Blackthorne
| Blackthorne | |
|---|---|
SNES box art
|
|
| Developer(s) |
Blizzard Paradox (32X) Mass Media (GBA) |
| Publisher(s) |
Interplay MacPlay (Mac OS) Blizzard (GBA) |
| Producer(s) | Ronald Millar Sr. Matthew Findley |
| Designer(s) | Ronald Millar Sr. |
| Programmer(s) | Frank Pearce Jr. Patrick Wyatt |
| Artist(s) | Roman Kenney Stuart Rose Jason Magness Ronald Millar Sr. Sam Didier |
| Writer(s) | Micky Neilson Ronald Millar Sr. Frank Pearce Jr. |
| Composer(s) | Glenn Stafford |
| Platform(s) | SNES, MS-DOS, Sega 32X, Classic Mac OS, GBA, Windows |
| Release | 1994 (SNES and MS-DOS) 1995 (Sega 32X) 1996 (Mac) 2003 (GBA) 2013 (Windows) (Battle.net) |
| Genre(s) | Cinematic platformer |
| Mode(s) | Single-player |
| Aggregate scores | |
|---|---|
| Aggregator | Score |
| GameRankings | 81.50% |
| Metacritic | 67/100 |
| Review scores | |
| Publication | Score |
| CGW |
  (DOS) |
| EGM | 8/10 (SNES) |
| GameSpot | 7/10 (GBA) |
| Giant Bomb |
|
| IGN | 7.5 (SNES) |
| Next Generation |
(SNES) |
| Next Generation |
(DOS) |
Blackthorne (released as Blackhawk in some European countries) is a cinematic platformer video game developed by Blizzard Entertainment. It was released for the SNES and MS-DOS in 1994. The cover art for the SNES version was drawn by Jim Lee. In 2013, the game was added to server us.battle.net as a free download, emulated through DOSBox.
Blackthorne is set on the planet Tuul, which has existed for centuries without human knowledge. All of this time, Tuul's people have been ruled over by a single shaman who "was blessed with all knowledge". Years before the game begins, Thoros, the latest ruler, finds it near impossible to choose between his two sons as the next ruler. Believing it will solve the dilemma, he leads them to the deserts and kills himself. His body becomes two stones, light and dark, and he gives one to each boy to rule their own kingdoms respectively. The people of the lightstone form the kingdom of Androth, and the people of the darkstone form Ka'dra'suul. But while Androth respects their stone, Ka'dra'suul reject theirs, and are eventually transformed into monsters by it. In this time, a ka'dra named Sarlac seizes power. He forms an army and leads them against Androth. Knowing of his people's doom, the ruler of Androth, King Vlaros, with the aid of the Androthi magician Galadril, sends his son Kyle to Earth to save his life. Vlaros also gives Kyle the lightstone for safe keeping.
20 years later, Kyle has become a renowned military captain and mercenary. After breaking out of prison facing court martial, Kyle begins having strange dreams, and is eventually confronted by Galadril. He is told that it is time to return to Tuul and save his people. The game begins here with Kyle setting out to kill Sarlac and reclaim his throne.
The game focuses around protagonist Kyle "Blackthorne" Vlaros, out for revenge on Sarlac and his minions. The gameplay involves large platforming sequences, in which Kyle can run and climb around the environment, find keys and items and progress to the end of each maze like level. Combat in Blackthorne takes the form of gunfights. Both Blackthorne and his enemies can press against walls to avoid incoming bullets. Blackthorne can also fire blindly behind himself. During the game, Kyle uses a pump action shotgun as his primary weapon. As the game progresses, Androthi allies will help him upgrade the weapon, increasing its speed and power.
...
Wikipedia