BLACKTHORNE (32X)
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Publisher: Interplay.
Developer: Blizzard Entertainment; Paradox Development (32X). Released: 1995. Genre: Cinematic Platformer. Other versions: SNES. Posted 31st August 2013. By Tom Clare © 2013 |
After overseeing Heart of the Alien, a sterling though sadly overlooked Mega-CD-exclusive sequel to Another World, Interplay were evidently keen to leave their mark on the cinematic platformer sub-genre. They teamed up with Blizzard for the rather nifty Blackthorne, which landed on the SNES in 1994, before being ported to SEGA's short-lived 32X the following year.
It’s very much in the mould of Delphine Software’s terrific Flashback; with combat, exploration and environmental design all bearing marked similarities. It shares its sci-fi space-opera vibe too; in this instance, the action takes place on the planet Tuul, where the Androthi race (the goodies) have been enslaved by the monstrous ka'dra, who seek a world ruled by darkness. Naturally, a chosen one, in this case a human mercenary called Kyle, assumes the role of the Androthi's last hope and goes on an epic, dangerous quest to defeat megalomaniac darklord Sarlac. So no pressure.
Early exchanges hint at something very special. The impressive jungle surrounds look top-notch; with lush, rich greenery and glistening waterfalls really showing off the 32X's potential, whilst on the gameplay front, it delivers some instantly-engaging platform and combat sequences to negotiate. The slave camp atmosphere evokes memories of Lester Chaykin’s attritional journey in Another World, evocatively conveyed through screens populated with workers (who are susceptible to fire from both sides) and whip-cracking minions pacing with menace and fervour.
It’s very much in the mould of Delphine Software’s terrific Flashback; with combat, exploration and environmental design all bearing marked similarities. It shares its sci-fi space-opera vibe too; in this instance, the action takes place on the planet Tuul, where the Androthi race (the goodies) have been enslaved by the monstrous ka'dra, who seek a world ruled by darkness. Naturally, a chosen one, in this case a human mercenary called Kyle, assumes the role of the Androthi's last hope and goes on an epic, dangerous quest to defeat megalomaniac darklord Sarlac. So no pressure.
Early exchanges hint at something very special. The impressive jungle surrounds look top-notch; with lush, rich greenery and glistening waterfalls really showing off the 32X's potential, whilst on the gameplay front, it delivers some instantly-engaging platform and combat sequences to negotiate. The slave camp atmosphere evokes memories of Lester Chaykin’s attritional journey in Another World, evocatively conveyed through screens populated with workers (who are susceptible to fire from both sides) and whip-cracking minions pacing with menace and fervour.
The holiday soon turned sour when Kyle failed to read the deeds of service
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Remember: don't look down. Or to your left
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Blackthorne chalks up some more points with its neat combat. Whilst the basic draw ‘n’ fire mechanisms are very reminiscent of Conrad Hart’s, Kyle has a few tricks of his own. Most notable amongst them is the ability to hide in shadows by holding ‘up’ on the D-Pad, allowing Kyle to dodge bullets and evade mobile traps. Enemies are especially clever, as not only can they seek cover of their own, they’ll start edging toward your position if you start to play too conservatively, eventually ringing your neck if you let them encroach too far. It’s also wise to keep an eye on your surrounds; get shot on the edge of a climb, and there's every chance your protagonist will end up plunging to his doom.
Whilst Kyle and the other sprites don’t look quite as smooth as they might when static, the realistic movement animations are a treat to behold. There's a good smattering of richly-detailed, varied locales, as well as some eye-catching weather effects, most notably the snow blizzards and crashing rain that dominate the mid-levels. The sound is a little bit weedy at times and there isn't a great deal of variance to the BGMs, accompanied by explosions and shooting SFX that get the job done but don't excel. The animated cut-scenes are a disappointment, as they recycle the same short scene of Sarlac every time you finish a world, albeit with a different line or two of dialogue.
