Release Date: 1994
Developer: Blizzard Entertainment, Inc.
Publisher: Interplay Productions Ltd.
On February 8th, 1991, three UCLA Bachelor’s graduates decided to start making video games for the SNES under the name Silicon & Synapse. The games were good but not spectacular. Sometime in 1993, Silicon & Synapse became Chaos Studios. They eventually caught the attention of distributor Davidson & Associates, who decided to acquire them in April, 1994.
After the acquisition, Chaos Studios decided that another name change would be appropriate. I have no idea why those three UCLA students – Allen Adham, Michael Morhaime, and Frank Pearce – chose the name, but that name has resonated with gaming ever since: Blizzard Entertainment.
Ever since then, Blizzard has become a juggernaut, responsible for some of the biggest video game franchises around. The first game they released in November 1994 under the Blizzard name began the oldest and most venerated franchise: Warcraft: Orcs and Humans.
The next game they released, on December 1994, Blackthorne for the SNES and PC, did not receive the same veneration. It’s a shame, because this game is an absolute gem.
The story for this game is…well, it’s Blizzard. If I were to write up the full story, I’d be here for weeks. So, here’s a brief summary: There is a planet named Tuul. Two kingdoms are warring in Tuul, a light kingdom and a dark kingdom. Kyle Vlaros, the heir to the light kingdom, is whisked away to earth to protect him. 20 years later, he is pulled back to Tuul and asked to unite the two kingdoms.
Some of this backstory is played out in cinematic form, because it’s Blizzard. And just like Blizzard, the cinematics and general artwork is excellent for the era. Small scenes play out during gameplay, and they have the same attention to detail. This is one of those games that will have you paying attention during cutscenes.
You play as Kyle Vlaros, the Blackthorne. The game is a side-scrolling action platformer, but not in the vein of Contra or Castlevania. The fluid animations and more plodding movements give off a vibe similar to Out of this World or Flashback, games that were more puzzle-like than twitch-based. The movements are almost tile-based, with Blackthorn moving as if he were going from square to square. The animation, although smooth and pretty, slows down his movements, especially his jumping. Anyone who has played Flashback before will understand and cringe.
Combat is also strategic and deliberate. Blackthorne has cover-based combat. Whenever his weapon, a shotgun, is out, Blackthorne can hide in the shadows. Enemy fire cannot hit him, but he is also unable to fire. Of course, the enemies can hide as well. Encounters with enemies become a game of peek-a-boo as both sides peek out and try to take out their foe.
One thing about the controls I don’t like too much is the constant switching back and forth between combat and movement. Blackthorne can’t run or jump while holding his gun. That’ll lead to many instances where you have to stow the gun to climb a ledge, pull him up from it, and then immediately draw your gun to pop an orc in the face. As slow and deliberate as the movements are in this game, that is not an easy task. You’ll take quite a few cheap shots before being able to retaliate. Once you get the hang of the controls, it’s less of a problem.
One thig that sets this game apart, however, is Blackthorne himself. This guy is pure 80s badass, complete with sunglasses that he wears everywhere and rocker hair. It’s as if Bret “The Hitman” Hart decided to grab a shotgun and go kill orcs. Everything about him screams BADASS! When not fighting, he stows his shotgun behind his back, where I guess he keeps it in place with his butt cheeks. When in combat, he holds the shotgun menacingly, almost like he thinks the bullets will come out faster if he squeezes the gun harder. And if there is an enemy behind him, he can no-look blast them in the face with his boom stick ONE-HANDED! He has enough attitude to make Duke Nukem jealous!
As you go further into the game, Blackthorne becomes even more badass. Upgrades to the shotgun will introduce fully automatic fire and exploding bullets, which will ensure that anything you point it as will turn to sauce in seconds. Item pickups will allow Blackthorne to reach inaccessible areas and blow up remote objects.
The game itself is also very polished. Everything is colorful and well animated, and the dark, moody music fits perfectly with the environment. The slow-paced movement and combat works well with the surroundings. Some rooms have puzzles that need thought and planning to solve. This is also reminiscent of Out of this World, and it works well in both games.
So why didn’t this game do better? I can’t really say. The game was well-received critically, but that doesn’t usually translate into good sales numbers. For whatever reason, the general public missed out on this game.
Does it still hold up? I think it does. It’s a welcome switch from the twitch shoot-em-ups that I love. For gamers who like games with a more cerebral approach, Blackthorne is a great game to play.
For those who want to give it a spin, you’re in luck. You can download the game for free on PC and Mac. Console owners will have a tougher time of it, as the game is not available for any of Nintendo’s Virtual Consoles. The game was available for the SNES, GameBoy Advance and Sega 32X, and a trip to eBay may net you an inexpensive copy.
Blackthorne is a hidden gem and worthy of a playthrough.
Good: Badass character; great strategic gameplay; awesome visuals and animations
Bad: Switching between combat and movement can get grating; peek-a-boo combat
Final score: 8/10
