle.jsp?index=728 Quandary]
{{Future Games}}
Category:The Adventure Company games
Category:Future Games (video game developer) games
Category:Point-and-click adventure games