There's plenty to suggest that Blackthorne could have been a belter. In the end though, after a go-getter start, it just holds back a little. It's still a really good game; there's plenty of cool touches and it should be commended on the excellent judgement of the difficulty curve, which arcs at just the right times, meaning its always asking questions of the player without ever becoming strangled by its difficulty. But whereas the aforementioned classics constantly chuck new ideas, challenges and options the way of the gamer, Blackthorne gives the impression of a game that’s happy with its lot after the first round of stages, with the most notable changes coming from the look of the scenery. Enemies, which are devious to begin with, come to be replaced with palette-swaps that are slightly more bullet-hardened, you'll blow up forcefield generators with exploding wasps more times than you can count, and there's a rather undesirable trait for having to go back and retrieve bridge keys so as to use them again later in the level. Though fire-bombs and levitators are cool for a few levels, its disappointing they don't try to expand Kyle's repertoire a little more as you progress.
Whilst Kyle and the other sprites don’t look quite as smooth as they might when static, the realistic movement animations are a treat to behold. There's a good smattering of richly-detailed, varied locales, as well as some eye-catching weather effects, most notably the snow blizzards and crashing rain that dominate the mid-levels. The sound is a little bit weedy at times and there isn't a great deal of variance to the BGMs, accompanied by explosions and shooting SFX that get the job done but don't excel. The animated cut-scenes are a disappointment, as they recycle the same short scene of Sarlac every time you finish a world, albeit with a different line or two of dialogue.
There's plenty to suggest that Blackthorne could have been a belter. In the end though, after a go-getter start, it just holds back a little. It's still a really good game; there's plenty of cool touches and it should be commended on the excellent judgement of the difficulty curve, which arcs at just the right times, meaning its always asking questions of the player without ever becoming strangled by its difficulty. But whereas the aforementioned classics constantly chuck new ideas, challenges and options the way of the gamer, Blackthorne gives the impression of a game that’s happy with its lot after the first round of stages, with the most notable changes coming from the look of the scenery. Enemies, which are devious to begin with, come to be replaced with palette-swaps that are slightly more bullet-hardened, you'll blow up forcefield generators with exploding wasps more times than you can count, and there's a rather undesirable trait for having to go back and retrieve bridge keys so as to use them again later in the level. Though fire-bombs and levitators are cool for a few levels, its disappointing they don't try to expand Kyle's repertoire a little more as you progress.
Like with all arguments... just wait for the other two to kill each other
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Despite his reputation, Sarlac was actually a big fan of early-eighties Prince
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Gameplay is a pleasure, especially if you're a fan of cinematic platformers. Movement and general control responsiveness is also more forgiving than its peers, though it does have a couple of issues. Inevitably, there are a few jumps later on in the game that take on an unnecessary do-or-die cadence, and is sometimes the case with such games, its tricky to have full confidence in your character executing the jump at precisely the right moment. The biggest single gripe however lies with having to hold A + B whilst using the directions to be able to cycle inventory. This is absurd, as Kyle either starts blasting away mindlessly or, much worse, starts jumping in the direction you're standing. Why they didn't just incorporated it into the pause menu is frankly anyone's guess.
Nevertheless, whilst Blackthorne falls short of Another World's devious design quality and never quite emulates the atmosphere of Flashback's incredible 'living' sci-fi worlds, it does hold one notable trump card – it's massive. There's around eighteen levels in all, each with a password, and they can last anywhere between fifteen and forty-five minutes. This means it easily outlasts the majority of its contemporaries, and shows Blackthorne to be a work of considerable scope. So whilst it would have been nice to see it chance a few more expansive ideas in the second half of the adventure, Blackthorne looks fine, plays well and will keep you playing for a good while, which means that all-told, it's an easy one to recommend.
Nevertheless, whilst Blackthorne falls short of Another World's devious design quality and never quite emulates the atmosphere of Flashback's incredible 'living' sci-fi worlds, it does hold one notable trump card – it's massive. There's around eighteen levels in all, each with a password, and they can last anywhere between fifteen and forty-five minutes. This means it easily outlasts the majority of its contemporaries, and shows Blackthorne to be a work of considerable scope. So whilst it would have been nice to see it chance a few more expansive ideas in the second half of the adventure, Blackthorne looks fine, plays well and will keep you playing for a good while, which means that all-told, it's an easy one to recommend.
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