| Brian Bloodaxe | |
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| Developer(s) | Charles Bystram |
| Publisher(s) | The Edge Software |
| Platform(s) | ZX Spectrum, Commodore 64 |
| Release date(s) | 1985 |
| Genre(s) | Platform game |
| Mode(s) | Single player |
| Media/distribution | Cassette |
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, Commodore 64 (converted by Trevor Inns) and Amstrad CPC 464 (also converted by Trevor Inns).
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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 more than 100 screens of platform mayhem, Brian's ultimate goal is to steal the British Crown Jewels and seat himself upon the British throne.
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 most as the Flying Circus theme tune), and colourful graphics.
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.