Brian Bloodaxe
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
| Brian Bloodaxe | |
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| Developer(s) | Charles Bystram |
| Publisher(s) | The Edge Software |
| Release date(s) | 1985 |
| Genre(s) | Platform game |
| Mode(s) | Single player |
| Rating(s) | N/A |
| Platform(s) | ZX Spectrum |
| Media | Cassette |
| Input | Keyboard, Joystick |
Brian Bloodaxe is a British platform game written by Charles Bystram and released by The Edge Software in 1985. It was published for the ZX Spectrum.
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[edit] Plot
In Brian Bloodaxe, our Viking hero wakes from an ice block in which he has been trapped for hundreds of years. Upon discovering that the year is now 1983 he decides to do what he originally set out to achieve - the conquering of Britain. Working his way through 100 plus screens of platform mayhem, Brian's ultimate goal is to steal the British Crown Jewels and seat himself upon the British throne.
[edit] Gameplay
Brian Bloodaxe plays as a platform game with some very simple "collect and drop objects" aspects. Although Brian has to dodge most of the game's varied and often surreal enemies, some of them can be killed if he headbutts them thereby stabbing them with the horns of his helmet.
The game is notable for its esoteric humour which was strongly influenced by the humour of sketch comedy series Monty Python's Flying Circus, its in-game music (The "Liberty Bell March" by John Philip Sousa, better known to some as the Flying Circus theme tune), and colourful graphics.
[edit] Criticism
It impressed many critics (scoring 86% in CRASH, 3 "hits" out of 3 in Your Spectrum and 8/10 in Sinclair User), especially given the graphical limitations of the Spectrum.
[edit] Trivia
- Some notable British icons are homaged in the game, including a creature resembling the Loch Ness monster and another that looks like a Dalek.
- When the game loads, the Spectrum pretends to reset itself and then prints a message asking the player to "blow gently on the keyboard" before going to the game intro-screen.
